California Bar Exam Score Calculator
Estimate composite scaled scores combining 50% written examination and 50% MBE. Includes reverse MBE target solver for the statutory 1390 passing score.
Part 1: Five Essay Questions (Graded 40–100 in 5-point steps)
Subtotal: 325/500Carries 14.28% of total bar exam score (equivalent to 2 essays)
National MBE score scale (typically 100 to 180; scaled CA equivalent: 1390)
With your current raw written score (455/700), you need an MBE scaled score of:
State Bar of California Grading Standards
Scoring parameters established by the California Supreme Court and Committee of Bar Examiners
1390-point scaled passing threshold, 50% written and 50% MBE composite grading formula.
California Bar Examination Structure & Weights
| Exam Component | Raw Grading Scale | Relative Written Weight | Overall Exam Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Essays (1–5) | 40 to 100 points each | 71.4% (14.28% per essay) | 35.7% of entire examination |
| Performance Test (PT) | 80 to 200 points (Double) | 28.6% of written section | 14.3% of entire examination |
| Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) | 0 to 200 scaled | N/A (Independent portion) | 50.0% of entire examination |
| Passing Benchmark | 455 Raw Written / 139 MBE | 1390 Scaled Written | 1390 Composite on 2000 Scale |
How California Bar Exam Scores Are Calculated
Mathematical formulas and step-by-step arithmetic breakdown
Worked Example Calculation: Baseline Passing Candidate
Consider a candidate who earns exactly 65 on all five essays, 130 on the Performance Test, and achieves a national MBE scaled score of 139:
- Raw Essay Total (5 × 65): 325 raw points
- Raw Performance Test: 130 raw points
- Total Raw Written Score: 455 out of 700
- Scaled Written Score (Benchmark): 1390.0 points
- MBE Scaled Score (Converted to 2000 Scale): 1390.0 points
- Final Composite Scaled Score: 1390.0 points
- Passing Threshold: Exactly 1390 scaled points
- Result: PASSED (Score Margin: 0.0 points)
Results Timing: The State Bar posts exam results on the Applicant Portal at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Applying from another state? Convert that release time to your local zone with our Pacific Time zone converter.
California-Specific Nuance: The 1390 Rule & Double-Weighted PT
Key structural details that distinguish the California Bar from UBE jurisdictions
The 1390 Passing Standard
For decades, California maintained one of the highest bar exam cut scores in the United States at 1440 points. In July 2020, following extensive psychometric studies commissioned by the California Supreme Court, Order S262740 permanently adjusted the passing score to 1390 points.
Double Weight of the Performance Test
Unlike the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) which includes two separate MPT tasks, California administers a single 90-minute Performance Test. However, California grades the PT on an 80 to 200 scale, making it equivalent in weight to two complete essays. Mastering the PT is statistically the single most effective way to protect against essay variance.
Frequently Asked Questions About the California Bar Exam
Committee of Bar Examiners grading policies and score appeals
The minimum passing score for the California Bar Examination is exactly 1390 scaled points on a 2000-point scale. This standard was permanently instituted by the Supreme Court of California under Order S262740 in July 2020 (lowered from the historical 1440 threshold).
The exam is weighted exactly 50% Written Examination and 50% Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). The written portion consists of 5 essay questions (each worth 7.14% of the total exam, or 14.28% of the written portion) and one 90-minute Performance Test (worth 14.28% of the total exam, or 28.57% of the written portion).
A raw score of 65 on each of the 5 essays and 130 on the Performance Test (totaling 455 raw written points out of 700) typically scales to approximately 1390 on the written portion. Paired with a national MBE scaled score of 139 (or 1390 on the CA 2000 scale), this yields an exact passing mark.
Yes. Because the California Bar Exam combines both sections on an equal 50/50 basis, a high MBE score (e.g., 150+) can compensate for lower essay scores, and vice versa. There is no minimum score required on either individual section, as long as the composite scaled score reaches 1390.
Under California State Bar grading rules, applicants who earn an initial total scaled score between 1350 and 1389 receive an automatic second read of all written answers by a different grader. The two scores are averaged.
Yes. California combines written and MBE scores equally. If your MBE score is 150 (1500 points), your written score only needs to reach 1280 points to achieve the 1390 composite threshold.