2018 2018: UMass Law outperforms area private schools

UMass Law 2017 graduates succeed in bar passage and employment, with a first-time bar pass rate of 72.7% and 83.7% of the class securing employment in bar-required or JD-advantage positions.

Bar pass and employment success

UMass Law outperformed four area private schools in 2017 bar pass and employment rates.

In the American Bar Association’s first multi-jurisdictional ranking of bar pass results, UMass Law’s 2017 first-time bar pass rate was 72.7%, surpassing four area private law schools, which had bar pass rates ranging from 58.6% to 67.9%.

“These test results are a testament to the quality of our students and the excellence of our faculty,” Dean Eric Mitnick said. “We are confident that our pass rates will continue to improve in the years ahead.”

Graduates of the Class of 2017 succeeded not only on the bar exam, but also in employment; 83.7% of UMass Law's 2017 graduates secured employment in bar-required or JD-advantage positions.

55.1% of the class secured full-time, long-term employment in positions that required them to pass the bar exam. This surpasses four area private law schools with employment rates ranging from 38.2% to 54.1%.

For the second year in a row, UMass Law ranked highly in percentage of graduates in long-term, full-time employment in government or public service. Class of 2017 graduates ranked first in New England.

“We are excited to see our law students outperforming many of their private law school peers while also delivering thousands of hours of pro bono legal services to organizations and individuals across the region,” Chancellor Johnson said.

More information

• ABA bar passage report
• ABA employment summary report