So, you’re looking at ube scores by state because you've realized that where you take the bar exam matters just as much as how hard you study. It’s a weird system. You can literally be a "lawyer" in one state and a "failure" in another based on the exact same afternoon of frantic typing.
The Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) was supposed to fix the chaos of the old days. Before it, moving your legal practice was a nightmare of repeating exams. Now, it’s basically a portable score. But here’s the catch: every state gets to decide what "passing" actually looks like.
Some states are "easy" (relatively speaking). Others? They want you to be a legal titan before they let you touch a case file.
The Magic Number: 260 vs. 270
If you’re hunting for the lowest barrier to entry, you’re looking at a 260.
Currently, Alabama, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Utah are the "260 Club." Honestly, it’s a smart move if you’re worried about the MBE or just want to get licensed as fast as possible. If you score a 261 in Alabama, you can call yourself an attorney. Take that same score to Arizona, and you're back to square one.
Why is there such a massive gap? It’s mostly gatekeeping and local policy.
Where the Bar is High (Literally)
On the flip side, you have the 270 states. This is the big leagues. We’re talking:
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- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Massachusetts
- Ohio
- Texas
- Pennsylvania (though they used to be at 272, they've shifted slightly)
If you’re sitting for the exam in Texas or North Carolina, you need a 270. There’s no wiggle room. If you hit a 268, you’ve technically passed in New York (which requires a 266), but you’re a "no-go" in the Lone Star State.
The 2026 "NextGen" Curveball
Everything we know about ube scores by state is about to get a little messy.
In July 2026, the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) is launching the "NextGen" bar exam. It’s supposed to be more about "lawyering skills" and less about memorizing the Rule Against Perpetuities until your eyes bleed.
The scoring for the NextGen exam is on a different scale—think 500 to 750 instead of the 200 to 400 range we've used for years. The NCBE is recommending a passing range of 610 to 620.
Here’s the thing: only some states are jumping on the NextGen train right away. Connecticut, Maryland, Missouri, Oregon, and Washington are the early adopters for the July 2026 launch. Others, like New York and Texas, are waiting until 2028.
This means for a few years, we’re going to have a "Legacy UBE" and a "NextGen UBE" existing at the same time. If you’re planning to transfer your score, you need to be incredibly careful. Not every state has decided how they’ll convert a NextGen score back into a Legacy score for admission.
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The Mid-Range Sweet Spot: 266
Most people end up in the middle. The 266 score is the most common requirement.
It’s the standard in New York, D.C., Illinois, and New Jersey. These are high-volume states. Because they use a 266, it creates a massive "transfer market." If you pass in New York, you can easily port that score over to almost any other UBE jurisdiction except for the "270" elite.
It’s basically the gold standard for flexibility.
Why Score Portability is Kinda a Lie
People talk about "portable scores" like it’s a free pass to move anywhere. It isn't.
Most states have a "shelf life" for your score. In many places, your UBE score is only good for 3 to 5 years. If you wait too long to transfer your score from Missouri to Colorado, you might find out that your 275 is now worthless. You'd have to take the whole exam over again.
Also, don't forget the "local components." Even with a passing ube scores by state ranking, places like New York and Maryland make you take a separate online course and exam on their specific state laws. You aren't just "in" because you hit the number.
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The Strategy: Where Should You Sit?
If you live in a 270 state but you're a terrible test-taker, should you travel to a 260 state?
Maybe.
But keep in mind the cost of travel, the stress of a new environment, and the fact that you still eventually have to pay the transfer fees (which can be over $1,000 in some states).
Essential Checklist for 2026 Candidates
- Check the 2026 Transition: Is your state switching to NextGen in July? If so, your study materials need to be completely different.
- Look at the Mean Scores: The national mean MBE score has been hovering around 142 recently. If you can consistently hit that in practice, you’re likely safe for a 266 or 270 jurisdiction.
- The "Character and Fitness" Trap: No matter how high your score is, if you have a messy background check, the score doesn't matter. Start that paperwork early.
Moving Forward With Your Score
The landscape of ube scores by state is shifting faster than it has in thirty years. Between the 2026 NextGen rollout and states like Pennsylvania and Oregon tweaking their requirements, you cannot rely on old Reddit threads for this data.
Next Steps for You:
- Confirm your jurisdiction’s 2026 status: Check the NCBE official "NextGen" map to see if you’ll be taking the Legacy or the New exam.
- Target a 270 in practice: Even if you only need a 260, aiming for the highest common denominator gives you the freedom to move to almost 40 different jurisdictions later.
- Download the local rules: If you are transferring a score, pull the specific "Admission by UBE Transfer" document from that state's Board of Law Examiners immediately.
The bar exam is a one-time hurdle. Don't let a 2-point difference in state requirements be the reason you can't take that job in Denver or Seattle.