Legal & Law
There are 4 legal & law credentials in the TestPrepPilot directory: 4 national certifications awarded by a single body.
Bar exams and components, MPRE, patent bar, paralegal and court reporting credentials.
- Credentials
- 4
- Specialisms
- 2
- National
- 4
How do the main legal & law credentials compare?
Verified figures for 4 of the national legal & law credentials, drawn from each awarding body's published material. Fees change — confirm with the body before you book.
| Credential | Awarded by | Exam fee | Length | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Bar Exam | State Bar of California | ~$878 | 2 days | Passing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report |
| Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination | National Conference of Bar Examiners | ~$145-160 | 2 hours | Passing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report |
| Uniform Bar Exam | National Conference of Bar Examiners | ~$1,000+ | 2 days | Passing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report |
| Certified Notary Signing Agent | National Notary Association | ~$100-$200 | ~1 hour | Passing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report |
Which legal & law credentials lead to the highest published pay?
Ranked by the median annual wage published for the occupation each credential unlocks — the most recent figure per occupation, quoted from the source named in the guide (usually the BLS occupational series). A credential is the entry ticket to an occupation, not a pay guarantee: these are occupation medians, not starting salaries.
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California Bar Exam
$151,160 median for lawyers (BLS SOC 23-1011, May 2024)
The State Bar publishes pass rates for every administration — February 2026: 30.8% overall and 43.9% first-time; July 2025: 54.8% overall and 69.7% first-time
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Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination
$151,160 median for lawyers (BLS OOH, May 2024) — the profession the MPRE helps you enter.
The NCBE publishes no single MPRE pass rate — it reports score statistics instead, with a national mean scaled score of 96.6 in 2024 on the 50-150 scale, comfortably above most jurisdictions’ passing thresholds of 75-86.
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Uniform Bar Exam
$151,160 median for lawyers (BLS OOH, May 2024) — the end-state salary the bar exam gates.
There is no single UBE pass rate — each of the 41 UBE jurisdictions publishes its own results, with first-time-taker pass rates historically spanning a wide range by jurisdiction and cohort; the NCBE aggregates the data rather than publishing one national number.
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Certified Notary Signing Agent
$56,620 median for real estate sales agents (BLS, May 2024) — the closest-fit occupation, used only as context: signing agents work as independent contractors paid per assignment, so income is fee-based and varies widely
There is no single national exam — signing-agent certification is provider-based, and the best-known provider (the NNA) publishes an 80% passing score on a 50-question exam rather than a cohort pass rate
Bar Exam Components 3 credentials
- California Bar Exam California Bar Exam — Legal & Government credential from State Bar of California
- Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination — Legal & Government credential from National Conference of Bar Examiners
- Uniform Bar Exam Uniform Bar Exam — Legal & Government credential from National Conference of Bar Examiners
Paralegal & Legal Support 1 credential
Frequently asked questions about legal & law credentials
How many legal & law credentials are there?
There are 4 legal & law credentials in the TestPrepPilot directory: 4 national certifications awarded by a single body.
How much do legal & law exams cost?
Across the 4 national legal & law credentials we have verified fee data for, exam fees run from $100–$1000. Renewal, membership and study-material costs are additional and vary by awarding body — each guide breaks out its own full cost table.
Do you need a certification to work in legal & law?
None of the 4 credentials in this field is a state-issued licence — all 4 are national certifications awarded by a professional body. That usually means the certification is not legally mandatory, but employers, insurers or clients may require it as a condition of the work.
Which legal & law credential should you start with?
Start with the one your target employer or state board names. The most widely recognised national options in this field are California Bar Exam, Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, Uniform Bar Exam — each has a full guide with eligibility rules, fees and a week-by-week study plan.
How often do legal & law requirements change?
Fees are revised most years and eligibility rules change whenever a state legislature or awarding body acts. Every guide on TestPrepPilot links to the primary regulatory source it was verified against, and the "Sources" section is the authoritative place to confirm current figures before you book.