North Carolina Law Schools
6 ABA-Accredited Law Schools • 32,172 attorneys
All North Carolina Law Schools
Compare all 6 ABA-accredited law schools in North Carolina. Click column headers to sort.
Table Legend
| Duke University | #7 | 171 | 3.91 | 13% | 70.9% | 98.2% | $80K |
| University of North Carolina | #18 | 168 | 3.89 | 11% | 24.6% | 94.1% | $51K |
| Wake Forest University | #30 | 166 | 3.79 | 25% | 26.6% | 89.6% | $58K |
| Campbell University | #131 | 156 | 3.51 | 51% | 3.3% | 93.5% | $52K |
| Elon Law School | #144 | 154 | 3.40 | 53% | 0.7% | 69.9% | $45K |
| North Carolina Central University | #175 | 151 | 3.31 | 30% | 2.2% | 59.4% | $36K |
North Carolina Bar Exam 2024: Pass Rates & Difficulty
Bar exam statistics and difficulty rating for North Carolina law school graduates
Pass Rate Comparison
Understanding Bar Exam Difficulty
Rating 1 (Easiest, 88%+): Very high pass rates indicating easier bar exams or exceptional law school preparation.
Rating 2 (Below Average Difficulty, 83-88%): Above-average pass rates showing moderate difficulty.
Rating 3 (Average Difficulty, 76-83%): Pass rates near national average of ~79%.
Rating 4 (Difficult, 70-76%): Below-average pass rates indicating challenging bar exams.
Rating 5 (Most Difficult, <70%): Significantly below national average. California (68%) and Florida (72%) are notably difficult.
Note: Bar difficulty rating based solely on first-time pass rates from ABA 2024 Bar Passage Statistics. Lower pass rates indicate more challenging bar exams. Individual law school preparation quality also affects outcomes.
North Carolina Legal Market Overview
Employment opportunities and top legal employers in North Carolina
Market Overview
North Carolina features growing legal markets in Charlotte and the Research Triangle (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill). Charlotte is a major banking center rivaling New York in finance law opportunities. The Research Triangle offers tech, biotech, and academic law positions. The state's business-friendly environment attracts corporate relocations.
Top Legal Employers in North Carolina
Includes BigLaw firms, government offices, and public interest organizations. Rankings are not ordered by size or prestige.
Career Paths in North Carolina
Private Sector
- • BigLaw firms (501+ attorneys)
- • Midsize firms (50-100 attorneys)
- • Regional and boutique firms
- • Solo practice and small firms
- • In-house corporate counsel
Public Sector
- • Federal clerkships
- • State and federal prosecutors
- • Public defenders
- • Government agencies
- • Public interest organizations
Frequently Asked Questions
This is backward-looking data that relies on assumptions. Different outcomes are possible. This is not financial advice.