Accreditation
Monterey College of Law’s mission is to provide a quality legal education in a community law school setting with graduates who are dedicated to professional excellence, integrity, and community service.
California Bar Accreditation
Monterey College of Law is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California.
Monterey College of Law has been accredited continuously by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California since July, 1981. Our next 5-year accreditation on-site visit is expected soon.
Click here for our current Mandatory Information Report Business and Professions Code Section 6061.7 (a)
The State Bar of California requires all California Accredited Law Schools (CALS) to report a cumulative five-year pass rate on the California Bar Exam (CBX). We are proud of our pass rate on the CBX, one of the most difficult bar exams to pass:
2025 = 61.2%, 2024 = 52.3%, 2023 = 55.8%, 2022= 55.43%, 2021=53.8%
Accreditation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Monterey College of Law is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission
(WSCUC), 1080 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500, Alameda, CA 94501, 510.748.9001.
The effective date of Initial Accreditation was May 10, 2025.
- Report of The WSCUC Visiting Team -- Seeking Accreditation Visit 2 to Monterey College of Law, April 9-11, 2025
- Commission Action Letter of July 11, 2025, Granting Initial Accreditation Effective May 10, 2025
Questions about WSCUC accreditation may be directed to the institution or to WSCUC at https://www.wscuc.org/contact or 510.748.9001.
Practicing Law in Other States
States other than California may require a degree from an American Bar Association
accredited school or approval from an examining committee as a prerequisite to taking
their bar examination. Monterey College of Law is not seeking accreditation from the
American Bar Association. Study at, or graduation from, this law school may not qualify
a student to take the bar examination or be admitted to practice law in jurisdictions
other than California. A student who intends to seek admission to practice law outside
of California should contact the admitting authority in that jurisdiction for information
regarding its education and admission requirements.
Eligibility to Sit for the Bar Exam in Other Jurisdictions
The Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements, a publication by the National Conference of Bar Examiners and the ABA Section of
Legal Education and Admission to the Bar provides detailed information on bar admissions
requirements in all jurisdictions.
Disclaimer for Master of Legal Studies Degree
Except as provided in rule 4.30 of the Admissions Rules (Legal education in a foreign
state or country), completion of a professional law degree program at Monterey College
of Law other than the Juris Doctor degree does not qualify a student to take the California
Bar Examination or satisfy the requirements for admission to practice law in California.
It may not qualify a student to take the bar examination or to satisfy requirements
for admission to the practice of law in any other jurisdiction. A student intending
to seek admission to practice law should contact the admitting authority in the jurisdictions
where the student intends to qualify to sit for the bar examination or be admitted
to practice for information regarding their legal education requirements.
Information about the State Bar of California Bar Exam
The State Bar of California maintains information about qualifications to sit for
the California Bar Exam, including dates, fees, locations at www.calbar.ca.gov/admissions. Statistics for previous bar exam pass rates, including historical data for individual
law schools in California can also be found at State Bar of California Examinations Statistics. The State Bar of California Committee of Bar Examiners has also established a five-year
cumulative pass rate requirement of 40% for all California Accredited Law Schools.
MCL’s five-year cumulative pass rate for the most current reporting period (2015)
is 57%, exceeding the bar’s required standard.
Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination
Monterey College of Law operates in accordance with policies and procedures that comply
with the Constitutions and all applicable laws of both the United States and the State
of California so as to provide both equal opportunity and to prohibit unlawful discrimination.
Institutional Research
The mission of Institutional Research at Monterey College of Law is to collect, compile
and analyze data that will provide informed decision making in support of MCL’s overall
mission. Institutional research supports the academic and operational activities of
the School.
Some of the functions of Institutional Research consist of:
• Organizing the data collection process and its ongoing maintenance and quality.
• Collect, analyze, and provide routine reports as well as ad hoc reports in support
of strategic planning.
• Collect, analyze, and report summaries of academic data about Monterey College of
Law required by the federal government, accrediting agencies, and other external agencies.
• Collect, analyze, and report data in support of program review and other routine
student learning outcomes assessment.
• Design, plan and administer institutional surveys to faculty, students, and staff.