DETROIT - Wayne State University Law School's state bar exam passage rate continues to climb, with 76 percent of graduates who took the exam in February passing.

The rate is before appeals, so it could be higher once decisions on appeals are made. The 76 percent rate is six points higher than Wayne Law's February 2013 passage rate of 70 percent (after appeals) and higher than this year's state average of 64 percent.

Wayne Law's passage rate is six points higher than Michigan State University's passage rate (70 percent) and second only to the University of Michigan's (85 percent).

For first-time takers of the exam, Wayne Law graduates' passage rate was 87 percent -- again higher than that of other law schools except for the University of Michigan (91 percent).

Repeat test-takers from Wayne Law had a 70 percent passage rate, the highest in the state.

Wayne Law Dean Jocelyn Benson said she's encouraged by the good news and pleased to see that the law school's commitment to offer extra help to graduates taking the test is showing results.

"Last year, we hired a director of bar preparation to offer additional assistance to alums preparing for the test," Benson said. "We have more plans in the works and are thrilled to begin to see the positive results of our initiatives."