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- 2023 Best Law Schools
- # 1 Yale University New Haven, CT
- # 2 Stanford University Stanford, CA
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Specializing in an area of law can marry a few of your interests. Learn about the types of law through electives and general courses, and then further focus on areas like tax law, family law, environmental law or immigration law.
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Lists: Law School Costs, Aid and Debt
Find out which schools offer the most financial aid and which are the priciest.
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- A-Z List of Law Schools
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How to Prepare for and Apply to Law School
How long is law school, how to get into law school, what do you learn in law school and why enroll, is law school worth it, how much does law school cost, when should i apply to law school, considering law school.
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So, you rocked your college grades, steamrolled the LSAT, impressed/conned/bribed your professors into writing outstanding recommendation letters, crafted the perfect law school resume, and rounded out all of that perfection with an ideal theme for your personal statement and supplementary essays. Now, the only thing left to do is pick your law school out of the pile of admissions offers flooding your mailbox. Here you will find detailed information on the nation's best law schools to help you choose.
Top 200 Law Schools in 2023 - LSAT, GPA, 509a Info & More.
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Law school rankings are notorious for being difficult to navigate and for bringing with them a sense of prestige about certain law schools. Some students may even exclusively apply to schools based on their national ranking.
However, this prestige may not be all it's cracked up to be, which is why we're here to help you understand the origins of the law school ranking and what exactly is important about it.
In this article, we will be discussing how law schools are ranked and what exactly is included in their ranking. We'll also be talking about when you should take law school rankings into consideration and what factors matter in a law school besides ranking.
What Are Law School Rankings?
Law school rankings are given by the U.S. News and World Report , a news and reporting outlet that specializes in comparing and ranking everything from law schools to traditional universities and corporations.
The U.S. News and World Report uses approximately 12 different factors to rank law schools , some of which are the school's acceptance rate, job placement rate, bar passage rate, expenditures per student, the student to faculty ratio, and median LSAT scores and GPAs of those that are accepted.
Why Are Law School Rankings Important?
Law school rankings can be important to look at when beginning the application process as they can help you decide whether or not the school is worth applying to and whether you have the right application statistics to be a competitive candidate.
In general, the higher-ranking schools on the list spend more money on students, have the highest LSAT and GPA median scores for accepted students, and some of the most exclusive acceptance rates. As an example of top-ranking schools, Harvard, Yale, and Stanford law schools are traditionally within the top 3 of this list.
Due to this fact, higher-ranking law schools on the U.S. News and World Report are regarded as having more prestige, especially among those who may not be familiar with law schools. There is a good reason behind this prestige in most cases, as a law school doesn't end up on the top of the rankings list for no good reason, but you should keep in mind that prestige isn't everything. We will be discussing this in more detail later .
Do T14 Schools Matter?
When you begin applying to law schools, you will likely see a lot of talk about the "T14 schools." T14 schools are those that have historically always taken up the top 14 spots on the U.S. News and World Report list. It includes schools like Harvard, Yale, Northwestern, Duke, Georgetown, Cornell, and Columbia University, which are some of the most recognizable law schools in the world.
Many students wish to apply to a T14 school because of the prestige the name carries with it for those both knowledgable of and outside of the law school culture, and because of the high employment outlooks and salary prospects.
However, these schools are harder to get into thanks to their lower acceptance rates and higher required scores (most students will need more than a 160 LSAT score and higher than a 3.5 GPA to get in), which is where the student culture of intense studying and retaking the LSATs comes into play.
Whether or not attending a T14 school matters depends on your personal outlook. You may be one of the students that values the well-earned prestige of these schools and wants the experience of attending them. On the other hand, you may be perfectly happy attending a school outside the T14 as long as it offers you the right scholarship money.
Applying to law school is a highly personal experience, and that is why it is hard to give a solid answer to whether or not T14 schools, or law school rankings in general, matter. For some students they may matter a lot, but for others the prestige is overrated and they are not interested in looking at rankings when they apply to law schools.
That being said, if you have your sights set on a highly competitive practice area (like corporate or transactional law) or a highly competitive city for employment (like New York City or Chicago), then attending a higher ranked school is more likely to secure your employment in one of these firms, as many legal firms in competitive cities exclusively hire graduates of the T14 schools.
When Do Law School Rankings Not Matter?
The ranking of your law school matters less in certain scenarios, the most common of which are wanting to practice law locally or wanting to pursue a specific but not competitive practice area (like family law or public interest).
Many students will find that they want to stay local and practice something like family law after graduating school. In cases like these, it is more important to attend a law school that is well-known in the region that you want to practice in, as this is what will help you find suitable employment rather than a school that is well-known nationwide.
Of course, you can still attend a higher-ranking school and then return back to your local area to practice law, but you may find that you are overqualified degree-wise or that you are too much in debt to take a lower-intensity, lower-paying job, as is commonly found in less competitive legal markets.
Important Law School Factors Besides Ranking
If you are in the process of choosing which law schools to apply to, you may be wondering which other factors are important to look at besides ranking. We've gathered some of the most important factors you need to consider before applying to a law school below.
The location of your intended law school is important for more than one reason. First of all, you should try and find a law school where you will enjoy the climate and environment. This means that if you are not a fan of cold winters, for example, you should be looking for schools away from the north of the country.
The second reason that law school location is important is because the location of the school you attend will most likely be where you end up practicing as a lawyer. You should pick a city or area that you can see yourself having a career in. Attending law school in the same area that you wish to work is a great way to start making connections and seamlessly transition into a career after graduation.
Employment Outlooks
When considering which law school to apply to, it is a good idea to look at the job prospects you will have upon graduation. Even though just attending law school is a dream for some, the end goal is to obtain a successful and fulfilling legal career. Look closely at a law school's placement in different sectors of the law and what their overall bar passage and employment rate after graduation are.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Another highly important factor in choosing a law school is how much scholarship and financial aid money you can expect to receive. This is something that you may not find out about until after you have been accepted into a law school, but as you make your choice between schools it is necessary to consider.
It is possible that you are accepted into a law school that ranks highly but doesn't offer you as much money as a lower-ranking school does. This is a common dilemma for students as they are forced to choose between the name prestige that comes with a highly ranked school and how much debt they are willing to take on for their degree. In the end, this is a choice that is very personal, and the correct answer can only be made after evaluating your financial circumstances and what you value in a law school.
Practice Area Interests
Some law schools are better than others when it comes to different practice areas of the law. For example, Georgetown Law Center is recognized as one of the best schools for getting involved in public interest and government legal work upon graduation, while Fordham University specializes in private sector work.
It is important to search the industries that graduates of your intended law school end up in and examine the class offerings of a law school, as this can help give you an idea if their curriculum is a good match for your interests and intended legal practice areas.
Student Culture and Experience
The student experience in law school is everything and one of the most overarching elements that you can consider before applying to a school. Everything from student class size, events that the campus holds, and extracurricular opportunities can make a difference in your enjoyment of the school and what you get out of it.
You should try to visit the campuses of your intended law school before applying to get an idea of the student culture; talk to students of all class levels while you're there and try to sit in on a class. This will let you experience what life as a student will be like and test it out to see if you are a good fit for it.
Another good idea is to talk to an admissions counselor about which opportunities may be available to you once you've enrolled in the school. Clinics, journals, internships, externships, and clerkships are all essential parts of law school, so make sure that the school is offering a selection of activities that you can see yourself enthusiastically participating in.
Your Networking Skills
Your personal skills in networking and building connections, in most cases, are far more important than the law school you go to or the ranking of that particular school. It is true that even if you attend the number one school on the U.S. News Report list, you may not be able to receive the same return on investment unless you work at making the connections and networking with your peers, upperclassmen, and professors.
Having a solid ability to communicate with people and network is one of the most essential skills for a law student. No matter which school you attend, you should be able to make the most out of it and find your way to a rewarding career with these skills.
Do Law School Rankings Matter?
Law school rankings are difficult to navigate because they can be so subjective. For some, they may matter greatly, but to others rankings are hardly given a second thought. It is important to evaluate any law school you are considering not just for their rank, but for the tangible benefits that they can offer you as a student.
You should keep in mind what exactly is essential for your personal law school experience and take what you may read about law school rankings with a grain of salt because what is true for someone else may not be the best fit for you. Make sure to keep in mind what you personally want to get out of law school when making your application decisions, and you'll be sure to find your dream law school and eventual career success.
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Top Law School Rankings Press Release 2023
The princeton review's 2023 best law school rankings are now out.
Based on Surveys of 17,000 Students and Administrators at 168 Law Schools, Rankings Name Top 10 Schools in 14 Categories
NEW YORK, January 31, 2023 / — The Princeton Review ® —known for its education services and school rankings in dozens of categories—today released its rankings of the Best Law Schools for 2023 .
The company reports its annual law school rankings in 14 categories: each one lists the top 10 ranking schools. In the rankings released today, one school—the University of Chicago—is ranked #1 on two of the 14 lists: Best Professors and Best for Federal Clerkships. The 14 list categories and the #1 schools on the lists are below. The complete lists are posted at www.princetonreview.com/best-law-schools where they are accessible for free.
The Princeton Review’s law school rankings are uniquely based on data the company gathers from surveys of administrators at the law schools as well as surveys of students attending the schools who rate and report on their experiences at them. The rankings for 2023 are based on surveys of administrators at 168 law schools in 2021-22 and surveys of 17,000 students enrolled in the schools over the past three academic years.
More than 60 data points are factored into the company’s ranking list tallies. Of the 14 categories of ranking lists, six lists are based on student- and administrator-reported data. Five are based solely on student data, and three are based solely on administrator data. Details on the ranking methodology are below.
"Every school that made our Best Law Schools for 2023 ranking lists offers outstanding academics," said Rob Franek , The Princeton Review's Editor-in Chief. "We report our lists in several categories—in lieu of one mega-list solely based on academics—to help applicants choose the law school best for them . Our 14 categories identify law schools we have found to be exceptional for factors that go beyond academics—from career services and placement records to aspects of their campus culture and faculty representation—all of which law school applicants have told us matter to them in their considerations of schools.”
The Princeton Review's Best Law Schools for 2023
The 14 categories and #1 schools on the lists:.
- Best Career Prospects – New York University
- Best Classroom Experience – Stanford University (CA)
- Most Diverse Faculty– Southern University (LA)
- Greatest Resources for Women – University of California—Davis
- Greatest Resources for Minority Students – St. Thomas University (FL)
- Most Chosen by Older Students – University of the District of Columbia (DC)
- Best Quality of Life – University of Virginia
- Best Professors – University of Chicago (IL)
- Most Competitive Students – Baylor University (TX)
- Most Conservative Students – Ave Maria School of Law (FL)
- Most Liberal Students – Northeastern University (MA)
- Toughest to Get Into – Yale University (CT)
- Best for Federal Clerkships – University of Chicago
- Best for State and Local Clerkships – Seton Hall University (NJ)
The Princeton Review website also has profiles of the 168 law schools. The profiles present annually updated information about admission requirements, academics, financial aid, campus life, and graduates' employment. The profiles also report The Princeton Review's ratings of the schools in various categories. The ratings are scores from 60 to 99 based mainly on analyses of institutional data. Rating categories include Admissions Selectivity, Academic Experience, Career, and Professors Accessible.
About The Princeton Review Law School Rankings
The Princeton Review's rankings of Best Law Schools for 2023 are based on data from the company's surveys of administrators at 168 law schools in 2021-22, and surveys of 17,000 students enrolled at the schools during the 2021-22, 2020-21, and 2019–20 school years. On average, surveys from 101 students per school were tallied for the 2023 rankings. The administrator survey requested institutional data on the school’s academics, selectivity, acceptance and graduation rates, faculty, and career services among other topics. The 80-question student survey asked students to rate their school’s academics, professors, administrators, student body, and career services and to report on the school’s campus culture. More than 60 data points from the surveys are weighted to tally the lists. Note: The Princeton Review also reports ratings (numerical scores on a scale of 60 to 99) of the law schools. The ratings are based on data from the student and administrator surveys and appear in the profiles of the schools on princetonreview.com. FAQs on the company’s Best Law Schools for 2023 are on The Princeton Review website at https://www.princetonreview.com/law-school-rankings/faq .
Today, The Princeton Review also reported its rankings of Best Business Schools for 2023 . The rankings name the top 10 On-Campus MBA programs in 18 categories and the 50 best Online MBA programs. The lists are accessible at https://www.princetonreview.com/business-school-rankings/best-business-schools .
All schools that participated in The Princeton Review surveys for its rankings are considered for the ranking lists. Schools that do not participate in the surveys are not considered.
About The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review ® is a leading tutoring, test prep, and college admissions services company. Every year, it helps millions of college- and graduate school–bound students as well as working professionals achieve their education and career goals through its many education services and products. These include online and in-person courses delivered by a network of more than 4,000 teachers and tutors; online resources; more than 150 print and digital books published by Penguin Random House; and dozens of categories of school rankings. Founded in 1981, The Princeton Review is now in its 42 nd year. The company’s Tutor.com brand, now in its 23 rd year, is one of the largest online tutoring services in the U.S. It comprises a community of thousands of tutors who have delivered more than 23 million one-to-one tutoring sessions. The Princeton Review is headquartered in New York, NY. The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University. For more information, visit PrincetonReview.com and the company's Media Center . Follow the company on Twitter ( @ThePrincetonRev ) and Instagram ( @theprincetonreview ).
Contact: Jeanne Krier, Publicist for The Princeton Review, [email protected] .
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Law School Rankings for 2023
Top law school rankings for 2023. The rankings were released in 2022.
One way to compare schools is the USNews law school rankings of top law schools ( but not the only way ).
Below you will find the law school rankings for 2023 (which were published in 2022) as well as the GPA and LSAT scores of accepted students. Click on a school name for in-depth information on that school. If you scroll to the bottom you can find Top-5s on different metrics. We hope with these other rankings you will start to look beyond USNews to determine the top law schools for you.
Rankings for other years: 2021 (published 2020) , 2022 (published 2021) , 2023 (published 2022) .
Above The Law Rankings for 2023
ATL rankings are (arguably) the second most popular ranking system to determine the best law schools. ATL law school rankings are usually drastically different from USNews rankings of best law schools.
The main reason that Above the Law (ATL) Rankings are different from USNews Rankings is because ATL focuses on employment outcomes and school cost above all other things. US News looks at things like student:faculty ratio and peer review score which ATL doesn’t take into account. The underlying rule that ATL believes is that what happens after law school is the thing that matters most. Not how many professors the school can afford, or what law school administrators think.
Top 5 schools according to U.S. News & World Report.
- Yale University
- Stanford University
- University of Chicago
- Columbia University
- Harvard University
USNews Law School rankings are the most often used ranking system for law school. When people talk about T3 schools, or T14 schools they are (almost) always talking about USNews’ law school ranking.
Top 5 Law schools according to Above the Law
- University of Virginia
The main reason that Above the Law (ATL) Rankings are different from USNews Rankings is because ATL focuses on employment outcomes and school cost above all other things. US News looks at things like student:faculty ratio and peer review score which ATL doesn’t really think matter.
Law schools with best quality of life according to Princeton Review
Based on student ratings of the beauty, safety, and friendliness on campus, among other ratings.
- University of Virginia - School of Law
- Vanderbilt University - Law School
- Florida State University - College of Law
- Samford University - Cumberland School of Law
- University of Pennsylvania - Law School
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2023 Best Law Schools Top Consensus Ranked Law Schools in the U.S. for 2023
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The legal system in the U.S. is deep and complex; navigating the procedure for someone unfamiliar with the law is virtually impossible. The United States also has the highest number of licensed lawyers (estimated at more than 1,300,000) per capita of any country. Yet, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the career will still grow by 10% (faster than average for all occupations) between 2021-31.
There are just short of 200 law schools in the U.S. (the oldest dating to 1779), most offering 3-year, full-time law school programs accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). Forbes (March 2022) published that average law school tuition is reported between $84,558 (public, in-state) and $147,936 (private schools), which doesn’t include living expenses. The BLS reported the median salary for attorneys in 2021 to be $127,990 per year. Lawyers are required to hold a Juris Doctor (JD) degree to practice, and most states require attorneys to pass the bar exam for the state in which they intend to practice.
If you intend to apply to law school, you’ll want to schedule the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) by December 1. Admission to law school is highly competitive, with schools requiring applicants to provide LSAT scores, and due to a recent ABA recommendation, some schools will accept GRE scores instead of LSAT scores for admission.
College Consensus wishes you luck in identifying the school that meets your goals.
How We Ranked the 50 Best Law Degree Programs for 2023
The College Consensus 50 Best Law Degree Programs for 2023 are ranked according to a consensus of rankings. Each school is ranked by an average of their scores from four sources:
- U.S. News & World Report
- Above the Law
- Shanghai Rankings
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
Institutions had to be represented on at least three of these to qualify.
With these elements in mind, our team looks at college programs according to their record of providing a return on investment. Our ranking of the 50 Best Law Degree Programs shows the best combination of market reputation, educational quality, and rewarding income. All the programs in this ranking hold accreditation. We hope there is a program on this list that inspires you to take the next step.
The programs in this ranking are all accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).
University of Chicago University of Chicago School of Law
The Chicago University School of Law boasts an impressive roster of notable alumni, including former Senator Carol Mosley Braun, former FBI Director James Comey, Senator Amy Klobuchar, author Studs Terkel, and more. Former President Barack Obama was a faculty member before his election as U.S. Senator for Illinois. Ranking #3 in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Law Schools, this prestigious degree emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to the law with featured academics in Legal History, Law and Philosophy, Law and Business, and its renowned focus on Law and Economics through the Coase-Sandor Institute for Law and Economics. The school awards the Juris Doctor program and joint graduate degrees (Master of Laws (LLM) with other degrees such as the M.B.A. program. The law school has an impressive 99% employment rate within ten months of graduation, guaranteed $5,000 for first and second-year students in summer fellowships in various Chicago agencies, and offers more than 76 full-tuition scholarships.
Duke University Duke Law
Located in the vibrant Research Triangle of Raleigh-Durham-Cary, North Carolina, Duke Law’ s origins date to the 1850s, and today is one of the country’s finest law schools. With an ambitious academic commitment, Duke Law offers a challenging curriculum for JD students covering a wide range of specialty areas (environmental law, criminal law, health care law, etc.) and has a solid 97% bar exam passing rate. Duke Law admission is highly selective, with only 20.2% admitted of those who applied and one of the country’s highest median salaries among graduates working in the private sector. You’ll want to explore the dual degree offered in the JD/LLM in Law and Entrepreneurship, JD/LLM in International and Comparative Law, or the JD/MA in Bioethics and Science Policy; or, you can combine your JD with graduate degrees in environmental management, medicine, divinity, and others. The school is dedicated to diversity with organizations such as its Anti-Racism Project, Black Law Students Association, Women Law Students Association, etc.
Columbia University Columbia University School of Law
An Ivy League school and one of the oldest in the nation, Columbia University School of Law is located in New York City. It offers a wealth of opportunities both educationally and professionally. With 14 specialty areas taught, this curriculum offers dual and joint degrees with an innovative approach and a world-class faculty. The school is the alma mater for more notable alums than we’ll cover. Still, they include two U.S. Presidents and some of the country’s most renowned jurists, including Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg, William O. Douglas, and John Jay. Columbia Law has a 4.9:1 student-faculty ratio, a highly published faculty, and active legal research centers. With a 16.8% acceptance rate, not everyone can make it into Columbia Law, but graduates average 97% first-time bar exam pass rates. Successful employment rates for graduates are in the 90 percentile with high median salaries as law firm associates.
Cornell University Cornell Law School
One of the first things you see on the Cornell Law School website is the announcement that the school is #1 in job placement in large law firms. Located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell (another Ivy League school) prides itself on offering a small law school community. You’ll find six featured study areas in legal topics in human rights law, criminal as well as civil law, corporate law and financial regulation, and others. Approximately 21.1% of the more than 4,000 applicants are accepted to the program, and graduates have a 95% bar exam pass rate. With an exceptional faculty and wide-ranging curriculum, Cornell Law students benefit from visiting international legal scholars and professors that offers great diversity. When you need to retreat from studies for a while, Ithaca, NY, is in the heart of the Finger Lakes region of NY and its lakes, parks, waterfalls, and thriving cultural opportunities.
Yale University Yale Law School
With a historical pedigree, Yale Law School is one of the Ivy League’s finest law schools in the country. Starting in 1810, Yale Law School has graduated two U.S. Presidents, an impressive roster of Senators, 10 Supreme Court Justices, four foreign Presidents, Prime Ministers, authors, journalists, and the list goes on. Highly selective, Yale Law accepted less than 7% of the 4,200 applicants in 2022, with 236 admission offers. A little more than half of Yale Law students are women and students of color. Nearly 76% of students receive some financial assistance; in 2022, introduced Tuition-Free Scholarships for the students with the highest financial need. This school is located in New Haven, CT, with world-renowned faculty engaged in teaching and Yale Law School’s centers and clinical offerings. The school doesn’t use a traditional grading system but a Pass/Fail and the first-time bar exam pass rate for graduates is a remarkable 99%.
University of Michigan Michigan Law
Michigan Law in Ann Arbor, MI, is one of the country’s oldest and largest law schools (est. 1859) and the first to admit women. With over 1,000 students, the school still admits less than 20% of its applicants and has 151 faculty members (women and people of color represent approximately 49% overall.) You’ll have the advantage of the 19 Michigan Law’s storied clinics that will give your real-time experience in advocacy, child welfare, community, environment and sustainability, human trafficking, and more. Besides the domestic clinics, there’s a cross-border component with International Transactions Clinic, acquainting you with international-deal law. In addition to your classroom studies, these clinics provide you with marketable experience, demonstrated by the school’s impressive 98% graduate employment rate in private firms, clerkships, government, public interest, etc. As time allows, you’ll want to take advantage of available student activities with Moot Court Competitions, one of six law journals, and available law student associations.
University of Virginia School of Law
No less than Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia School of Law in 1819, and today, the Charlottesville, VA, school is the second-oldest continuously operating law school in the nation, with Harvard coming in first. Consistently ranked in the top 10 law schools in the U.S., UV Law is recognized in the top 5 schools by The Princeton Review for Best Faculty, Best for Federal Clerkships, and Best Career Prospects. UV Law awards J.D., LL.M., S.J.D., and dual J.D. degrees in several disciplines in M.P.H, M.D., M.B.A., and more. Graduates in 2021 had a 94.8% first-time bar exam pass rate. The school has an active career services department with dedicated career counselors who capably prepare you for careers in private practice, judicial clerkships, public service, etc. UV Law graduates can be found in leadership positions in 100 top firms and top 500 companies. You’ll also have access to the impressive UV Law Network.
University of Pennsylvania PennCareyLaw
PennCareyLaw at the University of Pennsylvania (est. 1850) is a highly selective school, but with good reason. Only 14% of the 6,146 applicants were offered admission. With a 98% first-time bar exam pass rate and a 97% employment rate within ten months of graduation, this school ranks in the top 10 of graduates earning over $180,000 with private law firms. This Ivy League law school takes a holistic approach to the study of law and focuses on an interdisciplinary curriculum. With joint degrees offered with the law school’s sister colleges, over 77% of PennCareyLaw’s students enroll in one of the 35 dual degrees. A sampling of the dual degrees can combine your law degree with the MBA program at Wharton School of Business or earn a JD/MBE in Bioethics with the Department of Medical Ethics Perelman School of Medicine and others. With an eye to diversity, 50% of the class of 2023 identify as women, 43% as a person of color, 17% as LGBTQ+, and nearly 30% are the first generation.
Harvard University Harvard Law School
Since its opening in 1817, Harvard Law School has continuously graduated some of the country’s most distinguished students, with two Presidents, one First Lady, 16 Supreme Court Justices (four currently), and several U.S. Attorneys General on its alumni list. To say Harvard Law School is prestigious is an understatement.
Located in Cambridge, MA, across the river from Boston, over 9,000 students apply each year for admission, with only 928 interviewed and 685 being offered admission. The Harvard Law School faculty is among the most distinguished in the country. Harvard Law’s curriculum also provides specialized dual JD programs in government, business, public health, and others, in addition to a 3.5-year Cambridge LL.M. and Harvard J.D. Since 1887, the student-edited Harvard Law Review has set the standard for legal journals. It has boosted the law careers of notable such as former President Barack Obama, Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and several more.
University of California Berkeley Berkeley Law
Neighboring the beautiful San Francisco Bay, the University of California Berkeley Law matches the vibrancy of the area as one of the more notable law schools in the nation.
As a liberal area of the country, Berkley Law offers the most diverse student body, with over 63% female, 54% people of color, and 32% LGBTQ+. Competition for admission is challenging, with over 6,800 applicants, with 279 admitted for the Class of 2025. Fourteen experiential learning clinics will provide real-world applications in various areas, including International Human Rights Law, Domestic Law Practicum, Death Penalty Clinic, etc. Berkely Law encourages collegiality over competition with a non-lettering grading system. You can also participate in pro bono community services. More than a third of graduates accept clerkships, private practice, and government positions.
New York University NYU Law
The oldest law school in New York City (est. 1835), NYU Law , is located in the historic Greenwich Village surrounding Washington Square Park. With more than 100 faculty members, 16 areas of legal studies, 80 student organizations, and more than 30 centers, this is a highly regarded law school in the U.S.
NYU Law offers an impressive curriculum in law and business with an interdisciplinary focus on economics, politics, theory, and tax and international law. The school maintains a global reputation in international law education through its Hauser Global Law School Program and the Guarini Institute for Global Legal Studies and study abroad programs in Paris and Buenos Aires. NYU Law graduates have a 97.5% bar exam pass rate, and graduates earn a median of $215,000 in law firm salaries. Admission is highly selective, with strength in diversity enrollment, with 45% people of color and 57% women. NYU Law offers several scholarships and a highly successful Loan Repayment Assistance Program.
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt Law School
For over 145 years, Vanderbilt University School of Law in Nashville, TN, has earned a reputation for excellence. Located in the center of Tennessee’s capitol, you’ll also be in the middle of Music City and some of the best country music venues in the country.
Offering ten academic centers and programs, you’ll learn from a top-tier faculty and have the option of earning a dual degree in finance, business, medicine, or divinity or customizing a dual degree. Vanderbilt is a relatively small school and highly competitive. For the 2023 class, 5,181 applied, 182 were admitted and committed to diversity, with 62% women and 22% minorities enrolled. Academic programs at Vanderbilt include studies in international law, social justice, law and government, intellectual property, and dual degrees. The school not only has a 95% bar exam pass rate but excellent career services, with graduates earning federal and state judicial clerkships and positions in private law firms.
Stanford University Stanford Law School
In 1893, Stanford Law began its law curriculum with a series of lectures by law professor and former President Benjamin Harrison. It is committed to a customizable student-centric law program to meet your specific goals. The Stanford campus is in the picturesque San Francisco Bay Area in Palo Alto, CA.
Stanford Law is competitive. The class of 2021 saw 5,000 applicants, with 6% accepted as high-performing scholars. As competitive as the school may be, it’s also one of the most flexible programs we’ve seen. You can design your own dual degree or develop a new course; the options are unlimited. Stanford Law offers 11 immersive legal clinics, including Community Law, Environmental Law, Immigrants’ Rights, Supreme Court Litigation, Criminal Defense, and more. The school offers more than 15 law and policy practicums and has 21 dual degree options and cooperative degree programs with John Hopkins and Princeton. Stanford graduates do well on the bar exam, with 97% passing on the first attempt.
University of California Los Angeles UCLA Law
Opening shortly after World War II, UCLA Law is one of the more diverse and selective schools we’ve reviewed, with more than 58% of students identifying as women and people of color. This is a selective school, with only 15% of its over 5,000 applicants being accepted.
The curriculum at UCLA Law is inclusive, offering among its studies Critical Race Studies, Human Rights, Immigration Law, Entertainment Law, Law, and Sexuality, as well as Indian Law. Several centers, projects, and institutes are dedicated to legal issues ranging from trial advocacy, climate, environment, entertainment, etc. They will allow you to explore legal specialties under faculty and expert supervision. One of the more recognizable institutes is the Williams Institute devoted to addressing the legal bias against the LGBTQ+ community. In 2021, the school received a $4 million chair endowment in Native American Law and Policy intended to recruit faculty and advance the legal study of Native American Law.
University of Texas at Austin University of Texas School of Law
Considered the premier law school in Texas, this School of Law enjoys the reputation of being one of the country’s most affordable. When time allows, you’ll be able to enjoy the cultural and entertainment opportunities in Austin and Texas’ magnificent Hill Country.
From a pool of approximately 5,000 students, the school accepts around 300 each year of students—average LSAT scores for admitted students run around 170 with a 3.84 median GPA. Diversity representation is strong, with typically underrepresented groups on the rise. The experiential clinics offered in domestic violence, immigration, civil rights, environmental, and others will give you the opportunity to work closely with faculty and clients. Ninety-three percent of these law school graduates pass the bar exam on the first try and earn an average of $140,000, thanks, in part, to the excellent Career Services Department. Each career counselor is a licensed attorney with connections to private firms, judicial clerkships and internships, government agencies, and more.
Georgetown University Georgetown Law
There may not be a more appropriate location in the U.S. for a law school than Washington D.C., and since 1870, Georgetown Law has been near the Supreme Court and in proximity to the U. S. Capitol.
The competition to enter Georgetown Law is steep, with more than 14,000 students applying and only 12.9% or 1,800 accepted, helping make this one of the country’s largest law schools. Each term, the school conducts the Supreme Court Moots through its Supreme Court Institute, and over 300 students participate in 19 separate clinics. Areas of legal study are broad and cover more than 500 courses from business to technology and everything in between. Graduates have a 92.6% bar exam pass rate, and the employment rate is slightly above 83%, with median salaries of $190,000 in private firms. An active alumni community of over 46,000 provides a strong network you can tap into throughout your career.
Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law
To say a law degree from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law is respected is an understatement.
Eighty-five percent of Pritzker School of Law applicants have one or more years of work experience, which is a considerable component of the admission process. Over 7,000 apply annually to this program, and approximately 20% are admitted. Located near the shores of Lake Michigan, this school’s bar exam pass rate exceeds 90%, as does its employment rate for its graduates ten months after graduation. On graduation, you’ll join more than 18,000 lawyers in the school’s global network, spanning 90 countries. This curriculum offers seven concentrations, and under faculty guidance, you’ll gain valuable practice experience through one of the nationally recognized 20 clinics operating in 12 centers of the Bluhm Legal Clinic. Pritzker School of Law boasts the most interdisciplinary Ph.D. faculty in the nation and the third lowest student-teacher ratio.
Boston University Boston University School of Law
There are two standout law schools in Boston, one is Harvard, and the other is Boston University School of Law which has had a strong foundation of excellence dating to 1872. BU School of Law holds the distinction of being one of the first law schools to admit women and minorities in 1882. Today, more than half of enrolled students identify as female, and 32% are students of color.
In the heart of Boston, this school is selective in admission, with only 12% of applicants being accepted. Students have more than 200 courses to choose from, taught by expert faculty on a long roster of legal issues, such as Civil Rights, Housing, Constitutional Law, and others. The Health Law and Intellectual Property programs are well respected and nationally recognized. The first-time bar exam pass rate for BU graduates is 94%, and 64.5% are employed at graduation, with 78.8% within ten months of receiving their diploma.
University of Georgia School of Law
The statistics for the School of Law at the University of Georgia are impressive. Named by national publications, this school is notable for its return on investment, 38 judicial clerkships, a 450% increase in summer fellowships, and a top 10 Moot Court Ranking. Situated in the quaint town of Athens, voted the South’s best college town by Southern Living, you’ll enjoy a low cost of living, cultural activities, and 80 minutes from Atlanta.
With a faculty that includes Fulbright Scholars, American Law Institute Young Scholars Medal recipients, five former Supreme Court judicial clerks, etc., you’ll have ten faculty-led clinics and seven externships available. Clinics give you exposure to skills in veterans’ legal issues, mediation, family justice, and more. Externships provide real-life legal services to Georgia residents, including practice semesters in Atlanta and D.C. The school offers ten dual-degree programs and a strong mentorship program, linking students with faculty and legal professionals available for advice and a career advisor. The bar exam pass rate is near 94% boasting a 92.6% employment rate.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill UNC School of Law
This law school opened in 1845 and is the oldest law school in North Carolina. Those 175+ years have seen the UNC-CH School of Law grow to consistently rank in the country’s top 25 best law schools.
The school received 2,866 for the 2025 class and admitted 209, the majority of whom are North Carolina residents. The world-class faculty leads you through over 100 externships, ten legal centers and programs, and ten dual degrees. Approximately 40% of practicing North Carolina attorneys are Carolina Law graduates, with the majority in private practice and more than 50% of students and 45% of the faculty identifying as women. Over 60% of graduates are employed at graduation, mostly in private firms, with women reporting a mean salary of $102,964 and men $98,406.
University of Minnesota Minnesota Law
The University of Minnesota in Minneapolis was established (1857), a year before the Minnesota territory became a state, with the law school opening in 1888. Located near the state capitol, Minnesota Law students are part of the larger legal community.
This law school has a sterling national reputation, with 72% of the students coming from outside of Minnesota. Both Supreme Courts Associate Justices Bader Ginsberg and Sotomayor have visited the school and informally talked with students. Approximately a quarter of the class of 233 are people of color, and another 26% identify as LGBTQ+. The school has an exceptional 93% employment rate with students and 96% first-time bar exam success. You’ll receive personal attention with the school’s 8:1 student-faculty ratio and benefit from the high percentage of faculty members who have won teaching awards. The school has over 35 student organizations, including the Fighting Mondales Hockey Club and the somewhat quirky Theatre of the Relatively Talentless law student productions.
University of Notre Dame The Law School
Located in South Bend, Indiana, the Notre Dame Law School holds the distinction of being the oldest Catholic law school in the U.S.
The entering class of 2025 is already a record-setter, with 36% of people of color, making it the most diverse class in the law school’s storied 153-year history. This class also sets a record with the highest GPA and LSAT scores. Classes are small, with a 7:1 ratio, and are taught by exceptional professors, including 14 who were judicial clerks for the Supreme Court or have years of professional legal experience. The Chicago satellite campus offers 2L and 3L students opportunities to live in Chicago for an externship working with Notre Dame Law School faculty. With an exceptional 82% employment average of graduates working in law firms with a typical salary of around $160,000.
University of Florida Levin College of Law
Sitting on the University of Florida’s Gainesville, Florida campus, the Frederic G. Levin College of Law is consistently rated in the top 25 law programs in the country.
This is the oldest operating law school in the state of Florida; named for a famed Florida trial lawyer, the school is the alma mater of several U.S. Senators and Representatives. Usually called UF Law, the school is highly selective at 16.9%, with only 196 out of over 4,000 applicants. The latest figures show students have a median 3.7 GPA and 163 LSAT scores, with nearly 50% of the student body comprised women. UF Law has a very active Semester in Practice externship with 50 students working in New York, Denver, Honolulu, D.C., and others. Students can study race relations, children and families, race and crime, and government responsibility in the school’s on-campus centers.
Washington University in St. Louis School of Law
This private law school in St. Louis, Missouri, has been training attorneys since shortly after the Civil War in 1867; the School of Law (affectionately known as WashULaw) has a global scope with a midwestern appeal.
Not only does WashULaw have 17 study abroad and semester exchange programs, alumni working in 24 countries, and 66% of graduates working in private practice, government, and judicial clerkships. The curriculum and training of this school are widely known for its trial advocacy, clinical training programs, and dispute resolution. About 48% of the study body comprises women, and nearly that percentage is female professors. WashULaw admitted 260 students from an applicant pool of over 5,000, with 59% of them women. When you’re not studying, you can enjoy what the “Gateway to the West” city of St. Louis offers, from Cardinals baseball to the Gateway Arch, and cultural and dining experiences.
University of Southern California Gould School of Law
Considered an elite law school with a nationally recognized faculty, interdisciplinary studies, and a low professor-to-student ratio, Los Angeles’ University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law, is Southern California’s oldest law school. Known for its diversity commitment, USC attracts many underrepresented students. Gould Law has one of the country’s most diverse law student bodies, enrolling the most international students. The USC Gould School of Law established one of the country’s earliest arbitration and mediation programs, one of the first legal clinics for the public, and, with the school’s LA location in the country’s entertainment capital, has an unmatched concentration in entertainment law.
As time allows, you’ll find all manner of activities to help you unwind, including USC Trojan football, theatre, concerts, and more. Gould Law has over 30 political, cultural, social, and other organizations.
Emory University Emory University School of Law
The Emory Law is on the beautiful Emory University campus, just minutes from Atlanta, Georgia. Emory Law’s long-standing reputation is known for its excellence in Health Law, Corporate and Transactional Law, and Constitutional Law; the school has been recognized by National Law Journal as a “Go To” school.
Over a century old, Emory Law claims the title of the “Harvard of the South” (although Vanderbilt does as well). It offers its students training and experiences not usually provided in law school. With its nationally celebrated clinics, externships, study abroad, and special civil rights and social justice studies, this is a popular program. Emory Law has a consistently high application pool, with over 5,000 applying for the 2025 class and 1,435 accepted. Bar exam pass rates hit 92%, and nearly 65% of graduates directly enter the legal profession with an average $166,000 salary.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Illinois College of Law
Recognized for its cutting-edge curriculum, interdisciplinary legal programs, and renowned faculty, among other program options, the University of Illinois College of Law is one of the oldest law colleges in the nation (est. 1897).
Not only does the college have a reasonable tuition rate, but the school guarantees your tuition won’t increase during your three years of study. With a commitment to diversity and inclusion, UI College of Law ranks #1 in enrolling students of color in the midwest. Admission is selective, with 207 accepted out of nearly 2,000 applicants (29.4% on average.) UI College of Law has excellent public interest and criminal law programs. More than 66% of graduates remain in Illinois to practice in areas of business, government, and public interest. Students enjoy one-on-one alumni mentoring that can extend to lawyer-to-lawyer mentoring on graduation.
Indiana University Bloomingdale Mauer School of Law
Known for its excellent law programs in Intellectual Property, Tax Law, Business, and Public Law, the University of Indiana Bloomingdale Mauer School of Law (the oldest law school in the midwest) consistently ranks in the top 30 of the nation’s law schools. The school counts a Supreme Court Justice and U.S. Senator in its alumni roster and holds the distinction of having one of only eight U.S. law schools to have a Latine woman serve as Dean.
The law school had a median LSAT score of 164 and a general acceptance rate of 36% for its 155-member 2022-23 class, comprised of 54% women and 32% minority students. The school has more than ten joint degrees, a distinguished faculty, respected research centers, and opportunities in pro bono, clinics, moot court, practica, and externship experiences. Ninety percent of law school graduates enter the profession within ten months of graduation and have a 90% bar exam pass rate. Bloomington is located in Southern Indiana and is a quaint college town of 85,000, with a low cost of living and recognized as one of the best college towns in America.
Florida State University College of Law
Located in the legal center of Florida’s state capitol in Tallahassee, Florida State University College of Law has been nationally recognized for its outstanding value, moot court program, and training for government careers. Student life at the school is considered one of the best in the country.
FSU College of Law has a top-notch faculty with practice experience and an exceptional curriculum for, among others, international law, business law, and environmental law. You’ll also be able to participate in clinical externship programs and supervised “real world” clinics, the most recent of which is the Business Law Clinic. Over 84% of FSU law graduates pass the bar on their first try, with the majority working in public service firms with a median salary of around $83,000. Women make up 56% of the total enrollment. Most graduates choose to remain in Florida to practice.
Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
You’ll find U.S. Supreme Court Justices, senators, governors, and CEOs of Fortune 500 corporations, along with private law firms among Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law graduates. The college is consistently located in the country’s top law college rankings.
The curriculum provides eight hands-on clinics, 50 student organizations, and a remarkable 100+ dual/joint degrees overseen by a world-class and award-winning faculty. Moritz College of Law admissions for the 2022 cycle admitted 179 students out of 614 applicants, and students had a median LSAT of 163 and a median 3.79 GPA. More than 92% of graduates pass the bar exam on their first attempt. The law school is located in Ohio’s capital city, Columbus, and over half of Mortiz graduates go directly to work in private law firms, earning a median salary of $95,000.
University of California Irvine Irvine School of Law
One of the newest law schools on our list (est. 2018), the University of California Irvine School of Law, is the most recent public law school to open in the state in the past 40 years.
In 2022, the school received more than 2800 applications, with 173 enrolled. The entering class is highly diverse, with more than 58% of them students of color and 53% identifying as female, and the median LSAT is 167 and 3.72 GPA. The law school boasts an innovative curriculum tapping into legal analysis and skills employed by practicing lawyers. You’ll complete at least one semester of clinical education in one of the school’s ten in-house clinics, focusing on professional legal skills in research, oral advocacy, and writing. Irvine, CA, is consistently recognized as one of the safest communities in the state. UCI sits in the middle of Orange County between San Diego and Los Angeles.
University of Washington School of Law
Near Seattle in the Pacific Northwest, the University of Washington School of Law is one of the country’s best law schools .
With a 25.6% acceptance rate of over 3,000 applicants, UW School of Law is selective, with 781 offers of admission for the 2022 academic cycle. The faculty is dedicated to legal research and initiatives. The school supports clinics and institutes in areas including the internationally known Asian Law Center, Global Business Law, and Native American Law Center. The law school’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is impressive with gender and racial diversity numbers. Entering students have a median LSAT of 164 and a GPA of 3.67. With a 91% bar exam rate, the majority (58.3%) of UW Law School graduates go directly to work in law firms with an average salary of $115,000. Approximately 23% enter judicial clerkships and public interest.
George Washington University School of Law
You won’t find a more appropriate location for a law school than the George Washington School of Law campus in Washington, D.C., one of the largest law schools in the country.
GW Law has an exceptional curriculum, one of the largest in the nation, with over 275 elective courses covering 18 specific areas. The school’s location to courts, government agencies, law firms, etc., allows it to offer over 500 field placements and 16 clinical programs to provide hands-on experience in various areas. Admission to this school is tough, with more than 27,000 applicants yearly. Approximately 80% of students receive financial assistance through need-based grants, merit scholarships, and loans. Graduates have a 93% first-time bar exam pass rate. JD grads earn a median salary of $190,000 in the private sector. Alums of GW Law include the first woman to argue before the Supreme Court (Belva Ann Bennett 1879), U.S. Attorney Generals, and FBI Directors.
Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
Named for the first woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court, Arizona State’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law nationally ranks as one of the best public law schools.
Located in Phoenix, this college is only one of two in the whole state of Arizona. This school is especially proud of its specialty programs in criminal law, health care law, environmental law, writing, and dispute resolution. This school has a solid and distinguished faculty who teach and oversee ASU’s legal centers and institutes. This law college established a specialized Indian Legal Program emphasizing tribal governments and Indian law over 30 years ago. From over 5500 applicants for the 2022 academic cycle, 1178 were offered admission in a JD class size of 289. More than half of the class identify as women and nonbinary, 35% are students of color, and 19% are members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School
Affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), the J. Reuben Clark Law School of Brigham Young University is one of two law schools in Utah. Located in Provo, Utah, the third-largest city in Utah, and is approximately 45 miles from Salt Lake City.
Nationally recognized for its exceptional bar exam passage and employment rates, this college has an average 38.1% acceptance rate, below the national 45% average. Students have a median LSAT score of 167, a 3.8 GPA, and enjoy a low student: teacher ratio. Each semester students and faculty travel to Texas to represent women and children asylum seekers who are being detained and awaiting credible fear interviews. Although students of all faiths are welcome, tuition for LSD students is half the cost for non-LSD students. The College of Law offers fellowships and several scholarship opportunities, with 34% of BYU law students graduating debt-free in 2020.
George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School
Established in 1979 through a merger of the International School of Law and George Mason University, the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University is in Arlington, Virginia, only four miles from the nation’s capital. As the school’s name might imply, the curriculum at the Scalia Law School’s legal principles bends toward the conservative, much like the past Supreme Court Associate Justice. With seven centers and research programs, you’ll experience a 4:1 student-faculty ratio and be taught by a distinguished faculty. The school’s proximity to Washington, D.C., allows the school to attract faculty members from top law firms serving in the White House and other government agencies. The school has a 20.5% acceptance rate with a median LSAT score of 166 for the 160 students of the entering class of 2022. With a 95% bar passage rate, 34.7% of JD graduates earn a median of $112,500 in the private sector, and 19.8% enter judicial clerkships. The law school has a flexible JD program as well.
Fordham University School of Law
Established in 1841 in the Bronx, Fordham University School of Law is one of eight law schools in New York City and one of the most recognized. The school offers both full-time and part-time JD. You can choose from five concentrations in public interest law, dispute resolution, business, and financial law, international/foreign law, and intellectual property law. Even with a 27.25% acceptance rate, average LSAT scores of 164 Fordham Law enrolls approximately 500 students each year. The school supports experiential education, institutes, legal centers, and study abroad programs. Graduates do exceedingly well on the NY bar exam, broadly considered one of the most difficult in the country. Fordham Law ranks in the top 25 law schools in graduate employment with large firms and federal clerkships with a median salary of $190,000.
Temple University Beasley School of Law
Calling Philadelphia home, Temple University’s James E. Beasley School of Law ranks among the top law schools in the country. With a 36.05% acceptance rate, admission to Beasley School of Law is moderately difficult with LSAT scores of 161, more than 2200 made applications with 796 admission offers. Two hundred seventeen students enrolled for 2023 in the full-time and part-time law programs. More than 79% of students receive some financial assistance in scholarships and grants. A little over 75% of graduates go directly into the private sector, clerkships, and public interest, with a median salary of $125,000 in the private sector. The school prides itself on its sense of community, low faculty-student ratio, and personalized attention. Temple has been recognized by legal journals and ranking publications for its efforts in its diversity and inclusion activities in race and gender.
Northeastern University School of Law
For over 50 years, Northeastern University School of Law has graduated lawyers working across the country and the globe. NUSL was the first law school in Boston to offer an evening law program. Located in Boston, MA, this school offers both full-time and a Flex JD and is recognized as having an excellent practice training program. 100% of NUSL law students graduate with a year of legal experience and rank highly in public interest careers. The diversity of the NUSL is evident, with 64% of the faculty being women, 29.5% LGBTQ+, and 35% being people of color. During the 2022 admission cycle, the school saw 3877 applications, with 35.56% receiving offers, resulting in a class of 234 1L. Graduates (40%) enter the private sector with a median salary of $172,500, with others going into judicial clerkships and public interest. 85% of graduates pass the Massachusetts bar exam on their first attempt.
University of Utah S. J. Quinney Law School
The S. J. Quinney School of Law is Utah’s only public law school. This is a difficult school to be admitted to and is one of the smallest programs we’ve found, with fewer than 100 enrolled students for 2023 out of an applicant pool of fewer than 1000 students. Median LSAT scores are around 161, with undergraduate GPAs of 3.77. The school has strong pro bono initiatives, externships, and experiential opportunities, and students enjoy a low 4.3 to 1 student-faculty ratio. Nearly all graduates are employed within ten months of graduation, and almost half go to work in private law firms earning an average of $90,000 salary, and students have a 92.94% first-time bar exam pass rate. Located in Salt Lake City, Utah’s capital, allowing students to take advantage of activities in the nearby mountains, visit attractions such as the famed Mormon Tabernacle, and enjoy the city’s restaurants and shopping areas.
Boston College Boston College Law
Graduates of Boston College Law enter the law with one of the country’s highest median starting salaries, and more than 94% are employed within ten months of graduation. Affiliated with the Catholic Church, this private school has a strong reputation within the Boston legal community and beyond. More than 6,000 applicants for the JD class of 2025 and a median LSAT score of 164 212 were extended admission offers. The school has 69 full-time faculty, and you’ll enjoy a 7.1 student-teacher ratio. Boston College Law supports over 100 clinics and externships, nine dual degrees, and four global exchange programs. The law college is located in Newton, MA, about 1.5 miles from the larger Boston College campus. On your days off, you’ll be able to enjoy the many historic sites, baseball at Fenway Park, or participate in the famed Boston Marathon.
University of Colorado Boulder Colorado Law
Colorado has only two law schools, and this law school admission is very competitive. With over 3200 applicants, Colorado Law enrolls 165 LD students with an LSAT median score of 164 and undergraduate GPA of 3.72. More than 56% of the class are women, with 33% identifying as people of color. Students have the option to complete their JD in five semesters, which comes with pros and cons, such as tuition savings and heavier course loads. Faculty at this school are experts in environmental law, American Indian law, technology, and natural resources law, to name a few. 87% of graduates report employment within ten months of graduation, with a median salary of $80,000 in the private sector. While the overall cost of living in Boulder is high, the city’s considered one of the best places to live. Its mountain location provides numerous opportunities for outdoor activities, and the city of Boulder offers vibrant shopping, dining, and entertainment.
American University Washington College of Law
The American University Washington College of Law (est. 1896) is a private university located in the northwest section of Washington, D.C. It holds the distinction of being the first law school in the country founded by women. Today, the college has a robust slate of programs, centers, and initiatives, including an advocacy program, health law and privacy, economic justice, women and law, and more. With a 36.35% acceptance rate, this school is moderately difficult to enter. The college’s median LSAT score is 162, with a gender distribution of 65% women and 36% overall minority representation. WCL has 296 full-time faculty and maintains a 6.6.1 student-faculty ratio. With its proximity to the Capitol, graduates serve as Capitol Hill interns and staff. The college has several notable alumni and celebrities, including senators, presidential advisors, as well as Judge Judy (Sheindlin).
University of South Carolina Columbia School of Law
This is another of the nation’s oldest law colleges (est. 1867) and is the only non-profit and public law college in South Carolina. The college has an average class size of 212, with a median LSAT of 158 and a GPA of 3.53. Graduates have a high first-time bar exam pass rate of 94% as well 95% are employed within ten months of graduation. More than half of those graduates work in private practice with an average salary of $70,000. This school is recognized for its pro bono program, clinics, and externships. The law college is located near the state capitol in Columbia, SC, an area with a small-town feel and large-city activities in dining, entertainment, and sports. You’ll be close to mountains, South Carolina’s low country, and the Atlantic coast during your infrequent downtimes.
University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law
The Rosenberg College of Law is one of the oldest law schools in the Kentucky Commonwealth (est. 1908), having developed from a program created at Transylvania University in 1799. Located in Lexington, this college has a solid reputation and is known for establishing the first trial practice program. Almost 86% of the 2020 class found long-term employment nine months after leaving school. With a 60.67% acceptance rate, students with LSAT median scores of 157 and a GPA of 3.62 will find it a welcoming school. This medium-sized law college has approximately 388 full-time students and 34 full-time faculty. Students have the chance to participate in mock trial competitions, community service opportunities, and political and social organizations. Over 90% of students are recipients of scholarships and grants. Lexington is known for the Kentucky Horse Park and offers many attractions to help students unwind.
University of Alabama School of Law
The University of Alabama School of Law in Tuscaloosa is a small but important law school as one of the best in the region. It’s the only public law school in the state. Of the 1738 applications received for the class of 2025, the LSAT median is 166, with a median of 3.95 GPA, and the school enrolled 159 students (approximately 35.72%). Each student enrolled is promised a clinical experience in one of the school’s six clinical programs. Study abroad opportunities exist in Australia, the UK, and Israel. 93.6% of UA School of Law graduates passed the bar exam on the first attempt, and 94% reported employment in private firms and judicial clerkships in the first ten months following graduation. The median salary reported is $115,000.
University of Iowa College of Law
Iowa has only two law schools in the state, and the College of Law at the University of Iowa in Iowa City is consistently nationally recognized as one of the best law schools. Established in 1865, the college is the oldest continually operating law school west of the Mississippi. The college has a high acceptance rate near 43%, a median LSAT score of 161, and a first-time bar pass rate of 84%. Students enjoy a low student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, a faculty known for its scholarly contributions, and in-state tuition costs in the low $20,000s. Graduates have a high employment rate within nine months, and those working in the private sector can earn a $100,000 median salary. Over 20% of graduates work as judicial clerks.
Wayne State University Wayne State Law School
There’s a good deal to recommend Wayne State University Law School , including its small 1L class size, high first-time bar exam pass rate of 91%, and post-graduate employment rate of 86%. Since 1927, this school has attracted faculty recognized for its scholarship and publications who take a personal interest in their students. WSULS has been nationally recognized for its value, clinical training, and full-time and part-time JD degrees. This school has been at the forefront of civil rights. It supports the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, dedicated to raising understanding of racial issues in Michigan and beyond. The acceptance rate is a moderate 36.62%, and applicants have a median LSAT score of 159. Graduates in the private sector report a median salary of $115,000.
University of Wisconsin Madison Law School
This school’s website features its motto of “Law in Action,” which describes its curriculum as it relates to the law of societal change. The University of Wisconsin Law School offers 20 clinics, externships, and a curriculum focused on skills taught by nationally recognized faculty. Nearly 1569 student applicants applied for the class of 2023, with 42.45% offered admission and 241 students enrolling. The median LSAT was 164, and a 3.65 GPA. Half of the enrolled students are women, and 27% identify as people of color. The school has an average 100% first-time bar exam pass rate, with 83% working in the legal profession within nine months of graduation and earning a median of $75,000 in private practice firms. Third-year students participate in the “Cane Toss,” a tradition that predicts whether the student will win their first case by tossing a cane over the Camp Randall Stadium goalposts during UW’s homecoming activities.
Wake Forest University School of Law
This Winston-Salem, North Carolina, law school is a well-regarded school that features intentionally small classes that graduates some of the most well-prepared lawyers in the country. Founded in 1894, Wake Forest University Law School received approximately 2000 applications in 2020 and, with a highly competitive admission policy, accepted (17.99%) which yielded a 1L class size of 88. The median LSAT score is 165, with an undergraduate GPA of 3.85. Wake Forest Law boasts a 100-member faculty of legal scholars and a North Carolina Business Court in the building for students to observe a court in real-time. Wake Forest supports seven legal clinics serving clients from child advocacy to innocence and justice (originating with the Innocence Project) and veterans’ legal issues. This school’s first-time bar exam passage rate is 94.27%, with over 65% employed and earning a median $103,000 salary within ten months of graduation.
Do I Have to Take the LSAT for Law School?
Since 1948, law schools and colleges have used some form of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) as an integral part of the admission process. The test measures a student’s skills in areas critical to the first year of law school. Among the aptitudes tested are reading comprehension, writing, and reasoning. Law school admissions officers look at the LSAT as a reliable predictor of your success during the first year of law studies. Make no mistake; this is a challenging exam comprised of multiple-choice questions, divided into four sections, 35 minutes in duration for each.
The LSAT has been the American Bar Association (ABA) gold standard for admission to an ABA-accredited law school. Test scores range between 120 and 180. The Princeton Review suggests the median test score is around 152, and schools set the required LSAT score for their admission requirements.
In the past few years, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges and universities have moved to test-optional criteria for admission. In September 2022, The Strategic Review Committee for the ABA recommended that law schools require a “valid and reliable admission test.” In other words, schools can opt to require either the LSAT or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) for admission , and some JD programs will accept either test score. You’ll need to verify which test the schools you’re interested in accept for admission.
So, in short, whether you take the LSAT is determined by the school; but you may not have to sit for the LSAT for law school admission.
How Long Does Law School Take?
Typically, you’ll be in law school for three years to earn your Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), but some accelerated programs allow you to complete your degree in two years. If you opt for a part-time JD, you can expect to be in school for up to four years.
The first year is usually particularly rigorous, studying casebooks, Socratic teaching methods (spontaneous requirements to discuss a specific case and argument), and understanding complicated and straightforward issues. While remaining challenging, more law schools are fostering a more collegial atmosphere than previously experienced by law students.
What are the Pre-Requisites for Law School?
Few law colleges and schools have specific undergraduate pre-law requirements but majoring in Pre-Law as an undergraduate will provide you advantages.
A Pre-Law major will help you develop reading comprehension, writing, and thinking skills. Pre-Law classes may include studies in government, crime, and global issues, but most of your classes will be in social science and the humanities. You’ll probably take a history, philosophy, logic, English, political science classes, and even math and science. The broader your studies, the better.
Should I Work or Take an Internship During Law School?
To begin with, the first year of law school (L1) is exceptionally time-consuming, challenging, and crucial to your success. That said, working and attending law school in the evening or part-time is possible but difficult.
Let’s look at some pros and cons of working while attending law school:
- Time Management – through necessity, if you work while attending law school, you’ll become more efficient by using your study time wisely.
- Financial – Law school is expensive, and most law students graduate with substantial loans to repay. Having an income will help reduce the number of loans you may need. You should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for loans, need-based grants, or work-study programs.
- Work-Life Balance – Working, attending classes, and studying will take a chunk of your free time for family, friends, or relaxation.
If you have no choice but to work while in law school, try to find employment that may allow you to study during down times. Jobs in a library, receptionist, parking attendant, online customer service, etc., will be of help. You may also want to talk with the Financial Aid Office to see if any work-study jobs are available.
Internships
Internships in law or government offices can provide valuable experience and connections. However, most experts don’t recommend interning during the challenging first year of law school. While there are some paid law internships, they’re few and far between. If you find one, it will typically be low-paying or volunteer positions that may not be worth the time it will take from your studies.
Waiting until you’re a 2L or 3L to do an internship makes more sense since you’ll have learned skills that will be helpful for a law firm or judicial environment. By the second year, you’ll have improved your writing and critical thinking skills and will be more useful in legal matters. Law interns can experience court proceedings, trial preparation, legal memos, legal advice, etc., which can be invaluable.
Law schools and colleges frequently have clinical practice opportunities in various legal issues such as immigration, child advocacy, domestic abuse, etc., and participating in those real-world situations with real clients, can help make you more attractive for internships.
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What Are The Best Law Schools In The World?
What are lawyers.
What exactly do lawyers do? Lawyers also referred to as attorneys, are trained professionals certified to provide advice and representation to natural and juristic persons in matters regarding the law. Notable lawyers tend to go to the best law schools in the world to hone their skills and expertise in their field.
The primary responsibilities of a lawyer are to uphold the law and protect the rights of their clients. Their services include:
- Providing clients with advice.
- Conducting legal research.
- Preparing legal documents.
- Representing clients in both civil and criminal court proceedings.
A lawyer may find employment in a law firm, a private company, or even in the public sector, either as a public defender or in the prosecution of criminal cases. In most law firms, newly hired attorneys begin their careers as clerks, responsible for conducting legal research and assisting with trial preparation.
Why study law?
So then, why study law? The study of law provides students with the opportunity to broaden their skill sets and investigate a variety of facets of human existence. You will have the opportunity to improve your mental acuity, the depth of your experience, and the strength of your understanding across the entire spectrum of the humanities and the social sciences. You not only learn a lot about many different things but also about the things that interest you the most.
Those interested in developing their abstract thinking skills and ability to solve practical problems should consider studying law . It is easy to comprehend why having a law degree does not obligate one to work in the legal profession; many people opt to pursue other careers instead.
A law degree can not only give you the skills to be a successful lawyer, but it can also give you other skills that may be useful in the future. Some of these skills can help you become a successful producer, politician, manager, journalist, diplomat, or police officer. A law degree equips you for almost any profession that requires intellectual strength combined with a practical approach to the world.
What are the top law schools in the world?
Harvard university law school (cambridge, ma).
Harvard University Law School is widely recognized as one of the best law schools in the world. Students are encouraged to pursue their passions, make difficult inquiries, and conduct ground-breaking research at Harvard because of the school’s commitment to education in the liberal arts and sciences. Students are also encouraged to take advantage of the world-class courses, research institutes, and faculty mentorship offered in all Harvard areas.
About 560 new students sign up for Harvard’s JD program every year. The program lasts for three years. Due to the school’s large class sizes and rigorous academic environment, Harvard can consistently produce many highly regarded attorneys, other members of the legal profession, and scholars of international renown. Barack and Michelle Obama, former President and First Lady of the United States of America, are two notable alumni of Harvard University.
In addition, Harvard is the university that has produced the most graduates who have gone on to work as clerks for the United States Supreme Court. Since 1960, Harvard has produced an astounding 491 graduates who have worked in these prestigious positions.
University of Oxford Faculty of Law (Oxford, EN)
Evidence suggests that the teaching and study of law began at the University of Oxford as early as the year 1096. This would make it the oldest university in the world whose primary language is English and the second oldest university in the world that is still in operation.
What makes this one of the best law schools in the world is its history of teaching law as a profession. With its more than 800 years of history of providing legal education, the University of Oxford Faculty of Law has established itself as a world leader in law, establishing itself as a globally recognized institution for learning and for fostering rich intellectual debate.
As a result, the University of Oxford has become known worldwide as a world leader in law. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings have placed the University of Oxford as the top university in the world for the past six years. This achievement puts Oxford at the top of the list (2017 to 2022). Notable graduates, also known as “Oxonians,” include over 30 international heads of state, 28 British prime ministers, 55 Nobel Prize laureates, 120 Olympic medalists, and 120 Olympic medalists overall.
University of Cambridge Faculty of Law (Cambridge, EN)
The University of Cambridge is the fourth-oldest university in the world, having been established in 1209. Since the thirteenth century, the school has provided students with the opportunity to receive a legal education. Since ancient times, this institution has upheld its reputation as a center of academic excellence and as one of the top law schools in the world.
The early students of the Faculty of Law were responsible for writing the first known law reports in the ius commune tradition (ius commune is Latin for common law), which established the school as a pioneer in law and one of the best law schools in the world.
The university, which is located in Cambridge, a center for technology and innovation on a global scale, places a strong emphasis on the intersection between academics and business. Nearly 300,000 graduates from all parts of the world are connected through Cambridge University’s network of living alumni. Many of these graduates can be found in the United States of America, Canada, China, and Europe. More than 100 people were awarded the Nobel Prize, and almost 200 Olympic medalists, and 47 heads of state are among these graduates.
Yale Law School (New Haven, CT)
The Yale Law School has maintained its position at the top of US News and World Report’s annual ranking of the best law schools since the publication first compiled such rankings. The university is renowned for its cutting-edge research facilities, outstanding faculty, and outstanding track record of successfully placing students in illustrious careers after graduation.
The Yale Law School has produced several prominent public figures, such as former United States Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton, as well as Gerald Ford, both of whom served as President of the United States. The acceptance rate for Yale Law School was only 4% for the academic year 2020-2021, making it the most selective law school in the United States.
Yale Law has a yield rate of 87%, the highest among all law schools in the country. Because of the intense competition for admission to this school, very few students decline an offer of admission. The nearly perfect bar passage rate of 99% that the school boasts is evidence of the high quality of education Yale Law School provides to its students.
Stanford Law School (Stanford, CA)
Since 1992, when US News and World Report first began publishing their annual school rankings, Stanford Law School has consistently been positioned within the top three law schools in the United States to receive recognition in that publication. With a 3.93 average, the median undergraduate grade point average of students who were accepted to SLS and ultimately enrolled there places the school in first place.
The educational institution provides its students with unrivaled opportunities, such as the possibility of developing one-of-a-kind, individualized joint degree programs or new courses based on the individual student’s interests.
Students at Stanford University have the opportunity to collaborate closely with the school’s highly regarded faculty, many of whom are considered to be among the most eminent legal scholars and experts in the world. The student-to-faculty ratio at Stanford is only 4.4 to 1.
Because of the school’s location in Silicon Valley, close to Palo Alto, California, it can provide its students with convenient access to this global hub for the technology industry and innovation. The employment rate of Stanford law graduates from the class of 2017 was an impressive 88.8% at the time of graduation, and it increased to 90.4% ten months after graduation.
London School of Economics and Political Science Law School (London, EN)
The London School of Economics and Political Science Law School was established more than a century ago, and it began providing instruction in the field of law as early as the year 1895. LSE Law has developed into one of the best law schools in the world. The most recent iteration of the Research Excellence Framework recognized the institution as having the highest quality research outputs of any educational establishment in the United Kingdom (REF).
When it comes to legal education, the LSE Law School places a strong emphasis on the importance of interdisciplinary and global perspectives. The institution believes that inclusivity is a necessary component of their sense of who they are and how they approach legal education.
The school can be found in London, considered the hub of the legal community in the United Kingdom. Its campus is located near Lincoln’s Inn, one of the four Inns of Court of which all UK barristers are required to be members, and the Royal Courts of Justice. Both of these landmarks are considered to be important legal institutions. In addition, the House of Parliament is easily accessible on foot for students of LSE Law at the University of London.
Columbia Law School (New York, NY)
Columbia Law School is widely regarded as a preeminent institution in law and legal education. The university is proud to have established and maintained strong connections with many of the most prestigious law firms, Fortune 500 companies, social justice organizations, and other important professional organizations and institutions worldwide.
Students at Columbia Law can receive ample direct attention from professors because the student-to-faculty ratio is only 5.2:1. This allows students to work closely with some of the most well-known legal scholars in the world. The academics at this school are known to be particularly challenging, and admissions here are extremely competitive.
The incoming first-year class of 2021 is no exception to Columbia University’s policy of only accepting students of the highest caliber, as evidenced by their median LSAT score of 174 and their median undergraduate grade point average of 3.84. Students at Columbia Law have a wide variety of opportunities to participate in experiential learning opportunities, such as pro bono legal service, clinical programs, and externships. These opportunities give students a chance to gain real-world experience working with clients.
New York University School of Law (New York, NY)
The New York University School of Law was established in 1835, making it the oldest and one of the best law schools in the world. Students at NYU School of Law benefit from the university’s location in the center of the city with the largest population in the United States, which provides them with access to a vast array of companies, illustrious employers, and a hub of political and industrial activity.
Students at NYU Law have access to over 40 distinct clinical programs, which allow them to gain hands-on, practical experience in areas such as client representation, the preparation of case briefs, and collaboration with active legal community members. Students at NYU have access to a wide variety of resources thanks to the university’s 16 distinct fields of study, more than 300 different course options, and more than 100 highly regarded faculty members.
In addition, the university has over 30 different centers and more than 80 student organizations on campus. This gives students even more opportunities to enhance their law school experience by participating in extracurricular activities and using the university’s various facilities.
University of California – Berkeley Law School (Berkeley, CA)
The University of California Berkeley School of Law is consistently ranked among the top ten best law schools in the United States, and it is consistently ranked among the best law schools in the world. The university is well-known for its unconventional approach to the education of future lawyers. There are no letter grades or grade point averages used at the UC Berkeley School of Law, and students are not compared to one another in any way.
In addition, Berkeley Law provides students with the opportunity to take one of several one-of-a-kind and specialized survey courses, such as the “Wine Law” course. Students also have the option of designing their own individualized elective curriculum. After students have completed a first semester primarily comprised of required classes, they are allowed to tailor the remainder of their academic programs to be as closely aligned as possible with their particular academic and professional goals.
In addition to JD degree programs, Berkeley Law School provides students with the opportunity to pursue LLM degree programs, master’s degree programs, and various concurrent degree program options.
National University of Singapore Faculty of Law (Singapore, Singapore)
The Faculty of Law at the National University of Singapore is widely regarded as being among the very best law schools in the world that is in Asia. The institution of higher learning is found in Singapore, which places it smack dab in the middle of a hub of thriving commercial activity, including international commerce.
Because Singapore is also known as the nexus between the East and the West, NUS Law is situated in an excellent location for students interested in studying law. To further contribute to the cosmopolitan environment that NUS Law is known for, the school routinely welcomes many visiting faculty members and students from all over the world.
Since it was established in 1957, the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Law has prioritized developing a course of study that is multidisciplinary, open to a variety of points of view, and centered on the global community. They emphasize the significance of diversity by providing students with access to a comprehensive curriculum that covers a wide variety of subjects, including Asian legal studies, jurisprudence, and intellectual property law, among many others.
As you learn and decide where you want to study, guidance from experts in admissions is also a key to your success. As such, guidance from AdmissionSight can go a long way. With guidance from AdmissionSight’s top experts in admissions with 10 years of experience, you can get into any school you dream of. You can talk to our experts today to get started.
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Discover the 10 Best Law Schools in the World
Obtaining a law degree from a prestigious law school is one of the best ways for aspiring lawyers to prove to future employers, colleagues, and potential clients that they are intelligent, capable legal professionals.
Being accepted to a highly selective, highly esteemed law school shows that you are among the best law students in the world, with a stellar academic record, a nearly perfect LSAT score and undergraduate GPA, and phenomenal critical thinking skills.
Although prestige is certainly not the only factor that should determine where you choose to go to law school, there is a general correlation between law school rankings and employment outcomes.
Top schools are known to produce more US Supreme Court justices and clerks, heads of state, prominent leaders in business and industry, and intellectual giants than other law schools.
Thus, attending a highly rated law school is almost sure to lead you to a successful legal career, regardless of what type of law you are interested in practicing, where you wish to establish your career, or whatever other factors that generally influence the likelihood of securing elite employment opportunities.
The following list consists of some of the most highly ranked law schools in the entire world.
Read on to learn a bit about what these top schools have to offer, including their J.D. and L.L.M. programs, research facilities, networking opportunities with highly successful alumni, and more.
The ranking is determined by where each school positions in the QS World University Rankings .
10. National University of Singapore Faculty of Law (Singapore, Singapore)
The National University of Singapore Faculty of Law is widely known as one of the best law schools in Asia.
Located in Singapore, the school is positioned right at the center of booming international commerce and other commercial activity.
Singapore is also known as the nexus between the East and West, making NUS Law an ideal location for attending law school.
NUS Law regularly hosts a number of visiting faculty and students from around the world, further contributing to the cosmopolitan atmosphere the school boasts.
Since its founding in 1957, NUS Law has strived to curate a curriculum that is interdisciplinary, inclusive of multiple perspectives, and globally focused.
They emphasize the importance of diversity by offering a broad range of courses on a vast number of different topics, such as Asian legal studies, jurisprudence, and intellectual property law.
9. University of California – Berkeley Law School (Berkeley, CA)
The University of California Berkeley Law School regularly ranks in the top ten best American law schools and within the top three best public law schools in the nation.
The school is known for its unconventional approach to legal education. At UC Berkeley Law, there are no letter grades or GPAs, nor are students ranked against one another.
Additionally, Berkeley Law offers unique, specialized survey courses, including one called Wine Law, for example. Students can also design their own elective courses.
After completing a first semester consisting primarily of required courses, students are given the opportunity to customize their courses of study to best suit their individual academic and professional aspirations.
In addition to J.D. degree programs , Berkeley Law also offers L.L.M. programs, master’s programs, and multiple options for concurrent degree programs.
8. New York University School of Law (New York, NY)
Founded in 1835, the New York University School of Law is the oldest surviving law school in the state of New York, as well as the oldest law school in New York City.
Situated in the heart of the largest city in the United States by population, NYU Law gives students access to an immense number of businesses, highly esteemed employers, and bustling industrial and political activity.
NYU Law offers over 40 different clinical programs through which students can gain hands-on practical experience representing clients, preparing case briefs, and working with practicing legal professionals.
With 16 different areas of study, over 300 course offerings, and more than 100 widely-acknowledged faculty members, NYU has a wealth of resources for its students.
Additionally, the school has over 30 centers and 80 student organizations on campus, giving students even more options for enriching their law school experience by getting involved and using these facilities.
7. Columbia Law School (New York, NY)
Columbia Law School is known as a world leader in the fields of law and legal education. The school boasts a number of solid and longstanding relationships with many of the world’s foremost law firms, Fortune 500 companies, social justice institutions, and various other valuable professional entities.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of only 5.2:1, Columbia Law students are able to receive ample direct attention from professors, working closely with these well-renowned legal scholars.
The school is known for the rigor of its academics and its highly competitive admissions.
With a median LSAT score of 174 and a median undergraduate GPA of 3.84, the incoming first-year class of 2021 is no exception to Columbia’s policy of only accepting students of the highest caliber.
With numerous experiential learning opportunities, including pro bono legal service, clinical programs, and externships, Columbia Law offers students many different options to gain real-world experience working with clients.
6. London School of Economics and Political Science Law School (London, EN)
Founded over a century ago, the London School of Economics and Political Science Law School began teaching the subject of law as early as 1895. Throughout its long history, LSE Law has become one of the best law schools in the world.
The school has been named the best school in the United Kingdom for research outputs in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF).
LSE Law School emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary, international perspectives to study law. The school considers inclusivity an essential component of their identity and their approach to legal education.
The school is located in London, at the heart of legal activity in the United Kingdom. Its campus is situated in close proximity to Lincoln’s Inn, one of the four Inns of Court of which all UK barristers must be members, as well as the Royal Courts of Justice.
Additionally, the House of Parliament is within walking distance for LSE Law students.
5. Stanford Law School (Stanford, CA)
Stanford Law School has been ranked among the top three law schools in the United States every year since 1992, when the US News and World Report began releasing their annual school rankings.
SLS ranks first in terms of median undergraduate GPA of accepted applicants who enroll at the school, with a near-perfect 3.93 average.
The school offers students unparalleled opportunities , such as the chance to design unique, personalized joint degree programs or create new courses based on the individual student’s interests.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of only 4.4:1, Stanford students work closely with the school’s highly esteemed faculty, many of whom are among the world’s foremost legal scholars and experts.
Located near Palo Alto, California, in Silicon Valley, SLS offers its students close access to this global center for the technology industry and innovation. An impressive 88.8% of Stanford law students in the graduating class of 2017 were employed at the time of graduation, rising to 90.4% at ten months after graduation.
4. Yale Law School (New Haven, CT)
Ever since the US News and World Report began releasing its annual ranked list of the best law schools in the country, Yale Law School has consistently held the #1 spot.
The university is known for its exceptional faculty, its stellar track record for successfully placing students in illustrious careers after graduation, and its state-of-the-art research facilities.
Yale Law School has been the alma mater of a number of prominent public figures, including United States presidents Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
Yale Law’s acceptance rate for the 2020 to 2021 academic year was only 4%, making it the most selective law school in the country.
With a yield rate of 87%, the highest among all law schools in the nation, few students would turn down Yale Law, as receiving an offer for admission to this school is highly competitive.
The school’s nearly perfect bar passage rate of 99% is evidence of the high quality education Yale Law offers its students.
3. University of Cambridge Faculty of Law (Cambridge, EN)
Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the fourth-oldest university in the world.
Legal education has been offered at the school since as early as the thirteenth century.
The school has upheld a legacy for greatness for centuries. Early Faculty of Law students were responsible for writing the first known law reports in the ius commune — Latin for common law — tradition, designating the school as a pioneer in the field of law worldwide.
Located at Cambridge, a global hub for technology and innovation, the university emphasizes the intersection between academia and business.
Cambridge’s network of living alumni includes nearly 300,000 graduates from all corners of the world, with a substantial number now located in the United States, Canada, China, and all across Europe. Among these alumni are over 100 Nobel Prize Laureates, almost 200 Olympic Medalists, and 47 Heads of State.
2. University of Oxford Faculty of Law (Oxford, EN)
There is evidence that suggests that the teaching and study of law began at the University of Oxford as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second oldest university in continuous operation in the entire world.
Over the course of its more than 800-year history of providing legal education, the University of Oxford Faculty of Law has become a world leader in law, establishing itself as a globally recognized institution for learning and for fostering rich intellectual debate.
According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the University of Oxford has been ranked the best university in the world first for six consecutive years (2017 to 2022).
Notable alumni, or “ Oxonians ,” including 28 British Prime Ministers, 55 Nobel Prize Laureates, 120 Olympic Medalists,and over 30 international heads of state.
1. Harvard University Law School (Cambridge, MA)
Harvard University Law School is famous for being one of the top law schools in the entire world.
The school’s dedication to liberal arts and sciences education encourages students to make use of the world-class courses, research institutes, and faculty mentorship offered across all parts of Harvard to pursue their passions, make difficult inquiries, and conduct ground-breaking research.
Each year, about 560 students enroll in Harvard’s three-year J.D. program. The school’s large class sizes and rigorous academic environment allow Harvard to regularly graduate a great number of esteemed lawyers, legal professions, and widely-renowned scholars.
Distinguished Harvard alumni include former United States president and first lady Barack and Michelle Obama.
Additionally, Harvard holds the record for sending the most graduates to US Supreme Court Clerkships, producing an impressive 491 graduates who went on to fill these esteemed positions since 1960.
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