THINKING ABOUT
LAW SCHOOL? T O D AY ’ S L AW S TU D E N T S
2025
2025
ENTERING CLASS
LAW SCHOOL APPLICANTS
65%
76,480
3.67
Median 50th percentile undergraduate GPA
Applicants admitted to at least one law school
Total number of applicants (164 out of 196 schools saw an increase)
50th 159 Median percentile LSAT score
42,812
56%
2025
ACADEMIC YEAR
Women enrolled in J.D. programs
Students who started law school in 2025
37%
Students of color enrolled in J.D. programs
PAY I N G F O R L AW S C H O O L AVERAGE ANNUAL FULL-TIME TUITION 2025 ACADEMIC YEAR
$59,565
41%
Private institution
$45,734
Public institution (nonresident)
$32,036
Full-time students receiving grant aid equal to or greater than half tuition
$24,900
Median grant amount awarded to full-time students
$107,329
Average loan debt of the graduating class of 2026
Public institution (resident)
OUTCOMES
36,340 J.D. degrees awarded in 2024-2025
40%
$100,000
Median salary for class of 2025 graduates
J.D. degrees awarded to students of color
84.18%
6%
Class of 2025 graduates employed in J.D. Advantage jobs
First-time takers at ABA-approved law schools who passed the bar in 2025
83%
Class of 2025 graduates employed in bar passage required jobs SOURCES: American Bar Association. (2025). Enrollment, First Year Class, Employment Outcomes, Bar Passage Outcomes, and Grants & Scholarships data. Accessed 2026 from https://www.abarequireddisclosures.org. Data presentation, analysis, and commentary by AccessLex Institute. Law School Admission Council. (2025). Admission Trends. Retrieved from https://report.lsac.org/VolumeSummaryOriginalFormat.aspx. Data presentation, analysis, and commentary by AccessLex Institute. Analytix. (2026). Student Expenses data. Data presentation, analysis, and commentary by AccessLex Institute. National Association for Law Placement. (2026). Jobs & JDs Selected Findings, Class of 2025. Retrieved from https://www.nalp.org. Data presentation, analysis, and commentary by AccessLex Institute. U.S. News & World Report. (2026). Best Law Schools Rankings. Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/law-rankings. Data presentation, analysis, and commentary by AccessLex Institute. Copyright © 2026 AccessLex Institute® (9/26)
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