Choosing the right law school is one of the most influential decisions an aspiring attorney will make. The following Top 30 list is based on a hybrid composite of national rankings, employment outcomes, recent LSAT and GPA medians, and long‑term institutional prestige. This summary provides a clear, digestible overview of the most competitive and respected J.D. programs in the United States today.
Top 30 Law Schools (List Summary)
1. Yale Law School — New Haven, CT
Acceptance Rate: 6%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 174/174/176
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.88/3.94/3.99
Key Strength: Renowned for constitutional law, clerkships, and academic leadership.
2. Stanford Law School — Stanford, CA
Acceptance Rate: 7%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 171/173/176
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.82/3.91/3.98
Key Strength: Strength in tech law, empirical research, and interdisciplinary study.
3. Harvard Law School — Cambridge, MA
Acceptance Rate: 10%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 171/174/176
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.79/3.92/3.99
Key Strength: Largest alumni network; strong in corporate, public interest, and global law.
4. University of Chicago Law School — Chicago, IL
Acceptance Rate: 12%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 170/172/175
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.78/3.91/3.98
Key Strength: Law & economics powerhouse; excellent clerkship and placement outcomes.
5. UPenn Carey Law School — Philadelphia, PA
Acceptance Rate: 14%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 169/172/175
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.70/3.90/3.97
Key Strength: Interdisciplinary access to Wharton; strong corporate law outcomes.
6. Columbia Law School — New York, NY
Acceptance Rate: 13%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 172/174/176
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.72/3.87/3.96
Key Strength: Elite BigLaw placement; strong in corporate and international law.
7. NYU School of Law — New York, NY
Acceptance Rate: 14%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 170/172/174
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.70/3.86/3.94
Key Strength: Top tax, international law, and public interest offerings.
8. Duke University School of Law — Durham, NC
Acceptance Rate: 17%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 169/170/172
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.74/3.85/3.94
Key Strength: Small class size; excellent clerkship success.
9. University of Virginia School of Law — Charlottesville, VA
Acceptance Rate: 15%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 169/171/173
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.72/3.89/3.97
Key Strength: Prestigious alumni network; strong constitutional and corporate law.
10. UC Berkeley School of Law — Berkeley, CA
Acceptance Rate: 17%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 168/170/172
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.70/3.85/3.94
Key Strength: Leading in IP, tech, and social justice law.
11. University of Michigan Law School — Ann Arbor, MI
Acceptance Rate: 19%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 168/171/173
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.68/3.84/3.95
Key Strength: Strong employment outcomes and public sector placements.
12. Northwestern Pritzker School of Law — Chicago, IL
Acceptance Rate: 20%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 168/171/173
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.68/3.86/3.95
Key Strength: Values work experience; business-law integration.
13. Cornell Law School — Ithaca, NY
Acceptance Rate: 19%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 167/170/172
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.68/3.82/3.94
Key Strength: Elite BigLaw placement; small selective cohort.
14. Georgetown University Law Center — Washington, DC
Acceptance Rate: 20%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 168/171/73
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.60/3.85/3.94
Key Strength: Unmatched externships across federal agencies.
15. University of Texas School of Law — Austin, TX
Acceptance Rate: 17%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 168/170/172
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.60/3.80/3.92
Key Strength: High value; strong courtroom, energy, and tech‑law programs.
16. Vanderbilt University Law School — Nashville, TN
Acceptance Rate: 20%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 167/170/171
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.62/3.80/3.90
Key Strength: Outstanding job placement; strong constitutional law.
17. Washington University School of Law — St. Louis, MO
Acceptance Rate: 22%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 166/169/171
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.60/3.81/3.92
Key Strength: Top national employment and student satisfaction.
18. UCLA School of Law — Los Angeles, CA
Acceptance Rate: 20%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 168/170/172
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.64/3.79/3.91
Key Strength: Best‑in‑nation entertainment and media law programs.
19. USC Gould School of Law — Los Angeles, CA
Acceptance Rate: 19%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 166/168/170
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.62/3.80/3.92
Key Strength: Major California placements; strong interdisciplinary strengths.
20. Boston University School of Law — Boston, MA
Acceptance Rate: 23%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 166/169/170
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.55/3.78/3.89
Key Strength: Strong in tax, health law, and IP.
21. Notre Dame Law School — South Bend, IN
Acceptance Rate: 22%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 165/169/170
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.55/3.75/3.88
Key Strength: National clerkship strength; strong ethical foundation.
22. University of Minnesota Law School — Minneapolis, MN
Acceptance Rate: 26%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 164/168/170
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.55/3.76/3.88
Key Strength: Strong Midwest and national placement record.
23. Boston College Law School — Newton, MA
Acceptance Rate: 28%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 162/166/168
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.50/3.72/3.85
Key Strength: Excellent for litigation and public interest careers.
24. Emory University School of Law — Atlanta, GA
Acceptance Rate: 29%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 164/167/169
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.58/3.83/3.92
Key Strength: Strong in corporate, health, and tech law.
25. George Washington University Law School — Washington, DC
Acceptance Rate: 30%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 165/168/169
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.50/3.74/3.88
Key Strength: Unparalleled regulatory and government law access.
26. Fordham University School of Law — New York, NY
Acceptance Rate: 31%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 164/167/168
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.45/3.70/3.82
Key Strength: Prime NYC placement; strong corporate and PI law.
27. UC Irvine School of Law — Irvine, CA
Acceptance Rate: 24%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 165/168/169
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.55/3.72/3.82
Key Strength: Fast‑rising school with exceptional clinical programs.
28. University of Alabama School of Law — Tuscaloosa, AL
Acceptance Rate: 31%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 164/166/168
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.50/3.85/3.94
Key Strength: Top value; strong clerkship and regional influence.
29. University of Georgia School of Law — Athens, GA
Acceptance Rate: 25%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 164/168/169
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.45/3.70/3.85
Key Strength: High‑value national‑placement rising program.
30. Washington & Lee University School of Law — Lexington, VA
Acceptance Rate: 28%
Median LSAT (25/50/75): 163/167/168
Median GPA (25/50/75): 3.45/3.74/3.86
Key Strength: Strong honor culture; excellent clerkships.
These 30 institutions represent the pinnacle of legal education in the United States. Whether your goals involve BigLaw, public interest work, judicial clerkships, academia, or government service, each program offers exceptional training and opportunities. Use this list as a strategic starting point to identify the law schools that best align with your professional goals, academic profile, and long‑term vision.
Comparison Table
| Rank | School | Location | Acceptance Rate | Median LSAT (25/50/75) | Median GPA (25/50/75) | Unique Qualities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yale Law School | New Haven, CT | 6% | 174/174/176 | 3.88/3.94/3.99 | Renowned for constitutional law, clerkships, and academic leadership. |
| 2 | Stanford Law School | Stanford, CA | 7% | 171/173/176 | 3.82/3.91/3.98 | Strength in tech law, empirical research, and interdisciplinary study. |
| 3 | Harvard Law School | Cambridge, MA | 10% | 171/174/176 | 3.79/3.92/3.99 | Largest alumni network; strong in corporate, public interest, and global law. |
| 4 | University of Chicago Law School | Chicago, IL | 12% | 170/172/175 | 3.78/3.91/3.98 | Law & economics powerhouse; excellent clerkship and placement outcomes. |
| 5 | UPenn Carey Law School | Philadelphia, PA | 14% | 169/172/175 | 3.70/3.90/3.97 | Interdisciplinary access to Wharton; strong corporate law outcomes. |
| 6 | Columbia Law School | New York, NY | 13% | 172/174/176 | 3.72/3.87/3.96 | Elite BigLaw placement; strong in corporate and international law. |
| 7 | NYU School of Law | New York, NY | 14% | 170/172/174 | 3.70/3.86/3.94 | Top tax, international law, and public interest offerings. |
| 8 | Duke University School of Law | Durham, NC | 17% | 169/170/172 | 3.74/3.85/3.94 | Small class size; excellent clerkship success. |
| 9 | University of Virginia School of Law | Charlottesville, VA | 15% | 169/171/173 | 3.72/3.89/3.97 | Prestigious alumni network; strong constitutional and corporate law. |
| 10 | UC Berkeley School of Law | Berkeley, CA | 17% | 168/170/172 | 3.70/3.85/3.94 | Leading in IP, tech, and social justice law. |
| 11 | University of Michigan Law School | Ann Arbor, MI | 19% | 168/171/173 | 3.68/3.84/3.95 | Strong employment outcomes and public sector placements. |
| 12 | Northwestern Pritzker School of Law | Chicago, IL | 20% | 168/171/173 | 3.68/3.86/3.95 | Values work experience; business-law integration. |
| 13 | Cornell Law School | Ithaca, NY | 19% | 167/170/172 | 3.68/3.82/3.94 | Elite BigLaw placement; small selective cohort. |
| 14 | Georgetown University Law Center | Washington, DC | 20% | 168/171/73 | 3.60/3.85/3.94 | Unmatched externships across federal agencies. |
| 15 | University of Texas School of Law | Austin, TX | 17% | 168/170/172 | 3.60/3.80/3.92 | High value; strong courtroom, energy, and tech‑law programs. |
| 16 | Vanderbilt University Law School | Nashville, TN | 20% | 167/170/171 | 3.62/3.80/3.90 | Outstanding job placement; strong constitutional law. |
| 17 | Washington University School of Law | St. Louis, MO | 22% | 166/169/171 | 3.60/3.81/3.92 | Top national employment and student satisfaction. |
| 18 | UCLA School of Law | Los Angeles, CA | 20% | 168/170/172 | 3.64/3.79/3.91 | Best‑in‑nation entertainment and media law programs. |
| 19 | USC Gould School of Law | Los Angeles, CA | 19% | 166/168/170 | 3.62/3.80/3.92 | Major California placements; strong interdisciplinary strengths. |
| 20 | Boston University School of Law | Boston, MA | 23% | 166/169/170 | 3.55/3.78/3.89 | Strong in tax, health law, and IP. |
| 21 | Notre Dame Law School | South Bend, IN | 22% | 165/169/170 | 3.55/3.75/3.88 | National clerkship strength; strong ethical foundation. |
| 22 | University of Minnesota Law School | Minneapolis, MN | 26% | 164/168/170 | 3.55/3.76/3.88 | Strong Midwest and national placement record. |
| 23 | Boston College Law School | Newton, MA | 28% | 162/166/168 | 3.50/3.72/3.85 | Excellent for litigation and public interest careers. |
| 24 | Emory University School of Law | Atlanta, GA | 29% | 164/167/169 | 3.58/3.83/3.92 | Strong in corporate, health, and tech law. |
| 25 | George Washington University Law School | Washington, DC | 30% | 165/168/169 | 3.50/3.74/3.88 | Unparalleled regulatory and government law access. |
| 26 | Fordham University School of Law | New York, NY | 31% | 164/167/168 | 3.45/3.70/3.82 | Prime NYC placement; strong corporate and PI law. |
| 27 | UC Irvine School of Law | Irvine, CA | 24% | 165/168/169 | 3.55/3.72/3.82 | Fast‑rising school with exceptional clinical programs. |
| 28 | University of Alabama School of Law | Tuscaloosa, AL | 31% | 164/166/168 | 3.50/3.85/3.94 | Top value; strong clerkship and regional influence. |
| 29 | University of Georgia School of Law | Athens, GA | 25% | 164/168/169 | 3.45/3.70/3.85 | High‑value national‑placement rising program. |
| 30 | Washington & Lee University School of Law | Lexington, VA | 28% | 163/167/168 | 3.45/3.74/3.86 | Strong honor culture; excellent clerkships. |
