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Cumberland School of Law logo

Cumberland School of Law

Birmingham, Alabama

Rank #107 (USNWR 2024)

155
LSAT
3.63
GPA
58.8%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2024 admissions cycle

155
LSAT
3.63
GPA
58.8%
Admit Rate

Cumberland School of Law is a prestigious JD program located in Birmingham, Alabama. In the competitive 2024 law school rankings, Cumberland School of Law was ranked 107 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2024 admissions cycle, Cumberland School of Law has an entering 1L class size of approximately 158 with an acceptance rate of 58.8%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
SAMFORD UNIVERSITY
Law School Applications
673
JD application volume in 2024 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
58.8%
21st percentile
JD Program Size
158
39th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$90k

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Cumberland School of Law Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2024-2025 Cycle Overview
102 applicants
Accepted
2 / 39
Waitlisted
22
Rejected
2
-
Withdrawn
20
-

Admissions Graphs

25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

LSAT Score: Law School Admission Test score (120-180 scale)

GPA: Undergraduate Grade Point Average (0.0-4.3+ scale)

This chart shows when decisions were made throughout the application cycle. Use the filters above to refine the data.

How to Use These Graphs
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  • Toggle series: Click on any legend item to show/hide that category (accepted, waitlisted, rejected, unknown)
Advanced Features:
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  • Cycle selection: Use the dropdown in the controls above to view data from different application cycles
  • Demographic filters: Filter by International, URM, Military, or Early Decision status to compare specific groups
  • Custom axes: On the LSAT vs. GPA graph, select different metrics to compare (dates, scholarships, etc.)
  • Compare your stats: Your own stats will appear as a blue diamond when viewing these graphs

Selectivity & Competitiveness Trends

How to interpret this chart:

  • LSAT (blue): Shows the 25th/50th/75th percentiles as a shaded band with median line. Hover to see exact values in format: 165/170/175
  • GPA (green): Shows the 25th/50th/75th percentiles as a shaded band with median line. Hover to see exact values in format: 3.45/3.65/3.85
  • Acceptance Rate (orange): Percentage of applicants who received offers (lower = more selective)
  • Applications (purple dashed): Total number of applications received each year

Rising LSAT/GPA medians, narrowing bands, or falling acceptance rates indicate increasing competitiveness. Click legend items to show/hide metrics.

For law school applicants interested in the 2024 admissions cycle at Cumberland School of Law, 673 candidates submitted JD applications and 396 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is moderately selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 58.8%.

The JD program at Cumberland School of Law enrolls a first-year class of 158 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 38.89%. This means that of the 396 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 154 chose to enroll. Understanding these law school admission statistics can help prospective JD applicants evaluate their chances and plan their application strategy.

For a competitive law school application to Cumberland School of Law, students should aim to meet or exceed the median statistics shown below. Meeting these GPA and LSAT targets significantly improves your chances of admission.

JD Admission Requirements & Application Statistics

Admissions Metrics (ABA 509)
Metric Value
Applications
673
15th percentile
Admission Offers 396
Class Size
158
39th percentile
Acceptance Rate
58.8%
21st percentile
Yield Rate
38.89%
83rd percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 152.5 157.84 160.13
GPA 3.49 3.56 3.69
Softs T4.0 T3.41 T3.43
Avg Scholarship - - $86,141
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
43rd percentile
152 155 159
GPA
43rd percentile
3.44 3.63 3.80
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 153.0 (+1.0) 158.0 (+3.0) 162.5 (+3.5)
GPA 3.36 (-0.08) 3.64 (+0.01) 3.87 (+0.07)
* Based on 102 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 42 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 22 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.0%
Interview → Acceptance Rate -

The above statistics show that Cumberland School of Law typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 152 (25th percentile) to 159 (75th percentile), with a median of 155.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.44 to 3.80, with a median of 3.63.

With an acceptance rate of 58.8%, Cumberland School of Law is considered a moderately selective law school in terms of admissions.

What these numbers mean
  • Percentiles: The 25th/50th/75th percentiles show the distribution of scores among admitted students.
  • Applications: Total number of people who applied to this law school.
  • Acceptance Rate: Percentage of applicants who received offers (lower = more selective).
  • Yield Rate: Percentage of admitted students who enrolled (higher = more desirable).

Application Status Data

Cumberland School of Law Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 102 apps

Cumberland School of Law Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

89.0%
44th percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

78.36%
48th percentile

Median Starting Salary

$81,000
Private Sector
26th percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

77.4%
34th percentile

BigLaw Placement

6.5%
46th percentile

Federal Clerkships

2.6%
66th percentile

Employment Quality Distribution

Law Firm Employment by Size

Employment Quality Matrix

Employment Type Full-Time
Long-Term
Full-Time
Short-Term
Part-Time
Long-Term
Part-Time
Short-Term
Total % of Grads
Bar Required 120 2 122 78.7%
JD Advantage 13 3 16 10.3%
Professional 1 0.6%
Other 4 2.6%
School-Funded 0 0 0 0.0%
Total Employed 133 5 0 0 143 92.3%
School-Funded: May inflate stats

Generally, if you attend law school, you want to secure a bar-required position. However, at prestigious institutions, students may target specific JD advantage positions such as private equity or elite consulting roles.

Employment by Sector

Distribution

Sector Details

Employment Sector % of Graduates National Percentile
Law Firms 61.3%
77th percentile
Judicial Clerkships 5.8%
41st percentile
Government 7.7%
18th percentile
Public Interest 5.2%
15th percentile
Business 9.7%
82nd percentile
Academia 1.3%
59th percentile
Unemployment Rate: 5.2% (graduates actively seeking employment)

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 4 2.6%
66th percentile
State/Local 5 3.2%

Federal clerkships are highly prestigious positions that significantly enhance career prospects in litigation and academia.

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
78.36%
48th percentile
Takers: 134
Passed: 105
vs State Avg -0.5%
Ultimate Pass Rate
93.8%
67th percentile
Takers: 129
Passed: 121
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
78.88%
State average for jurisdictions where graduates took the bar
Understanding bar passage metrics

First-time: Immediate readiness indicator

Ultimate: Long-term success within 2 years

vs State: Performance relative to state average

Bar Passage Rates Comparison

Salary Outcomes

Private Sector
Median Salary $81,000
26th percentile
25th Percentile $72,000
33rd percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $60,000
13th percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at Cumberland School of Law is $90k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $60k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at Cumberland School of Law, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $81,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $60,000. These post-law school employment outcomes are important factors for evaluating the return on investment for your legal education.

For law school applicants interested in specific legal career paths, it's worth noting that 61.3% of Cumberland School of Law JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 5.8% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 5.2% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 89.0% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from Cumberland School of Law, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 78.36%. Within two years, 93.8% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is -0.5% compared to the weighted state average. These bar passage metrics are important indicators of how well the law school prepares its students for this crucial professional licensing examination.