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CUNY Law School

Queens, New York

Rank #154 (USNWR 2023)

153
LSAT
3.45
GPA
35.3%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2023 admissions cycle

153
LSAT
3.45
GPA
35.3%
Admit Rate

CUNY Law School is a prestigious JD program located in Queens, New York. In the competitive 2023 law school rankings, CUNY Law School was ranked 154 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2023 admissions cycle, CUNY Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 214 with an acceptance rate of 35.3%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Law School Applications
1572
JD application volume in 2023 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
35.3%
55th percentile
JD Program Size
214
70th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$51k

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CUNY Law School Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2023-2024 Cycle Overview
124 applicants
Accepted
6 / 38
Waitlisted
8
Rejected
19
-
Withdrawn
27
-

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
Graph Navigation:
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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 2023 admissions cycle at CUNY Law School, 1572 candidates submitted JD applications and 627 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 35.3%.

The JD program at CUNY Law School enrolls a first-year class of 214 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 33.01%. This means that of the 627 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 207 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 CUNY Law School, 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
1572
53rd percentile
Admission Offers 627
Class Size
214
70th percentile
Acceptance Rate
35.3%
55th percentile
Yield Rate
33.01%
63rd percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 154.63 158.74 160.5
GPA 3.09 3.46 3.62
Softs T3.38 T3.22 T3.15
Avg Scholarship - - $24,000
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
30th percentile
150 153 157
GPA
35th percentile
3.12 3.45 3.73
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 153.0 (+3.0) 159.0 (+6.0) 164.0 (+7.0)
GPA 3.2 (+0.08) 3.58 (+0.13) 3.77 (+0.04)
* Based on 124 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 62 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 35 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.0%
Interview → Acceptance Rate -

The above statistics show that CUNY Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 150 (25th percentile) to 157 (75th percentile), with a median of 153.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.12 to 3.73, with a median of 3.45.

With an acceptance rate of 35.3%, CUNY Law School is considered a 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

CUNY Law School Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 124 apps

CUNY Law School Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

73.8%
9th percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

74.56%
42nd percentile

Median Starting Salary

$85,000
Private Sector
37th percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

62.1%
8th percentile

BigLaw Placement

1.9%
21st percentile

Federal Clerkships

0.0%
10th percentile

School-Funded Positions

0.5%

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 128 2 130 63.1%
JD Advantage 13 9 22 10.7%
Professional 9 4.4%
Other 0 0.0%
School-Funded 1 0 1 0.5%
Total Employed 142 11 0 0 162 78.6%
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 9.2%
1st percentile
Judicial Clerkships 7.3%
51st percentile
Government 12.6%
55th percentile
Public Interest 42.7%
100th percentile
Business 5.8%
34th percentile
Academia 1.0%
41st percentile
Unemployment Rate: 18.0% (graduates actively seeking employment)

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 0 0.0%
10th percentile
State/Local 15 7.3%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
74.56%
42nd percentile
Takers: 169
Passed: 126
vs State Avg -7.3%
Ultimate Pass Rate
84.51%
17th percentile
Takers: 142
Passed: 120
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
81.81%
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 $85,000
37th percentile
25th Percentile $72,500
37th percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $75,000
92nd percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at CUNY Law School is $51k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately - for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at CUNY Law School, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $85,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $75,000. 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 9.2% of CUNY Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 7.3% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 42.7% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 73.8% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from CUNY Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 74.56%. Within two years, 84.51% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is -7.3% 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.