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Duquesne Law School logo

Duquesne Law School

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Rank #129 (USNWR 2020)

154
LSAT
3.41
GPA
57.44%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2020 admissions cycle

154
LSAT
3.41
GPA
57.44%
Admit Rate

Duquesne Law School is a prestigious JD program located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In the competitive 2020 law school rankings, Duquesne Law School was ranked 129 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2020 admissions cycle, Duquesne Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 164 with an acceptance rate of 57.44%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY
Law School Applications
813
JD application volume in 2020 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
57.44%
20th percentile
JD Program Size
164
44th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$48k

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Duquesne Law School Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2020-2021 Cycle Overview
40 applicants
Accepted
1 / 12
Waitlisted
6
Rejected
0
-
Withdrawn
18
-

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 2020 admissions cycle at Duquesne Law School, 813 candidates submitted JD applications and 467 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is moderately selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 57.44%.

The JD program at Duquesne Law School enrolls a first-year class of 164 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 34.9%. This means that of the 467 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 163 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 Duquesne 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
813
27th percentile
Admission Offers 467
Class Size
164
44th percentile
Acceptance Rate
57.44%
20th percentile
Yield Rate
34.9%
66th percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT - 156.03 158.11
GPA - 3.44 3.45
Softs - T3.31 T3.25
Avg Scholarship - - $95,759
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
39th percentile
152 154 157
GPA
32nd percentile
3.12 3.41 3.62
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 151.0 (-1.0) 155.0 (+1.0) 160.0 (+3.0)
GPA 3.26 (+0.14) 3.41 (0.0) 3.69 (+0.07)
* Based on 40 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 29 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 49 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.0%
Interview → Acceptance Rate -

The above statistics show that Duquesne Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 152 (25th percentile) to 157 (75th percentile), with a median of 154.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.12 to 3.62, with a median of 3.41.

With an acceptance rate of 57.44%, Duquesne Law School 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

Duquesne Law School Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 40 apps

Duquesne Law School Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

81.8%
41st percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

86.41%
70th percentile

Median Starting Salary

$63,000
Private Sector
14th percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

65.9%
36th percentile

BigLaw Placement

6.1%
57th percentile

Federal Clerkships

1.5%
50th 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 87 3 90 68.2%
JD Advantage 14 4 18 13.6%
Professional 4 3.0%
Other 1 0.8%
School-Funded 0 0 0 0.0%
Total Employed 101 7 0 0 113 85.6%
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 50.0%
62nd percentile
Judicial Clerkships 6.1%
44th percentile
Government 9.8%
41st percentile
Public Interest 6.1%
49th percentile
Business 12.1%
74th percentile
Academia 1.5%
63rd percentile
Unemployment Rate: 10.6% (graduates actively seeking employment)

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 2 1.5%
50th percentile
State/Local 6 4.5%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
86.41%
70th percentile
Takers: 103
Passed: 89
vs State Avg +6.8%
Ultimate Pass Rate
93.16%
68th percentile
Takers: 117
Passed: 109
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
79.58%
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 $63,000
14th percentile
25th Percentile $55,000
21st percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $50,000
12th percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at Duquesne Law School is $48k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $34k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at Duquesne Law School, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $63,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $50,000. 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 50.0% of Duquesne Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 6.1% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 6.1% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 81.8% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from Duquesne Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 86.41%. Within two years, 93.16% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +6.8% 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.

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