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Fordham Law School logo

Fordham Law School

Bronx, New York

Rank #27 (USNWR 2020)

164
LSAT
3.64
GPA
27.37%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2020 admissions cycle

164
LSAT
3.64
GPA
27.37%
Admit Rate

Fordham Law School is a prestigious JD program located in Bronx, New York. In the competitive 2020 law school rankings, Fordham Law School was ranked 27 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2020 admissions cycle, Fordham Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 418 with an acceptance rate of 27.37%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
FORDHAM UNIVERSITY Fordham FLS
Law School Applications
5389
JD application volume in 2020 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
27.37%
85th percentile
JD Program Size
418
97th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$63k

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Fordham Law School Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2020-2021 Cycle Overview
1382 applicants
Accepted
34 / 244
Waitlisted
319
Rejected
251
-
Withdrawn
346
-

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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  • View details: Hover over any point to see detailed information
  • Visit profile: Click on any point to open that user's profile page
  • Toggle series: Click on any legend item to show/hide that category (accepted, waitlisted, rejected, unknown)
Advanced Features:
  • Colorblind mode: Toggle on in the controls above for an alternative color palette
  • Export/Print: Click the menu in the top-right corner of any graph to download or print
  • 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 Fordham Law School, 5389 candidates submitted JD applications and 1475 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 27.37%.

The JD program at Fordham Law School enrolls a first-year class of 418 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 27.8%. This means that of the 1475 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 410 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 Fordham 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
5389
94th percentile
Admission Offers 1475
Class Size
418
97th percentile
Acceptance Rate
27.37%
85th percentile
Yield Rate
27.8%
39th percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 161.5 165.53 167.88
GPA 3.39 3.59 3.69
Softs T3.25 T3.26 T3.2
Avg Scholarship - - $107,073
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
86th percentile
162 164 166
GPA
58th percentile
3.46 3.64 3.74
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 162.0 (0.0) 166.0 (+2.0) 169.0 (+3.0)
GPA 3.42 (-0.04) 3.65 (+0.01) 3.82 (+0.08)
* Based on 1382 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 76 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 29 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.2%
Interview → Acceptance Rate 33.3%

The above statistics show that Fordham Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 162 (25th percentile) to 166 (75th percentile), with a median of 164.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.46 to 3.74, with a median of 3.64.

With an acceptance rate of 27.37%, Fordham 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

Fordham Law School Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 1382 apps

Fordham Law School Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

87.7%
73rd percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

89.39%
79th percentile

Median Starting Salary

$190,000
Private Sector
100th percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

78.6%
74th percentile

BigLaw Placement

36.0%
92nd percentile

Federal Clerkships

1.0%
40th percentile

School-Funded Positions

2.5%

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 312 2 314 79.1%
JD Advantage 26 8 34 8.6%
Professional 2 0.5%
Other 1 0.3%
School-Funded 5 5 10 2.5%
Total Employed 343 15 0 0 361 90.9%
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 67.3%
94th percentile
Judicial Clerkships 4.0%
30th percentile
Government 7.8%
25th percentile
Public Interest 4.5%
29th percentile
Business 6.8%
26th percentile
Academia 0.5%
26th percentile
Unemployment Rate: 7.3% (graduates actively seeking employment)

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 4 1.0%
40th percentile
State/Local 12 3.0%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
89.39%
79th percentile
Takers: 377
Passed: 337
vs State Avg +5.9%
Ultimate Pass Rate
96.1%
85th percentile
Takers: 308
Passed: 296
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
83.51%
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 $190,000
100th percentile
25th Percentile $100,000
87th percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $65,000
91st percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at Fordham Law School is $63k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $57k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at Fordham Law School, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $190,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $65,000. 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 67.3% of Fordham Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 4.0% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 4.5% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 87.7% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from Fordham Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 89.39%. Within two years, 96.1% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +5.9% 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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