The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom.

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Fordham Law School logo

Fordham Law School

Bronx, New York

Rank #38 (USNWR 2024)

167
LSAT
3.76
GPA
22.2%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2024 admissions cycle

167
LSAT
3.76
GPA
22.2%
Admit Rate

Fordham Law School is a prestigious JD program located in Bronx, New York. In the competitive 2024 law school rankings, Fordham Law School was ranked 38 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2024 admissions cycle, Fordham Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 439 with an acceptance rate of 22.2%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
FORDHAM UNIVERSITY Fordham FLS
Law School Applications
6881
JD application volume in 2024 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
22.2%
85th percentile
JD Program Size
439
98th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$149k

A judge is a law student who marks his own examination papers.

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Fordham Law School Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2024-2025 Cycle Overview
1786 applicants
Accepted
33 / 241
Waitlisted
371
Rejected
423
-
Withdrawn
354
-

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:
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  • 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 2024 admissions cycle at Fordham Law School, 6881 candidates submitted JD applications and 1524 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 22.2%.

The JD program at Fordham Law School enrolls a first-year class of 439 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 28.15%. This means that of the 1524 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 429 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
6881
97th percentile
Admission Offers 1524
Class Size
439
98th percentile
Acceptance Rate
22.2%
85th percentile
Yield Rate
28.15%
41st percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 162.28 166.53 170.15
GPA 3.55 3.68 3.81
Softs T3.27 T3.25 T3.22
Avg Scholarship - - $119,517
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
87th percentile
165 167 169
GPA
55th percentile
3.57 3.76 3.84
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 163.0 (-2.0) 167.0 (0.0) 171.0 (+2.0)
GPA 3.54 (-0.03) 3.76 (0.0) 3.9 (+0.06)
* Based on 1786 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 84 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 45 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.2%
Interview → Acceptance Rate 0.0%

The above statistics show that Fordham Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 165 (25th percentile) to 169 (75th percentile), with a median of 167.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.57 to 3.84, with a median of 3.76.

With an acceptance rate of 22.2%, 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 1786 apps

Fordham Law School Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

94.9%
86th percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

87.78%
78th percentile

Median Starting Salary

$215,000
Private Sector
98th percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

89.5%
84th percentile

BigLaw Placement

42.2%
92nd percentile

Federal Clerkships

3.3%
73rd 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 407 1 408 89.7%
JD Advantage 22 2 24 5.3%
Professional 1 0.2%
Other 0 0.0%
School-Funded 0 0 0 0.0%
Total Employed 429 3 0 0 433 95.2%
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 69.9%
92nd percentile
Judicial Clerkships 4.8%
35th percentile
Government 7.3%
16th percentile
Public Interest 6.6%
31st percentile
Business 6.6%
51st percentile
Academia 0.0%
0th percentile

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 15 3.3%
73rd percentile
State/Local 7 1.5%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
87.78%
78th percentile
Takers: 409
Passed: 359
vs State Avg +5.4%
Ultimate Pass Rate
98.23%
91st percentile
Takers: 395
Passed: 388
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
82.4%
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 $215,000
98th percentile
25th Percentile $202,500
98th percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $74,553
87th percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at Fordham Law School is $149k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $71k 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 $215,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $74,553. 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 69.9% of Fordham Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 4.8% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 6.6% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 94.9% 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 87.78%. Within two years, 98.23% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +5.4% 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.

The life of the law has not been logic; it has been experience.

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