You win some, you lose some, and some you just bill by the hour.

✨ Enjoy an ad-free experience with LSD+

Howard Law School logo

Howard Law School

Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C.

Rank #107 (USNWR 2020)

153
LSAT
3.41
GPA
34.22%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2020 admissions cycle

153
LSAT
3.41
GPA
34.22%
Admit Rate

Howard Law School is a prestigious JD program located in Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C.. In the competitive 2020 law school rankings, Howard Law School was ranked 107 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2020 admissions cycle, Howard Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 154 with an acceptance rate of 34.22%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
HOWARD UNIVERSITY
Law School Applications
1549
JD application volume in 2020 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
34.22%
75th percentile
JD Program Size
154
39th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$33k

A lawyer without books would be like a workman without tools.

✨ Enjoy an ad-free experience with LSD+

Howard Law School Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2020-2021 Cycle Overview
166 applicants
Accepted
0 / 41
Waitlisted
4
Rejected
31
-
Withdrawn
28
-

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:
  • Zoom: Click and drag to zoom into a specific area
  • Reset zoom: Double-click anywhere on the graph
  • 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 Howard Law School, 1549 candidates submitted JD applications and 530 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 34.22%.

The JD program at Howard Law School enrolls a first-year class of 154 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 28.3%. This means that of the 530 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 150 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 Howard 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
1549
57th percentile
Admission Offers 530
Class Size
154
39th percentile
Acceptance Rate
34.22%
75th percentile
Yield Rate
28.3%
41st percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 152.37 156.45 160.14
GPA 3.13 3.34 3.56
Softs T3.19 T2.97 T2.68
Avg Scholarship - - $66,128
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
31st percentile
150 153 156
GPA
25th percentile
3.13 3.41 3.58
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 152.0 (+2.0) 156.0 (+3.0) 160.0 (+4.0)
GPA 3.05 (-0.08) 3.4 (-0.01) 3.65 (+0.07)
* Based on 166 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 65 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 45 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.0%
Interview → Acceptance Rate -

The above statistics show that Howard Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 150 (25th percentile) to 156 (75th percentile), with a median of 153.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.13 to 3.58, with a median of 3.41.

With an acceptance rate of 34.22%, Howard 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

Howard Law School Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 166 apps

Howard Law School Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

81.7%
41st percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

67.62%
22nd percentile

Median Starting Salary

$190,000
Private Sector
100th percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

68.3%
41st percentile

BigLaw Placement

26.2%
88th percentile

Federal Clerkships

0.8%
36th percentile

School-Funded Positions

1.6%

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 86 4 90 71.4%
JD Advantage 12 1 13 10.3%
Professional 1 0.8%
Other 0 0.0%
School-Funded 1 1 2 1.6%
Total Employed 99 6 0 0 106 84.1%
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 44.4%
40th percentile
Judicial Clerkships 6.3%
47th percentile
Government 11.1%
52nd percentile
Public Interest 12.7%
91st percentile
Business 7.9%
34th percentile
Academia 0.0%
0th percentile
Unemployment Rate: 13.5% (graduates actively seeking employment)

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 1 0.8%
36th percentile
State/Local 7 5.6%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
67.62%
22nd percentile
Takers: 139
Passed: 94
vs State Avg -9.0%
Ultimate Pass Rate
84.95%
28th percentile
Takers: 93
Passed: 79
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
76.65%
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 $115,000
89th percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $60,000
67th percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at Howard Law School is $33k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $61k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at Howard 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 $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 44.4% of Howard Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 6.3% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 12.7% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 81.7% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from Howard Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 67.62%. Within two years, 84.95% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is -9.0% 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.

A good lawyer knows the law; a great lawyer knows the judge.

✨ Enjoy an ad-free experience with LSD+