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Michigan State Law School logo

Michigan State Law School

East Lansing, Michigan

Rank #91 (USNWR 2021)

156
LSAT
3.59
GPA
59.0%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2021 admissions cycle

156
LSAT
3.59
GPA
59.0%
Admit Rate

Michigan State Law School is a prestigious JD program located in East Lansing, Michigan. In the competitive 2021 law school rankings, Michigan State Law School was ranked 91 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2021 admissions cycle, Michigan State Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 234 with an acceptance rate of 59.0%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Law School Applications
1413
JD application volume in 2021 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
59.0%
36th percentile
JD Program Size
234
70th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$91k

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Michigan State Law School Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2021-2022 Cycle Overview
143 applicants
Accepted
9 / 49
Waitlisted
14
Rejected
8
-
Withdrawn
41
-

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 2021 admissions cycle at Michigan State Law School, 1413 candidates submitted JD applications and 679 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is moderately selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 59.0%.

The JD program at Michigan State Law School enrolls a first-year class of 234 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 33.14%. This means that of the 679 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 225 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 Michigan State 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
1413
46th percentile
Admission Offers 679
Class Size
234
70th percentile
Acceptance Rate
59.0%
36th percentile
Yield Rate
33.14%
59th percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 159.88 158.26 159.64
GPA 3.28 3.47 3.5
Softs T3.4 T3.35 T3.36
Avg Scholarship - - $116,909
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
38th percentile
153 156 158
GPA
48th percentile
3.31 3.59 3.74
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 153.0 (0.0) 158.0 (+2.0) 162.0 (+4.0)
GPA 3.22 (-0.09) 3.59 (0.0) 3.8 (+0.06)
* Based on 143 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 77 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 57 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.7%
Interview → Acceptance Rate 100.0%

The above statistics show that Michigan State Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 153 (25th percentile) to 158 (75th percentile), with a median of 156.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.31 to 3.74, with a median of 3.59.

With an acceptance rate of 59.0%, Michigan State 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

Michigan State Law School Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 143 apps

Michigan State Law School Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

85.7%
42nd percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

79.13%
36th percentile

Median Starting Salary

$70,000
Private Sector
31st percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

68.5%
34th percentile

BigLaw Placement

4.9%
50th percentile

Federal Clerkships

2.5%
62nd percentile

School-Funded Positions

1.5%

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 139 0 139 68.5%
JD Advantage 31 4 35 17.2%
Professional 3 1.5%
Other 1 0.5%
School-Funded 0 3 3 1.5%
Total Employed 170 7 0 0 181 89.2%
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 48.3%
49th percentile
Judicial Clerkships 4.9%
34th percentile
Government 8.9%
36th percentile
Public Interest 11.8%
88th percentile
Business 13.3%
72nd percentile
Academia 1.5%
63rd percentile
Unemployment Rate: 5.4% (graduates actively seeking employment)

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 5 2.5%
62nd percentile
State/Local 5 2.5%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
79.13%
36th percentile
Takers: 206
Passed: 163
vs State Avg +1.2%
Ultimate Pass Rate
87.39%
35th percentile
Takers: 222
Passed: 194
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
77.9%
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 $70,000
31st percentile
25th Percentile $62,500
39th percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $52,000
21st percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at Michigan State Law School is $91k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $44k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at Michigan State Law School, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $70,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $52,000. 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 48.3% of Michigan State Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 4.9% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 11.8% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 85.7% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from Michigan State Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 79.13%. Within two years, 87.39% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +1.2% 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.