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Northern Illinois University Law School (NIU)
Track decisions and applicant data for the 2022-2023 cycle — 41 applicants reporting.
22-23 · selected
21-22 · previous
ABA 509 (2022): 1,352 apps · 651 offers · 191 enrolled · 48.15% acceptance rate
Detailed Breakdown
Accepted · 20 total · 10% yield
Waitlist · 1 total
Admissions Data
| LSAT & GPA Statistics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | 50th | 75th | |
|
LSAT
(ABA · 2022)
3rd percentile
|
146 | 148 | 151 |
| LSAT (LSD) | 146 | 150 | 155 |
|
GPA
(ABA · 2022)
0th percentile
|
2.64 | 3.00 | 3.33 |
| GPA (LSD) | 3.06 | 3.43 | 3.71 |
| Average Statistics by Decision (LSD) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Rejected | All | Accepted |
| LSAT | 148.14 | 150.87 | 151.75 |
| GPA | 2.96 | 3.37 | 3.53 |
| Softs | T3.63 | T3.5 | T3.63 |
| Avg $ | - | - | $31,209 |
| Admissions Metrics (ABA 509) | |
|---|---|
| Metric | Value |
| Applications |
1352
48th percentile
|
| Admission Offers | 651 |
| Class Size |
191
57th percentile
|
| Acceptance Rate |
48.15%
38th percentile
|
| Yield Rate |
29.34%
50th percentile
|
| Application Process Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Avg Days: Sent to Decision | 29 days |
| Avg Days: UR to Decision | 33 days |
| Interview Invite Rate | 0.0% |
| Interview → Acceptance Rate | - |
Decision Timing
Selected Cycle (2022-2023) decisions (solid) vs. 13 decisions from Previous Cycle (2021-2022) (faded). Click the previous cycle in the legend to toggle.
Where Is Northern Illinois University Law School Trending?
Historical LSAT, GPA, and acceptance rate data from ABA 509 reports. Rising medians or falling acceptance rates indicate increasing competitiveness.
LSAT and GPA bands show 25th/50th/75th percentiles; acceptance rate is lower = more selective. Click legend items to show/hide metrics.
Overview
83.7% of Northern Illinois University Law School graduates secured JD-required employment, with a median private sector salary of $61,000 and a 63.07% first-time bar passage rate (2022 ABA 509 data).
JD Employment Rate
First-Time Bar Pass
Median Starting Salary
Employment Quality
JD Required
BigLaw Placement
Federal Clerkships
School-Funded Positions
Employment Quality Distribution
Law Firm Employment by Size
Employment Quality Matrix
Bar Required ★ 68 (65.4% of class)
JD Advantage 19 (18.3% of class)
Professional 2 (1.9% of class)
Other 3 (2.9% of class)
School-Funded 1 (1.0% of class)
| Employment Type | Full-Time Long-Term |
Full-Time Short-Term |
Part-Time Long-Term |
Part-Time Short-Term |
Total | % of Grads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bar Required ★ | 68 | 0 | — | — | 68 | 65.4% |
| JD Advantage | 19 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 18.3% |
| Professional | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1.9% |
| Other | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2.9% |
| School-Funded | 0 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1.0% |
| Total Employed | 87 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 89.4% |
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
Sector Details
| Sector | % of Graduates | National Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Law Firms | 43.3% |
27th percentile
|
| Judicial Clerkships | 1.0% |
6th percentile
|
| Government | 17.3% |
89th percentile
|
| Public Interest | 15.4% |
96th percentile
|
| Business | 11.5% |
69th percentile
|
| Academia | 1.0% |
43rd percentile
|
Clerkships by Type
| Type | Graduates | % of Class | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | 0 | 0.0% |
9th percentile
|
| State/Local | 1 | 1.0% | — |
Federal clerkships enhance careers in litigation and academia.
Bar Exam Performance
| Metric | Rate | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| First-Time Pass | 63.07% |
14th percentile
|
| Ultimate Pass | 92.21% |
49th percentile
|
| Jurisdiction Weighted | 76.39% | — |
Salary Outcomes
Private Sector
Public Sector
Career Outcomes Summary
Law school tuition at Northern Illinois University Law School is $0k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $45k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).
After completing their JD program at Northern Illinois University Law School, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $61,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $52,500. 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 43.3% of Northern Illinois University Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 1.0% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 15.4% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 83.7% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.
For JD graduates from Northern Illinois University Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 63.07%. Within two years, 92.21% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is -13.3% 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.
Scholarship & Grant Aid
Students Receiving Grants
Median Grant
Grant Range (25th–75th)
Grant Distribution
Debt & ROI
Avg Debt at Graduation
Graduates Who Borrowed
Debt-to-Salary Ratio
Conditional Scholarships
This school reports no conditional scholarships.
Admissions Contact
Also known as
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Read moreAbout Northern Illinois University Law School admissions
Northern Illinois University Law School , commonly known as NIU, is a prestigious JD program located in DeKalb, Illinois. In the competitive 2022 law school rankings, Northern Illinois University Law School was unranked by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. According to the 2022 ABA 509 Report, Northern Illinois University Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 191 with an acceptance rate of 48.15%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.
About Northern Illinois University Law School Admissions
Based on the 2022 ABA 509 Report, 1352 candidates submitted JD applications to Northern Illinois University Law School and 651 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is moderately selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 48.15%.
The JD program at Northern Illinois University Law School enrolls a first-year class of 191 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 29.34%. This means that of the 651 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 191 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 Northern Illinois University 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.
What LSAT score do I need for Northern Illinois University Law School?
The above statistics show that Northern Illinois University Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 146 (25th percentile) to 151 (75th percentile), with a median of 148.
For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 2.64 to 3.33, with a median of 3.00.
With an acceptance rate of 48.15%, Northern Illinois University 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).