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Pepperdine Law School logo

Pepperdine Law School

Malibu , California

Rank #52 (USNWR 2022)

164
LSAT
3.85
GPA
25.0%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2022 admissions cycle

164
LSAT
3.85
GPA
25.0%
Admit Rate

Pepperdine Law School is a prestigious JD program located in Malibu , California. In the competitive 2022 law school rankings, Pepperdine Law School was ranked 52 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2022 admissions cycle, Pepperdine Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 192 with an acceptance rate of 25.0%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY
Law School Applications
3971
JD application volume in 2022 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
25.0%
80th percentile
JD Program Size
192
57th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$127k

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Pepperdine Law School Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2022-2023 Cycle Overview
421 applicants
Accepted
7 / 107
Waitlisted
92
Rejected
38
-
Withdrawn
96
-

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 2022 admissions cycle at Pepperdine Law School, 3971 candidates submitted JD applications and 1099 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 25.0%.

The JD program at Pepperdine Law School enrolls a first-year class of 192 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 17.02%. This means that of the 1099 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 187 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 Pepperdine 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
3971
85th percentile
Admission Offers 1099
Class Size
192
57th percentile
Acceptance Rate
25.0%
80th percentile
Yield Rate
17.02%
3rd percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 152.92 162.08 166.32
GPA 3.37 3.58 3.69
Softs T3.18 T3.27 T3.27
Avg Scholarship - - $111,815
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
79th percentile
159 164 166
GPA
87th percentile
3.54 3.85 3.93
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 158.0 (-1.0) 162.0 (-2.0) 166.25 (+0.25)
GPA 3.39 (-0.15) 3.67 (-0.18) 3.86 (-0.07)
* Based on 421 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 68 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 39 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.0%
Interview → Acceptance Rate -

The above statistics show that Pepperdine Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 159 (25th percentile) to 166 (75th percentile), with a median of 164.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.54 to 3.93, with a median of 3.85.

With an acceptance rate of 25.0%, Pepperdine 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

Pepperdine Law School Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 421 apps

Pepperdine Law School Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

86.8%
44th percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

86.87%
71st percentile

Median Starting Salary

-
Private Sector

Employment Quality

JD Required

82.2%
68th percentile

BigLaw Placement

4.6%
44th percentile

Federal Clerkships

5.7%
87th percentile

School-Funded Positions

1.1%

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 143 0 143 82.2%
JD Advantage 8 0 8 4.6%
Professional 0 0.0%
Other 0 0.0%
School-Funded 2 0 2 1.1%
Total Employed 153 0 0 0 153 87.9%
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 59.8%
80th percentile
Judicial Clerkships 6.9%
47th percentile
Government 5.7%
13th percentile
Public Interest 5.2%
17th percentile
Business 10.3%
62nd percentile
Academia 0.0%
0th percentile
Unemployment Rate: 6.3% (graduates actively seeking employment)

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 10 5.7%
87th percentile
State/Local 2 1.1%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
86.87%
71st percentile
Takers: 137
Passed: 119
vs State Avg +10.0%
Ultimate Pass Rate
93.85%
62nd percentile
Takers: 179
Passed: 168
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
76.89%
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
No data available
Public Sector
No data available

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at Pepperdine Law School is $127k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $63k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

For JD graduates from Pepperdine Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 86.87%. Within two years, 93.85% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +10.0% 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.

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