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Santa Clara University School of Law (Santa)
Track decisions and applicant data for the 2023-2024 cycle — 200 applicants reporting.
23-24 · selected
22-23 · previous
ABA 509 (2023): 1,913 apps · 1,003 offers · 244 enrolled · 52.43% acceptance rate
Detailed Breakdown
Accepted · 126 total · 2.4% yield
Waitlist · 1 total
Admissions Data
| LSAT & GPA Statistics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | 50th | 75th | |
|
LSAT
(ABA · 2023)
60th percentile
|
155 | 159 | 162 |
| LSAT (LSD) | 155 | 159 | 163 |
|
GPA
(ABA · 2023)
32nd percentile
|
3.31 | 3.55 | 3.72 |
| GPA (LSD) | 3.3 | 3.57 | 3.81 |
| Average Statistics by Decision (LSD) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Rejected | All | Accepted |
| LSAT | 150.22 | 159.11 | 160.9 |
| GPA | 3.29 | 3.52 | 3.58 |
| Softs | T3.56 | T3.22 | T3.14 |
| Avg $ | - | - | $103,593 |
| Admissions Metrics (ABA 509) | |
|---|---|
| Metric | Value |
| Applications |
1913
64th percentile
|
| Admission Offers | 1003 |
| Class Size |
244
80th percentile
|
| Acceptance Rate |
52.43%
32nd percentile
|
| Yield Rate |
23.93%
23rd percentile
|
| Application Process Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Avg Days: Sent to Decision | 82 days |
| Avg Days: UR to Decision | 73 days |
| Interview Invite Rate | 0.0% |
| Interview → Acceptance Rate | - |
Decision Timing
Selected Cycle (2023-2024) decisions (solid) vs. 56 decisions from Previous Cycle (2022-2023) (faded). Click the previous cycle in the legend to toggle.
Where Is Santa Clara University School of Law 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
77.4% of Santa Clara University School of Law graduates secured JD-required employment, with a median private sector salary of $170,400 and a 64.06% first-time bar passage rate (2023 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 ★ 142 (62.8% of class)
JD Advantage 33 (14.6% of class)
Professional 3 (1.3% of class)
Other 0 (0.0% of class)
School-Funded 5 (2.2% 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 ★ | 138 | 4 | — | — | 142 | 62.8% |
| JD Advantage | 24 | 9 | — | — | 33 | 14.6% |
| Professional | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1.3% |
| Other | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0.0% |
| School-Funded | 0 | 5 | — | — | 5 | 2.2% |
| Total Employed | 162 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 183 | 81.0% |
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 | 50.0% |
45th percentile
|
| Judicial Clerkships | 0.4% |
2nd percentile
|
| Government | 9.3% |
33rd percentile
|
| Public Interest | 8.4% |
52nd percentile
|
| Business | 9.7% |
69th percentile
|
| Academia | 2.7% |
87th percentile
|
Clerkships by Type
| Type | Graduates | % of Class | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | 0 | 0.0% |
10th percentile
|
| State/Local | 1 | 0.4% | — |
Federal clerkships enhance careers in litigation and academia.
Bar Exam Performance
| Metric | Rate | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| First-Time Pass | 64.06% |
19th percentile
|
| Ultimate Pass | 88.89% |
33rd percentile
|
| Jurisdiction Weighted | 72.38% | — |
Salary Outcomes
Private Sector
Public Sector
Career Outcomes Summary
Law school tuition at Santa Clara University School of Law is $0k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $74k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).
After completing their JD program at Santa Clara University School of Law, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $170,400. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $78,702. 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 50.0% of Santa Clara University School of Law JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 0.4% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 8.4% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 77.4% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.
For JD graduates from Santa Clara University School of Law, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 64.06%. Within two years, 88.89% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is -8.3% 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
Admissions Contact
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Read moreMake sure you have safety schools!!! Scholarships > Rankings
Read moreAbout Santa Clara University School of Law admissions
Santa Clara University School of Law , commonly known as Santa, is a prestigious JD program located in Santa Clara, California. In the competitive 2023 law school rankings, Santa Clara University School of Law was ranked 158 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. According to the 2023 ABA 509 Report, Santa Clara University School of Law has an entering 1L class size of approximately 244 with an acceptance rate of 52.43%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.
About Santa Clara University School of Law Admissions
Based on the 2023 ABA 509 Report, 1913 candidates submitted JD applications to Santa Clara University School of Law and 1003 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is moderately selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 52.43%.
The JD program at Santa Clara University School of Law enrolls a first-year class of 244 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 23.93%. This means that of the 1003 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 240 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 Santa Clara University School of Law, 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 Santa Clara University School of Law?
The above statistics show that Santa Clara University School of Law typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 155 (25th percentile) to 162 (75th percentile), with a median of 159.
For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.31 to 3.72, with a median of 3.55.
With an acceptance rate of 52.43%, Santa Clara University School of Law 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).