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SIU School of Law logo

SIU School of Law

Carbondale, Illinois

Rank #172 (USNWR 2024)

148
LSAT
3.38
GPA
60.5%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2024 admissions cycle

148
LSAT
3.38
GPA
60.5%
Admit Rate

SIU School of Law is a prestigious JD program located in Carbondale, Illinois. In the competitive 2024 law school rankings, SIU School of Law was ranked 172 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2024 admissions cycle, SIU School of Law has an entering 1L class size of approximately 109 with an acceptance rate of 60.5%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY-CARBONDALE
Law School Applications
582
JD application volume in 2024 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
60.5%
3rd percentile
JD Program Size
109
8th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$33k

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SIU School of Law Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2024-2025 Cycle Overview
33 applicants
Accepted
2 / 19
Waitlisted
1
Rejected
2
-
Withdrawn
8
-

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
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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 2024 admissions cycle at SIU School of Law, 582 candidates submitted JD applications and 392 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is moderately selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 60.5%.

The JD program at SIU School of Law enrolls a first-year class of 109 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 27.55%. This means that of the 392 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 108 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 SIU 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.

JD Admission Requirements & Application Statistics

Admissions Metrics (ABA 509)
Metric Value
Applications
582
10th percentile
Admission Offers 392
Class Size
109
8th percentile
Acceptance Rate
60.5%
3rd percentile
Yield Rate
27.55%
38th percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 152.5 154.84 155.3
GPA 2.79 3.28 3.34
Softs T3.0 T3.24 T3.26
Avg Scholarship - - $49,074
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
4th percentile
146 148 152
GPA
12th percentile
3.02 3.38 3.63
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 149.75 (+3.75) 154.5 (+6.5) 160.0 (+8.0)
GPA 2.79 (-0.23) 3.29 (-0.09) 3.72 (+0.09)
* Based on 33 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 21 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 15 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.0%
Interview → Acceptance Rate -

The above statistics show that SIU School of Law typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 146 (25th percentile) to 152 (75th percentile), with a median of 148.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.02 to 3.63, with a median of 3.38.

With an acceptance rate of 60.5%, SIU 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).

Application Status Data

SIU School of Law Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 33 apps

SIU School of Law Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

83.3%
21st percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

65.67%
20th percentile

Median Starting Salary

$68,137
Private Sector

Employment Quality

JD Required

75.0%
27th percentile

BigLaw Placement

1.2%
15th percentile

Federal Clerkships

0.0%
10th percentile

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 63 3 66 78.6%
JD Advantage 4 0 4 4.8%
Professional 1 1.2%
Other 2 2.4%
School-Funded 0 0 0 0.0%
Total Employed 67 3 0 0 73 86.9%
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 51.2%
49th percentile
Judicial Clerkships 2.4%
19th percentile
Government 14.3%
61st percentile
Public Interest 14.3%
90th percentile
Business 2.4%
9th percentile
Academia 2.4%
82nd percentile
Unemployment Rate: 6.0% (graduates actively seeking employment)

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 0 0.0%
10th percentile
State/Local 2 2.4%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
65.67%
20th percentile
Takers: 67
Passed: 44
vs State Avg -13.0%
Ultimate Pass Rate
76.27%
6th percentile
Takers: 59
Passed: 45
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
78.71%
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 $68,137
25th Percentile $58,500
Public Sector
Median Salary $62,500

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at SIU School of Law is $33k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $37k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at SIU School of Law, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $68,137. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $62,500. 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 51.2% of SIU School of Law JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 2.4% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 14.3% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 83.3% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from SIU School of Law, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 65.67%. Within two years, 76.27% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is -13.0% 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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