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SMU Dedman School of Law (SMU)
Track decisions and applicant data for the 2025-2026 cycle — 506 applicants reporting.
25-26 · selected
24-25 · previous
ABA 509 (2025): 3,038 apps · 747 offers · 254 enrolled · 24.59% acceptance rate
Detailed Breakdown
Accepted · 182 total · 2.2% yield
Waitlist · 16 total
Admissions Data
| LSAT & GPA Statistics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | 50th | 75th | |
|
LSAT
(ABA · 2025)
81st percentile
|
163 | 167 | 168 |
| LSAT (LSD) | 161 | 166 | 170 |
|
GPA
(ABA · 2025)
76th percentile
|
3.52 | 3.81 | 3.92 |
| GPA (LSD) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.91 |
| Average Statistics by Decision (LSD) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Rejected | All | Accepted |
| LSAT | 157.0 | 165.32 | 169.37 |
| GPA | 3.27 | 3.61 | 3.78 |
| Softs | T2.0 | T3.35 | T3.27 |
| Avg $ | - | - | $92,333 |
| Admissions Metrics (ABA 509) | |
|---|---|
| Metric | Value |
| Applications |
3038
72nd percentile
|
| Admission Offers | 747 |
| Class Size |
254
77th percentile
|
| Acceptance Rate |
24.59%
74th percentile
|
| Yield Rate |
34.0%
66th percentile
|
| Application Process Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Avg Days: Sent to Decision | 78 days |
| Avg Days: UR to Decision | 30 days |
| Interview Invite Rate | 1.0% |
| Interview → Acceptance Rate | 80.0% |
Decision Timing
Selected Cycle (2025-2026) decisions (solid) vs. 388 decisions from Previous Cycle (2024-2025) (faded). Click the previous cycle in the legend to toggle.
Where Is SMU Dedman 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
Employment outcomes data from ABA 509 disclosures is shown below.
JD Employment Rate
First-Time Bar Pass
Median Starting Salary
Employment Quality
JD Required
BigLaw Placement
Federal Clerkships
Employment Quality Distribution
Law Firm Employment by Size
Employment Quality Matrix
Bar Required ★ 0 (0.0% of class)
JD Advantage 0 (0.0% of class)
Professional 0 (0.0% of class)
Other 0 (0.0% of class)
School-Funded 0 (0.0% 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 ★ | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0% |
| JD Advantage | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0% |
| Professional | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0% |
| Other | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0% |
| School-Funded | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0% |
| Total Employed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
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 | — | — |
| Judicial Clerkships | — | — |
| Government | — | — |
| Public Interest | — | — |
| Business | — | — |
| Academia | — | — |
Bar Exam Performance
| Metric | Rate | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| First-Time Pass | 90.2% |
77th percentile
|
| Ultimate Pass | 94.4% |
70th percentile
|
| Jurisdiction Weighted | 81.36% | — |
Salary Outcomes
Private Sector
Public Sector
Career Outcomes Summary
Law school tuition at SMU Dedman School of Law is $121k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $35k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).
For JD graduates from SMU Dedman School of Law, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 90.2%. Within two years, 94.4% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +8.8% 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.
Cost of Attendance
Annual Tuition
Annual Fees
Cost of Living
Scholarship & Grant Aid
Students Receiving Grants
Median Grant
Grant Range (25th–75th)
Grant Distribution
Conditional Scholarships
Admissions Contact
Also known as
Wisdom from SMU Dedman School of Law Admits
Take the LSAT digitally rather than in a testing center—doing this earlier would have saved me...
Read moreGet your apps in early or be prepared to wait
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Read moreLSAT: took multiple times, 167 highest. GPA: 3.7ish in a STEM field, then flunked out of...
Read moreAbout SMU Dedman School of Law admissions
SMU Dedman School of Law , commonly known as SMU, is a prestigious JD program located in Dallas, Texas. In the competitive 2025 law school rankings, SMU Dedman School of Law was ranked 43 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. According to the 2025 ABA 509 Report, SMU Dedman School of Law has an entering 1L class size of approximately 254 with an acceptance rate of 24.59%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.
About SMU Dedman School of Law Admissions
Based on the 2025 ABA 509 Report, 3038 candidates submitted JD applications to SMU Dedman School of Law and 747 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 24.59%.
The JD program at SMU Dedman School of Law enrolls a first-year class of 254 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 34.0%. This means that of the 747 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 254 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 SMU Dedman 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 SMU Dedman School of Law?
The above statistics show that SMU Dedman School of Law typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 163 (25th percentile) to 168 (75th percentile), with a median of 167.
For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.52 to 3.92, with a median of 3.81.
With an acceptance rate of 24.59%, SMU Dedman School of Law 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).