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UMass Law logo

UMass Law

Dartmouth, Massachusetts

Rank #167 (USNWR 2023)

150
LSAT
3.39
GPA
59.4%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2023 admissions cycle

150
LSAT
3.39
GPA
59.4%
Admit Rate

UMass Law is a prestigious JD program located in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. In the competitive 2023 law school rankings, UMass Law was ranked 167 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2023 admissions cycle, UMass Law has an entering 1L class size of approximately 114 with an acceptance rate of 59.4%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS DARTMOUTH UMass Dartmouth UMass
Law School Applications
1057
JD application volume in 2023 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
59.4%
9th percentile
JD Program Size
114
16th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$78k

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UMass Law Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2023-2024 Cycle Overview
65 applicants
Accepted
1 / 18
Waitlisted
0
Rejected
2
-
Withdrawn
29
-

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 2023 admissions cycle at UMass Law, 1057 candidates submitted JD applications and 711 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is moderately selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 59.4%.

The JD program at UMass Law enrolls a first-year class of 114 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 15.61%. This means that of the 711 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 111 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 UMass 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
1057
38th percentile
Admission Offers 711
Class Size
114
16th percentile
Acceptance Rate
59.4%
9th percentile
Yield Rate
15.61%
1st percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 145.0 154.86 155.67
GPA 3.48 3.44 3.42
Softs T3.0 T3.21 T3.28
Avg Scholarship - - $59,415
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
9th percentile
147 150 153
GPA
17th percentile
3.05 3.39 3.64
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 149.5 (+2.5) 153.0 (+3.0) 157.5 (+4.5)
GPA 3.29 (+0.24) 3.55 (+0.16) 3.7 (+0.06)
* Based on 65 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 36 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 36 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.0%
Interview → Acceptance Rate -

The above statistics show that UMass Law typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 147 (25th percentile) to 153 (75th percentile), with a median of 150.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.05 to 3.64, with a median of 3.39.

With an acceptance rate of 59.4%, UMass 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

UMass Law Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 65 apps

UMass Law Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

78.1%
16th percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

54.55%
9th percentile

Median Starting Salary

$80
Private Sector
1st percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

69.3%
21st percentile

BigLaw Placement

0.9%
10th percentile

Federal Clerkships

1.8%
52nd 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 79 2 81 71.1%
JD Advantage 8 0 8 7.0%
Professional 0 0.0%
Other 3 2.6%
School-Funded 0 0 0 0.0%
Total Employed 87 2 0 0 92 80.7%
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 36.8%
11th percentile
Judicial Clerkships 10.5%
62nd percentile
Government 16.7%
79th percentile
Public Interest 11.4%
77th percentile
Business 5.3%
28th percentile
Academia 0.0%
0th percentile
Unemployment Rate: 13.2% (graduates actively seeking employment)

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 2 1.8%
52nd percentile
State/Local 10 8.8%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
54.55%
9th percentile
Takers: 88
Passed: 48
vs State Avg -22.1%
Ultimate Pass Rate
83.93%
15th percentile
Takers: 56
Passed: 47
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
76.64%
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 $80
1st percentile
25th Percentile $62
1st percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $70
1st percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at UMass Law is $78k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $64k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at UMass Law, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $80. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $70. 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 36.8% of UMass Law JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 10.5% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 11.4% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 78.1% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from UMass Law, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 54.55%. Within two years, 83.93% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is -22.1% 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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