University of Chicago Law School logo

University of Chicago Law School

Chicago, Illinois

Rank #3 (USNWR 2023)

173
LSAT
3.94
GPA
14.2%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2023 admissions cycle

173
LSAT
3.94
GPA
14.2%
Admit Rate

University of Chicago Law School is a prestigious JD program located in Chicago, Illinois. In the competitive 2023 law school rankings, University of Chicago Law School was ranked 3 by US News & World Report, making it a top-tier law school for admissions-focused applicants. For the 2023 admissions cycle, University of Chicago Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 192 with an acceptance rate of 14.2%, positioning it among the most selective law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
CHICAGO, UNIVERSITY OF UC UChi UChicago
Law School Applications
5259
JD application volume in 2023 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
14.2%
95th percentile
JD Program Size
192
61st percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$152k

Law school: Where you spend three years learning to think like a lawyer, then a lifetime trying to think like a human again.

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University of Chicago Law School Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2023-2024 Cycle Overview
1597 applicants
Accepted
40 / 149
Waitlisted
390
Rejected
424
-
Withdrawn
297
-

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 2023 admissions cycle at University of Chicago Law School, 5259 candidates submitted JD applications and 672 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is highly competitive for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 14.2%.

The JD program at University of Chicago Law School enrolls a first-year class of 192 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 26.79%. This means that of the 672 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 180 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 University of Chicago 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
5259
91st percentile
Admission Offers 672
Class Size
192
61st percentile
Acceptance Rate
14.2%
95th percentile
Yield Rate
26.79%
38th percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 168.8 171.03 173.33
GPA 3.69 3.82 3.95
Softs T3.11 T3.2 T3.14
Avg Scholarship - - $92,349
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
98th percentile
169 173 175
GPA
97th percentile
3.83 3.94 3.99
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 169.0 (0.0) 172.0 (-1.0) 175.0 (0.0)
GPA 3.73 (-0.1) 3.89 (-0.05) 3.98 (-0.01)
* Based on 1597 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 88 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 73 days
Interview Invite Rate 25.8%
Interview → Acceptance Rate 46.6%

The above statistics show that University of Chicago Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 169 (25th percentile) to 175 (75th percentile), with a median of 173.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.83 to 3.99, with a median of 3.94.

With an acceptance rate of 14.2%, University of Chicago Law School is considered a highly competitive 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

University of Chicago Law School Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 1597 apps

University of Chicago Law School Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

97.2%
97th percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

94.26%
96th percentile

Median Starting Salary

$225,000
Private Sector
100th percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

93.9%
96th percentile

BigLaw Placement

55.9%
96th percentile

Federal Clerkships

25.4%
100th percentile

School-Funded Positions

1.4%

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 200 0 200 93.9%
JD Advantage 6 1 7 3.3%
Professional 1 0.5%
Other 0 0.0%
School-Funded 3 0 3 1.4%
Total Employed 209 1 0 0 211 99.1%
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 63.4%
83rd percentile
Judicial Clerkships 26.8%
96th percentile
Government 0.5%
0th percentile
Public Interest 5.2%
19th percentile
Business 3.3%
14th percentile
Academia 0.0%
0th percentile

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 54 25.4%
100th percentile
State/Local 3 1.4%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
94.26%
96th percentile
Takers: 209
Passed: 197
vs State Avg +17.3%
Ultimate Pass Rate
100.0%
99th percentile
Takers: 195
Passed: 195
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
76.96%
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 $225,000
100th percentile
25th Percentile $225,000
100th percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $77,132
94th percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at University of Chicago Law School is $152k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $69k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at University of Chicago Law School, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $225,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $77,132. 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 63.4% of University of Chicago Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 26.8% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 5.2% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 97.2% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from University of Chicago Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 94.26%. Within two years, 100.0% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +17.3% 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.