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University of South Dakota Law School (USD)
Track decisions and applicant data for the 2025-2026 cycle — 30 applicants reporting.
25-26 · selected
24-25 · previous
ABA 509 (2025): 404 apps · 253 offers · 88 enrolled · 62.62% acceptance rate
Detailed Breakdown
Accepted · 21 total · 4.8% yield
Admissions Data
| LSAT & GPA Statistics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | 50th | 75th | |
|
LSAT
(ABA · 2025)
15th percentile
|
149 | 152 | 156 |
| LSAT (LSD) | 152 | 155 | 158 |
|
GPA
(ABA · 2025)
43rd percentile
|
3.16 | 3.47 | 3.81 |
| GPA (LSD) | 2.69 | 3.27 | 3.72 |
| Average Statistics by Decision (LSD) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Rejected | All | Accepted |
| LSAT | 151.25 | 154.58 | 154.79 |
| GPA | 2.94 | 3.23 | 3.42 |
| Softs | - | T3.33 | T3.0 |
| Avg $ | - | - | $48,532 |
| Admissions Metrics (ABA 509) | |
|---|---|
| Metric | Value |
| Applications |
404
2nd percentile
|
| Admission Offers | 253 |
| Class Size |
88
2nd percentile
|
| Acceptance Rate |
62.62%
3rd percentile
|
| Yield Rate |
33.6%
63rd percentile
|
| Application Process Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Avg Days: Sent to Decision | 38480 days |
| Avg Days: UR to Decision | - |
| Interview Invite Rate | 0.0% |
| Interview → Acceptance Rate | - |
Decision Timing
Selected Cycle (2025-2026) decisions (solid) vs. 26 decisions from Previous Cycle (2024-2025) (faded). Click the previous cycle in the legend to toggle.
Where Is University of South Dakota Law School 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 | 72.6% |
25th percentile
|
| Ultimate Pass | 92.31% |
57th percentile
|
| Jurisdiction Weighted | 78.62% | — |
Salary Outcomes
Private Sector
Public Sector
Career Outcomes Summary
Law school tuition at University of South Dakota Law School is $64k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $36k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).
For JD graduates from University of South Dakota Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 72.6%. Within two years, 92.31% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is -6.0% 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.
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 University of South Dakota Law School Admits
actually study and you can easy get t14 if you want. study for a week and get a 155!
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Read moreI went back to school and got an Associate’s in Paralegal Studies. My uGPA is crap but my gpa...
Read moreAmerican citizen with UK undergrad and Australian MA. uGPA provided as a rough equivalent from...
Read moreAbout University of South Dakota Law School admissions
University of South Dakota Law School , commonly known as USD, is a prestigious JD program located in Vermillion, South Dakota. In the competitive 2025 law school rankings, University of South Dakota Law School was ranked 127 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, University of South Dakota Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 88 with an acceptance rate of 62.62%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.
About University of South Dakota Law School Admissions
Based on the 2025 ABA 509 Report, 404 candidates submitted JD applications to University of South Dakota Law School and 253 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is moderately selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 62.62%.
The JD program at University of South Dakota Law School enrolls a first-year class of 88 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 33.6%. This means that of the 253 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 85 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 South Dakota 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.
What LSAT score do I need for University of South Dakota Law School?
The above statistics show that University of South Dakota Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 149 (25th percentile) to 156 (75th percentile), with a median of 152.
For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.16 to 3.81, with a median of 3.47.
With an acceptance rate of 62.62%, University of South Dakota Law School 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).