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University of Washington Law school logo

University of Washington Law school

Seattle, Washington

Rank #42 (USNWR 2020)

162
LSAT
3.68
GPA
34.51%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2020 admissions cycle

162
LSAT
3.68
GPA
34.51%
Admit Rate

University of Washington Law school is a prestigious JD program located in Seattle, Washington. In the competitive 2020 law school rankings, University of Washington Law school was ranked 42 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2020 admissions cycle, University of Washington Law school has an entering 1L class size of approximately 173 with an acceptance rate of 34.51%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
WASHINGTON, UNIVERSITY OF UWashington UW
Law School Applications
2162
JD application volume in 2020 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
34.51%
74th percentile
JD Program Size
173
51st percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$32k

A 'reasonable person' is a legal fiction I'm pretty sure I've never met.

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University of Washington Law school Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2020-2021 Cycle Overview
455 applicants
Accepted
9 / 110
Waitlisted
73
Rejected
94
-
Withdrawn
121
-

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 2020 admissions cycle at University of Washington Law school, 2162 candidates submitted JD applications and 746 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 34.51%.

The JD program at University of Washington Law school enrolls a first-year class of 173 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 22.25%. This means that of the 746 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 166 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 Washington 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
2162
74th percentile
Admission Offers 746
Class Size
173
51st percentile
Acceptance Rate
34.51%
74th percentile
Yield Rate
22.25%
16th percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 160.31 164.14 167.0
GPA 3.24 3.55 3.7
Softs T3.18 T3.2 T3.19
Avg Scholarship - - $47,700
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
83rd percentile
157 162 165
GPA
76th percentile
3.45 3.68 3.81
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 161.0 (+4.0) 164.0 (+2.0) 168.0 (+3.0)
GPA 3.34 (-0.11) 3.61 (-0.07) 3.81 (0.0)
* Based on 455 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 66 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 28 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.0%
Interview → Acceptance Rate -

The above statistics show that University of Washington Law school typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 157 (25th percentile) to 165 (75th percentile), with a median of 162.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.45 to 3.81, with a median of 3.68.

With an acceptance rate of 34.51%, University of Washington Law school 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).

Application Status Data

University of Washington Law school Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 455 apps

University of Washington Law school Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

84.9%
58th percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

84.35%
63rd percentile

Median Starting Salary

$90,000
Private Sector
66th percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

73.6%
61st percentile

BigLaw Placement

13.8%
79th percentile

Federal Clerkships

2.5%
61st percentile

School-Funded Positions

1.3%

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 117 6 123 77.4%
JD Advantage 9 3 12 7.5%
Professional 2 1.3%
Other 0 0.0%
School-Funded 0 2 2 1.3%
Total Employed 126 11 0 0 139 87.4%
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 50.9%
66th percentile
Judicial Clerkships 10.1%
67th percentile
Government 8.8%
32nd percentile
Public Interest 10.1%
76th percentile
Business 6.3%
21st percentile
Academia 1.3%
58th percentile
Unemployment Rate: 6.3% (graduates actively seeking employment)

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 4 2.5%
61st percentile
State/Local 12 7.5%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
84.35%
63rd percentile
Takers: 147
Passed: 124
vs State Avg +8.6%
Ultimate Pass Rate
99.39%
96th percentile
Takers: 164
Passed: 163
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
75.78%
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 $90,000
66th percentile
25th Percentile $78,000
79th percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $66,500
93rd percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at University of Washington Law school is $32k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $44k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at University of Washington Law school, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $90,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $66,500. 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 50.9% of University of Washington Law school JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 10.1% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 10.1% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 84.9% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from University of Washington Law school, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 84.35%. Within two years, 99.39% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +8.6% 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.

The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom.

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