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UNM Law School logo

UNM Law School

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Rank #99 (USNWR 2020)

155
LSAT
3.50
GPA
46.22%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2020 admissions cycle

155
LSAT
3.50
GPA
46.22%
Admit Rate

UNM Law School is a prestigious JD program located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In the competitive 2020 law school rankings, UNM Law School was ranked 99 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2020 admissions cycle, UNM Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 105 with an acceptance rate of 46.22%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
NEW MEXICO, UNIVERSITY OF UNM
Law School Applications
502
JD application volume in 2020 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
46.22%
47th percentile
JD Program Size
105
9th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$39k

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UNM Law School Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2020-2021 Cycle Overview
41 applicants
Accepted
2 / 15
Waitlisted
6
Rejected
4
-
Withdrawn
9
-

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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  • 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:
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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 2020 admissions cycle at UNM Law School, 502 candidates submitted JD applications and 232 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is moderately selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 46.22%.

The JD program at UNM Law School enrolls a first-year class of 105 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 40.52%. This means that of the 232 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 94 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 UNM 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
502
10th percentile
Admission Offers 232
Class Size
105
9th percentile
Acceptance Rate
46.22%
47th percentile
Yield Rate
40.52%
87th percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 155.75 158.09 158.58
GPA 3.47 3.41 3.61
Softs T2.25 T3.22 T3.21
Avg Scholarship - - $24,857
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
47th percentile
150 155 158
GPA
55th percentile
3.22 3.50 3.73
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 154.25 (+4.25) 157.5 (+2.5) 161.0 (+3.0)
GPA 3.25 (+0.03) 3.45 (-0.05) 3.8 (+0.07)
* Based on 41 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 40 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 41 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.0%
Interview → Acceptance Rate -

The above statistics show that UNM Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 150 (25th percentile) to 158 (75th percentile), with a median of 155.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.22 to 3.73, with a median of 3.50.

With an acceptance rate of 46.22%, UNM 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).

Application Status Data

UNM Law School Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 41 apps

UNM Law School Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

86.8%
66th percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

80.51%
48th percentile

Median Starting Salary

$70,000
Private Sector
32nd percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

66.9%
38th percentile

BigLaw Placement

0.0%
8th percentile

Federal Clerkships

1.7%
53rd 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 81 6 87 71.9%
JD Advantage 13 5 18 14.9%
Professional 0 0.0%
Other 0 0.0%
School-Funded 0 0 0 0.0%
Total Employed 94 11 0 0 105 86.8%
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 44.6%
41st percentile
Judicial Clerkships 9.9%
65th percentile
Government 19.8%
96th percentile
Public Interest 9.1%
67th percentile
Business 1.7%
3rd percentile
Academia 0.0%
0th percentile
Unemployment Rate: 6.6% (graduates actively seeking employment)

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 2 1.7%
53rd percentile
State/Local 9 7.4%
International 1 0.8%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
80.51%
48th percentile
Takers: 118
Passed: 95
vs State Avg +5.5%
Ultimate Pass Rate
87.5%
34th percentile
Takers: 104
Passed: 91
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
75.01%
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 $70,000
32nd percentile
25th Percentile $60,000
41st percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $59,000
56th percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at UNM Law School is $39k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $34k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at UNM Law School, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $70,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $59,000. 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 44.6% of UNM Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 9.9% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 9.1% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 86.8% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from UNM Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 80.51%. Within two years, 87.5% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +5.5% 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 law is a jealous mistress, and requires a long and constant courtship.

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