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USC Gould School of Law (USC)
Track decisions and applicant data for the 2023-2024 cycle — 1359 applicants reporting.
23-24 · selected
22-23 · previous
ABA 509 (2023): 4,850 apps · 607 offers · 189 enrolled · 12.52% acceptance rate
Detailed Breakdown
Accepted · 257 total (incl. 21 from waitlist) · 10.5% yield
Waitlist · 263 total · 8% accepted off WL
Admissions Data
| LSAT & GPA Statistics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | 50th | 75th | |
|
LSAT
(ABA · 2023)
86th percentile
|
165 | 169 | 169 |
| LSAT (LSD) | 164 | 169 | 172 |
|
GPA
(ABA · 2023)
90th percentile
|
3.77 | 3.88 | 3.96 |
| GPA (LSD) | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.94 |
| Average Statistics by Decision (LSD) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Rejected | All | Accepted |
| LSAT | 164.36 | 167.64 | 170.82 |
| GPA | 3.61 | 3.73 | 3.9 |
| Softs | T3.13 | T3.23 | T3.28 |
| Avg $ | - | - | $146,547 |
| Admissions Metrics (ABA 509) | |
|---|---|
| Metric | Value |
| Applications |
4850
89th percentile
|
| Admission Offers | 607 |
| Class Size |
189
59th percentile
|
| Acceptance Rate |
12.52%
96th percentile
|
| Yield Rate |
29.32%
48th percentile
|
| Application Process Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Avg Days: Sent to Decision | 115 days |
| Avg Days: UR to Decision | 42 days |
| Interview Invite Rate | 0.1% |
| Interview → Acceptance Rate | 100.0% |
Decision Timing
Selected Cycle (2023-2024) decisions (solid) vs. 514 decisions from Previous Cycle (2022-2023) (faded). Click the previous cycle in the legend to toggle.
Where Is USC Gould School of Law 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
94.0% of USC Gould School of Law graduates secured JD-required employment, with a median private sector salary of $215,000 and a 89.0% first-time bar passage rate (2023 ABA 509 data).
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 ★ 167 (91.3% of class)
JD Advantage 5 (2.7% of class)
Professional 1 (0.5% of class)
Other 2 (1.1% 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 ★ | 166 | 1 | — | — | 167 | 91.3% |
| JD Advantage | 4 | 1 | — | — | 5 | 2.7% |
| Professional | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0.5% |
| Other | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1.1% |
| School-Funded | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0.0% |
| Total Employed | 170 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 175 | 95.6% |
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 | 79.8% |
100th percentile
|
| Judicial Clerkships | 2.7% |
19th percentile
|
| Government | 2.2% |
2nd percentile
|
| Public Interest | 5.5% |
21st percentile
|
| Business | 5.5% |
31st percentile
|
| Academia | 0.0% |
0th percentile
|
Clerkships by Type
| Type | Graduates | % of Class | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | 4 | 2.2% |
59th percentile
|
| State/Local | 1 | 0.5% | — |
Federal clerkships enhance careers in litigation and academia.
Bar Exam Performance
| Metric | Rate | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| First-Time Pass | 89.0% |
79th percentile
|
| Ultimate Pass | 98.34% |
89th percentile
|
| Jurisdiction Weighted | 73.65% | — |
Salary Outcomes
Private Sector
Public Sector
Career Outcomes Summary
Law school tuition at USC Gould School of Law is $152k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $58k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).
After completing their JD program at USC Gould School of Law, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $215,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $66,000. 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 79.8% of USC Gould School of Law JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 2.7% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 5.5% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 94.0% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.
For JD graduates from USC Gould School of Law, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 89.0%. Within two years, 98.34% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +15.3% 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.
Cost of Attendance
Annual Tuition
Annual Fees
Cost of Living
Scholarship & Grant Aid
Students Receiving Grants
Median Grant
Grant Range (25th–75th)
Grant Distribution
Debt & ROI
Avg Debt at Graduation
Graduates Who Borrowed
Debt-to-Salary Ratio
Conditional Scholarships
This school reports no conditional scholarships.
Admissions Contact
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Read moreAbout USC Gould School of Law admissions
USC Gould School of Law , commonly known as USC, is a prestigious JD program located in Los Angeles, California. In the competitive 2023 law school rankings, USC Gould School of Law was ranked 16 by US News & World Report, making it a top-tier law school for admissions-focused applicants. According to the 2023 ABA 509 Report, USC Gould School of Law has an entering 1L class size of approximately 189 with an acceptance rate of 12.52%, positioning it among the most selective law schools for JD applicants.
About USC Gould School of Law Admissions
Based on the 2023 ABA 509 Report, 4850 candidates submitted JD applications to USC Gould School of Law and 607 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is highly competitive for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 12.52%.
The JD program at USC Gould School of Law enrolls a first-year class of 189 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 29.32%. This means that of the 607 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 178 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 USC Gould School of 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.
What LSAT score do I need for USC Gould School of Law?
The above statistics show that USC Gould School of Law typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 165 (25th percentile) to 169 (75th percentile), with a median of 169.
For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.77 to 3.96, with a median of 3.88.
With an acceptance rate of 12.52%, USC Gould School of Law 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).