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Washington University School of Law logo

Washington University School of Law

St. Louis, Missouri

Rank #16 (USNWR 2022)

172
LSAT
3.94
GPA
15.9%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2022 admissions cycle

172
LSAT
3.94
GPA
15.9%
Admit Rate

Washington University School of Law is a prestigious JD program located in St. Louis, Missouri. In the competitive 2022 law school rankings, Washington University School of Law was ranked 16 by US News & World Report, making it a top-tier law school for admissions-focused applicants. For the 2022 admissions cycle, Washington University School of Law has an entering 1L class size of approximately 260 with an acceptance rate of 15.9%, positioning it among the most selective law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY WUSTL WashU
Law School Applications
5511
JD application volume in 2022 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
15.9%
87th percentile
JD Program Size
260
83rd percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$128k

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Washington University School of Law Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2022-2023 Cycle Overview
1257 applicants
Accepted
34 / 193
Waitlisted
342
Rejected
167
-
Withdrawn
353
-

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 2022 admissions cycle at Washington University School of Law, 5511 candidates submitted JD applications and 993 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is highly competitive for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 15.9%.

The JD program at Washington University School of Law enrolls a first-year class of 260 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 25.18%. This means that of the 993 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 250 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 Washington University 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.

JD Admission Requirements & Application Statistics

Admissions Metrics (ABA 509)
Metric Value
Applications
5511
90th percentile
Admission Offers 993
Class Size
260
83rd percentile
Acceptance Rate
15.9%
87th percentile
Yield Rate
25.18%
28th percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 163.91 168.47 172.45
GPA 3.5 3.69 3.78
Softs T3.22 T3.3 T3.32
Avg Scholarship - - $172,981
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
96th percentile
164 172 173
GPA
100th percentile
3.43 3.94 4.00
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 165.0 (+1.0) 169.0 (-3.0) 173.0 (0.0)
GPA 3.54 (+0.11) 3.79 (-0.15) 3.95 (-0.05)
* Based on 1257 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 78 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 71 days
Interview Invite Rate 28.8%
Interview → Acceptance Rate 55.2%

The above statistics show that Washington University School of Law typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 164 (25th percentile) to 173 (75th percentile), with a median of 172.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.43 to 4.00, with a median of 3.94.

With an acceptance rate of 15.9%, Washington University 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).

Application Status Data

Washington University School of Law Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 1257 apps

Washington University School of Law Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

97.4%
99th percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

91.63%
82nd percentile

Median Starting Salary

$202,000
Private Sector
96th percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

93.0%
96th percentile

BigLaw Placement

31.7%
88th percentile

Federal Clerkships

8.8%
93rd percentile

School-Funded Positions

0.9%

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 211 2 213 93.8%
JD Advantage 8 0 8 3.5%
Professional 1 0.4%
Other 0 0.0%
School-Funded 0 2 2 0.9%
Total Employed 219 4 0 0 224 98.7%
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 62.1%
84th percentile
Judicial Clerkships 11.5%
69th percentile
Government 11.0%
51st percentile
Public Interest 5.7%
24th percentile
Business 6.2%
26th percentile
Academia 2.2%
75th percentile

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 20 8.8%
93rd percentile
State/Local 6 2.6%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
91.63%
82nd percentile
Takers: 239
Passed: 219
vs State Avg +12.4%
Ultimate Pass Rate
97.3%
86th percentile
Takers: 222
Passed: 216
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
79.26%
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 $202,000
96th percentile
25th Percentile $165,000
99th percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $64,760
78th percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at Washington University School of Law is $128k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $48k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at Washington University School of Law, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $202,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $64,760. 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 62.1% of Washington University School of Law JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 11.5% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 5.7% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 97.4% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from Washington University School of Law, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 91.63%. Within two years, 97.3% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +12.4% 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.

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