If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.

✨ Enjoy an ad-free experience with LSD+

WVU College of Law logo

WVU College of Law

Morgantown, West Virginia

Rank #117 (USNWR 2024)

156
LSAT
3.58
GPA
43.8%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2024 admissions cycle

156
LSAT
3.58
GPA
43.8%
Admit Rate

WVU College of Law is a prestigious JD program located in Morgantown, West Virginia. In the competitive 2024 law school rankings, WVU College of Law was ranked 117 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2024 admissions cycle, WVU College of Law has an entering 1L class size of approximately 97 with an acceptance rate of 43.8%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY WVU
Law School Applications
496
JD application volume in 2024 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
43.8%
45th percentile
JD Program Size
97
5th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$86k

A judge is a law student who marks his own examination papers.

✨ Enjoy an ad-free experience with LSD+

WVU College of Law Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2024-2025 Cycle Overview
60 applicants
Accepted
4 / 15
Waitlisted
7
Rejected
2
-
Withdrawn
18
-

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:
  • Zoom: Click and drag to zoom into a specific area
  • Reset zoom: Double-click anywhere on the graph
  • 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 2024 admissions cycle at WVU College of Law, 496 candidates submitted JD applications and 217 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is moderately selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 43.8%.

The JD program at WVU College of Law enrolls a first-year class of 97 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 43.78%. This means that of the 217 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 95 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 WVU College 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
496
4th percentile
Admission Offers 217
Class Size
97
5th percentile
Acceptance Rate
43.8%
45th percentile
Yield Rate
43.78%
90th percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 144.0 158.21 159.85
GPA 3.55 3.5 3.54
Softs T3.5 T3.28 T3.05
Avg Scholarship - - $76,487
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
36th percentile
152 156 158
GPA
51st percentile
3.25 3.58 3.83
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 153.0 (+1.0) 157.5 (+1.5) 163.25 (+5.25)
GPA 3.32 (+0.07) 3.53 (-0.05) 3.81 (-0.02)
* Based on 60 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 82 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 60 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.0%
Interview → Acceptance Rate -

The above statistics show that WVU College of Law typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 152 (25th percentile) to 158 (75th percentile), with a median of 156.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.25 to 3.83, with a median of 3.58.

With an acceptance rate of 43.8%, WVU College of Law 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

WVU College of Law Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 60 apps

WVU College of Law Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

86.0%
33rd percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

69.39%
28th percentile

Median Starting Salary

$80,000
Private Sector
24th percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

80.4%
46th percentile

BigLaw Placement

2.8%
30th percentile

Federal Clerkships

6.5%
91st percentile

School-Funded Positions

1.9%

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 86 0 86 80.4%
JD Advantage 5 1 6 5.6%
Professional 0 0.0%
Other 1 0.9%
School-Funded 2 0 2 1.9%
Total Employed 93 1 0 0 95 88.8%
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 51.4%
50th percentile
Judicial Clerkships 9.3%
63rd percentile
Government 8.4%
21st percentile
Public Interest 12.1%
84th percentile
Business 5.6%
37th percentile
Academia 1.9%
75th percentile
Unemployment Rate: 6.5% (graduates actively seeking employment)

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 7 6.5%
91st percentile
State/Local 3 2.8%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
69.39%
28th percentile
Takers: 98
Passed: 68
vs State Avg -4.3%
Ultimate Pass Rate
88.12%
33rd percentile
Takers: 101
Passed: 89
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
73.67%
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 $80,000
24th percentile
25th Percentile $70,000
30th percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $69,085
59th percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at WVU College of Law is $86k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $43k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at WVU College of Law, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $80,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $69,085. 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 51.4% of WVU College of Law JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 9.3% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 12.1% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 86.0% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from WVU College of Law, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 69.39%. Within two years, 88.12% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is -4.3% 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.

The law is reason, free from passion.

✨ Enjoy an ad-free experience with LSD+