One way to compare schools is the USNews law school rankings of top law schools (but not the only way).
Below you will find the law school rankings for 2023 (which were published in 2022) as well as the GPA and LSAT scores of accepted students. Click on a school name for in-depth information on that school. If you scroll to the bottom you can find Top-5s on different metrics. We hope with these other rankings you will start to look beyond USNews to determine the top law schools for you.
Rankings for other years: 2021 (published 2020), 2022 (published 2021), 2023 (published 2022).
LSAT | GPA | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Name | 25th | 50th | 75th | 25th | 50th | 75th | Acceptance |
1 | Yale University | 171 | 174 | 177 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.1% |
2 | Stanford University | 170 | 172 | 175 | 3.81 | 3.91 | 3.99 | 6.3% |
3 | University of Chicago | 169 | 172 | 175 | 3.82 | 3.91 | 3.98 | 11.9% |
4 | Columbia University | 172 | 174 | 176 | 3.75 | 3.84 | 3.92 | 11.4% |
4 | Harvard University | 170 | 174 | 176 | 3.82 | 3.92 | 3.98 | 6.9% |
6 | University of Pennsylvania | 167 | 171 | 173 | 3.56 | 3.9 | 3.96 | 9.4% |
7 | New York University | 170 | 172 | 174 | 3.73 | 3.86 | 3.93 | 14.5% |
8 | University of Virginia | 166 | 171 | 173 | 3.64 | 3.91 | 3.97 | 9.7% |
11 | Duke University | 167 | 170 | 172 | 3.7 | 3.82 | 3.91 | 14.4% |
12 | Cornell University | 169 | 171 | 173 | 3.74 | 3.86 | 3.95 | 15.6% |
13 | Northwestern University | 167 | 171 | 172 | 3.6 | 3.86 | 3.93 | 13.9% |
14 | Georgetown University | 167 | 171 | 173 | 3.66 | 3.85 | 3.94 | 12.9% |
16 | Washington University in St. Louis | 163 | 170 | 171 | 3.56 | 3.93 | 3.99 | 15.9% |
17 | Boston University | 165 | 169 | 171 | 3.53 | 3.77 | 3.87 | 18.3% |
17 | Vanderbilt University | 165 | 169 | 170 | 3.7 | 3.89 | 3.95 | 14.3% |
20 | University of Southern California | 165 | 168 | 169 | 3.6 | 3.82 | 3.9 | 13.0% |
21 | University of Florida (Levin) | 161 | 167 | 169 | 3.65 | 3.86 | 3.94 | 17.4% |
21 | University of Minnesota | 161 | 166 | 167 | 3.55 | 3.8 | 3.89 | 27.6% |
23 | Brigham Young University | 163 | 167 | 169 | 3.51 | 3.85 | 3.93 | 39.9% |
25 | George Washington University | 162 | 167 | 168 | 3.55 | 3.83 | 3.91 | 21.6% |
25 | University of Alabama | 160 | 165 | 166 | 3.58 | 3.94 | 4.0 | 31.0% |
28 | University of Iowa | 160 | 163 | 164 | 3.5 | 3.69 | 3.83 | 42.8% |
29 | University of Georgia | 160 | 166 | 167 | 3.5 | 3.82 | 3.93 | 18.6% |
30 | Arizona State University | 158 | 166 | 167 | 3.36 | 3.85 | 3.94 | 20.6% |
30 | George Mason University | 158 | 164 | 166 | 3.41 | 3.81 | 3.88 | 27.1% |
30 | Ohio State University | 160 | 163 | 165 | 3.6 | 3.79 | 3.9 | 32.1% |
30 | William & Mary Law School | 161 | 164 | 165 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 30.1% |
35 | Washington and Lee University | 159 | 164 | 166 | 3.41 | 3.61 | 3.78 | 31.4% |
37 | Boston College | 161 | 165 | 167 | 3.52 | 3.69 | 3.81 | 23.5% |
37 | Fordham University | 164 | 166 | 168 | 3.51 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 17.7% |
37 | University of Utah | 159 | 163 | 165 | 3.62 | 3.82 | 3.91 | 25.5% |
37 | Wake Forest University | 160 | 163 | 164 | 3.44 | 3.68 | 3.8 | 31.3% |
45 | University of Arizona | 158 | 163 | 164 | 3.37 | 3.66 | 3.81 | 24.7% |
46 | Texas A&M University | 156 | 163 | 165 | 3.4 | 3.84 | 3.94 | 18.4% |
47 | Florida State University | 158 | 163 | 164 | 3.55 | 3.82 | 3.9 | 22.5% |
47 | University of Maryland | 156 | 161 | 163 | 3.42 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 32.8% |
49 | University of Washington | 160 | 164 | 167 | 3.52 | 3.67 | 3.79 | 25.6% |
51 | University of California (Hastings) | 157 | 160 | 162 | 3.3 | 3.52 | 3.69 | 28.0% |
52 | Pepperdine University | 159 | 164 | 166 | 3.48 | 3.8 | 3.91 | 25.0% |
103 | University of Montana | 152 | 156 | 160 | 3.18 | 3.5 | 3.73 | 40.9% |
116 | Seattle University | 152 | 157 | 159 | 3.08 | 3.36 | 3.56 | 51.9% |
52 | University of Richmond | 157 | 162 | 163 | 3.46 | 3.7 | 3.79 | 36.3% |
105 | DePaul University | 152 | 156 | 157 | 3.25 | 3.57 | 3.73 | 44.3% |
118 | Chapman University | 154 | 160 | 162 | 3.13 | 3.6 | 3.71 | 28.3% |
127 | University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) | 151 | 155 | 159 | 3.26 | 3.48 | 3.72 | 63.6% |
52 | Yeshiva University (Cardozo) | 160 | 164 | 166 | 3.53 | 3.74 | 3.86 | 30.8% |
118 | Hofstra University | 152 | 156 | 158 | 3.16 | 3.48 | 3.69 | 42.3% |
55 | Tulane University | 157 | 161 | 164 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.74 | 40.1% |
118 | University of Tulsa | 151 | 154 | 156 | 3.07 | 3.38 | 3.7 | 57.8% |
56 | Villanova University | 157 | 162 | 164 | 3.51 | 3.7 | 3.83 | 17.8% |
84 | St. John's University | 155 | 162 | 164 | 3.39 | 3.62 | 3.79 | 35.6% |
94 | University of Louisville | 153 | 156 | 159 | 3.3 | 3.56 | 3.77 | 51.5% |
139 | University of Detroit Mercy | 150 | 154 | 158 | 3.09 | 3.32 | 3.55 | 52.6% |
147-193 | Campbell University | 151 | 154 | 158 | 3.14 | 3.4 | 3.64 | 54.6% |
147-193 | Mitchell Hamline | 150 | 153 | 158 | 2.91 | 3.29 | 3.61 | 62.4% |
58 | Baylor University | 158 | 162 | 163 | 3.35 | 3.64 | 3.78 | 34.3% |
84 | University of South Carolina | 156 | 158 | 160 | 3.28 | 3.53 | 3.72 | 38.3% |
98 | Brooklyn Law School | 157 | 159 | 161 | 3.31 | 3.5 | 3.66 | 39.6% |
142 | Pace University | 150 | 152 | 154 | 3.11 | 3.4 | 3.66 | 48.1% |
147-193 | Capital University | 148 | 151 | 155 | 3.03 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 75.6% |
58 | Wayne State University | 157 | 161 | 164 | 3.41 | 3.75 | 3.87 | 32.9% |
63 | Temple University | 160 | 163 | 166 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.74 | 32.8% |
64 | University of San Diego | 157 | 161 | 163 | 3.39 | 3.7 | 3.81 | 31.0% |
78 | Georgia State University | 157 | 160 | 162 | 3.35 | 3.55 | 3.76 | 27.0% |
133 | University of South Dakota | 148 | 150 | 153 | 3.06 | 3.44 | 3.74 | 69.0% |
147-193 | Appalachian School of Law | 146 | 147 | 152 | 2.96 | 3.27 | 3.57 | 42.2% |
147-193 | Golden Gate University | 148 | 151 | 154 | 2.85 | 3.13 | 3.42 | 51.6% |
147-193 | Roger Williams University | 148 | 150 | 155 | 2.89 | 3.17 | 3.52 | 63.0% |
67 | Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles | 158 | 161 | 163 | 3.43 | 3.64 | 3.78 | 29.4% |
67 | University of Kansas | 154 | 158 | 162 | 3.31 | 3.69 | 3.89 | 53.9% |
73 | American University | 157 | 161 | 163 | 3.39 | 3.57 | 3.71 | 27.9% |
78 | University of Denver | 157 | 160 | 162 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 37.7% |
94 | Illinois Institute of Technology (Kent) | 152 | 159 | 162 | 3.31 | 3.56 | 3.74 | 53.1% |
94 | Catholic University Of America | 155 | 158 | 160 | 3.33 | 3.5 | 3.67 | 39.7% |
139 | Creighton University | 150 | 153 | 157 | 3.04 | 3.39 | 3.74 | 66.4% |
147-193 | Barry University | 147 | 149 | 153 | 2.83 | 3.15 | 3.47 | 57.3% |
147-193 | Southern University | 144 | 146 | 148 | 2.72 | 3.03 | 3.39 | 53.9% |
73 | Loyola University—Chicago | 157 | 159 | 161 | 3.2 | 3.46 | 3.64 | 40.0% |
73 | Northeastern University | 158 | 162 | 164 | 3.45 | 3.66 | 3.79 | 24.4% |
122 | Suffolk University | 150 | 154 | 158 | 3.25 | 3.48 | 3.69 | 56.7% |
73 | University of Miami | 157 | 160 | 163 | 3.42 | 3.63 | 3.77 | 30.1% |
78 | Case Western Reserve University | 156 | 160 | 162 | 3.42 | 3.61 | 3.83 | 46.6% |
111 | University of Mississippi | 153 | 156 | 159 | 3.16 | 3.56 | 3.8 | 37.3% |
78 | University of Pittsburgh | 158 | 160 | 162 | 3.22 | 3.51 | 3.75 | 36.6% |
129 | New York Law School | 152 | 155 | 157 | 3.25 | 3.49 | 3.69 | 48.5% |
139 | Samford University | 151 | 154 | 157 | 3.24 | 3.54 | 3.76 | 60.7% |
147-193 | California Western School Of Law | 151 | 153 | 156 | 2.97 | 3.26 | 3.48 | 56.6% |
88 | Lewis And Clark College | 159 | 162 | 164 | 3.24 | 3.54 | 3.78 | 45.2% |
88 | University of Cincinnati | 156 | 158 | 161 | 3.48 | 3.7 | 3.85 | 46.6% |
88 | University of Oklahoma | 156 | 158 | 160 | 3.29 | 3.59 | 3.81 | 50.1% |
98 | Saint Louis University | 153 | 156 | 160 | 3.21 | 3.5 | 3.73 | 60.4% |
122 | University of Dayton | 150 | 153 | 155 | 3.18 | 3.53 | 3.72 | 25.9% |
133 | Loyola University—New Orleans | 150 | 153 | 157 | 3.1 | 3.35 | 3.63 | 58.5% |
142 | University of Idaho | 149 | 153 | 157 | 2.87 | 3.26 | 3.62 | 58.9% |
142 | University of Memphis | 152 | 154 | 157 | 3.03 | 3.36 | 3.65 | 48.5% |
147-193 | Elon University | 149 | 152 | 154 | 2.96 | 3.31 | 3.57 | 43.7% |
147-193 | Jones School of Law | 147 | 150 | 154 | 2.88 | 3.23 | 3.5 | 44.5% |
147-193 | Oklahoma City University | 146 | 149 | 152 | 3.06 | 3.3 | 3.59 | 59.3% |
98 | Florida International University | 158 | 160 | 162 | 3.4 | 3.69 | 3.84 | 20.6% |
142 | Regent University | 153 | 156 | 159 | 3.38 | 3.64 | 3.85 | 39.7% |
147-193 | Charleston School Of Law | 148 | 151 | 154 | 3.0 | 3.32 | 3.6 | 60.0% |
105 | Marquette University | 152 | 155 | 157 | 3.38 | 3.56 | 3.72 | 42.7% |
116 | Gonzaga University | 152 | 154 | 157 | 3.23 | 3.51 | 3.72 | 55.3% |
118 | West Virginia University | 152 | 154 | 157 | 3.29 | 3.56 | 3.88 | 59.2% |
122 | Albany Law School Of Union University | 152 | 154 | 157 | 3.21 | 3.42 | 3.69 | 50.4% |
129 | University of Wyoming | 151 | 154 | 157 | 3.1 | 3.32 | 3.53 | 51.5% |
147-193 | St. Mary's University | 150 | 153 | 155 | 2.97 | 3.36 | 3.59 | 48.5% |
129 | Willamette University | 151 | 154 | 157 | 2.94 | 3.32 | 3.61 | 61.6% |
147-193 | North Carolina Central University | 145 | 147 | 153 | 2.99 | 3.27 | 3.53 | 37.9% |
147-193 | St. Thomas University (Florida) | 150 | 152 | 155 | 2.91 | 3.32 | 3.51 | 48.0% |
133 | Belmont University | 153 | 158 | 161 | 3.44 | 3.71 | 3.86 | 40.8% |
147-193 | Northern Illinois University | 146 | 148 | 152 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 62.4% |
133 | Santa Clara University | 155 | 157 | 160 | 3.18 | 3.42 | 3.62 | 53.3% |
133 | University of the Pacific (Mcgeorge) | 152 | 155 | 157 | 3.03 | 3.44 | 3.66 | 55.7% |
142 | Vermont Law School | 150 | 154 | 159 | 3.08 | 3.4 | 3.65 | 65.8% |
147-193 | Atlanta's John Marshall Law School | 149 | 151 | 153 | 2.81 | 3.13 | 3.38 | 43.1% |
147-193 | Florida A&M University | 147 | 149 | 152 | 3.15 | 3.42 | 3.64 | 37.0% |
147-193 | Liberty University | 150 | 153 | 157 | 3.17 | 3.48 | 3.78 | 57.8% |
147-193 | Quinnipiac University | 150 | 152 | 156 | 3.19 | 3.46 | 3.74 | 58.6% |
147-193 | Mississippi College | 147 | 150 | 153 | 2.84 | 3.24 | 3.58 | 62.0% |
147-193 | South Texas College Of Law—Houston | 152 | 154 | 156 | 2.94 | 3.22 | 3.46 | 42.2% |
147-193 | Southwestern Law School | 152 | 154 | 157 | 3.03 | 3.31 | 3.57 | 46.8% |
147-193 | University of Akron | 151 | 153 | 156 | 3.05 | 3.39 | 3.59 | 59.6% |
9 | University of California—Berkeley | 165 | 169 | 171 | 3.74 | 3.83 | 3.92 | 13.7% |
10 | University of Michigan | 166 | 171 | 172 | 3.61 | 3.84 | 3.93 | 10.6% |
15 | University of California—Los Angeles | 166 | 170 | 171 | 3.57 | 3.82 | 3.92 | 15.4% |
17 | University of Texas at Austin | 167 | 169 | 170 | 3.67 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 15.2% |
23 | University of North Carolina | 162 | 164 | 166 | 3.6 | 3.73 | 3.83 | 15.5% |
35 | University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign | 162 | 164 | 166 | 3.44 | 3.66 | 3.82 | 29.8% |
37 | University of California—Davis | 160 | 165 | 167 | 3.44 | 3.7 | 3.82 | 28.3% |
37 | University of California—Irvine | 163 | 167 | 168 | 3.5 | 3.69 | 3.8 | 16.8% |
43 | Indiana University - Bloomington | 161 | 164 | 166 | 3.5 | 3.77 | 3.9 | 36.6% |
43 | University of Wisconsin | 158 | 164 | 165 | 3.34 | 3.65 | 3.81 | 36.2% |
56 | University of Tennessee | 157 | 160 | 162 | 3.47 | 3.67 | 3.81 | 28.9% |
58 | Southern Methodist University | 158 | 163 | 164 | 3.43 | 3.76 | 3.89 | 33.4% |
58 | University of Houston | 159 | 161 | 163 | 3.37 | 3.64 | 3.76 | 30.8% |
64 | Pennsylvania State - Penn State Law | 155 | 162 | 163 | 3.4 | 3.76 | 3.9 | 35.6% |
67 | University of Nevada—Las Vegas | 156 | 160 | 163 | 3.34 | 3.7 | 3.85 | 31.7% |
86 | University of Arkansas, Fayetteville | 152 | 156 | 159 | 3.22 | 3.59 | 3.8 | 47.8% |
91 | University of Hawaii | 153 | 156 | 159 | 3.28 | 3.54 | 3.76 | 32.7% |
98 | Indiana University - Indianapolis | 152 | 155 | 159 | 3.28 | 3.56 | 3.77 | 58.6% |
105 | Louisiana State University | 154 | 156 | 159 | 3.28 | 3.56 | 3.78 | 45.7% |
114 | University of Missouri—Kansas City | 152 | 154 | 157 | 3.21 | 3.48 | 3.74 | 54.2% |
147-193 | New England Law | Boston | 149 | 154 | 157 | 2.92 | 3.28 | 3.58 | 66.1% |
147-193 | Northern Kentucky University | 151 | 153 | 156 | 2.85 | 3.37 | 3.63 | 65.2% |
147-193 | Nova Southeastern University | 151 | 153 | 155 | 2.93 | 3.26 | 3.52 | 48.9% |
147-193 | Ohio Northern University | 148 | 150 | 153 | 3.14 | 3.43 | 3.8 | 47.3% |
147-193 | Southern Illinois University—Carbondale | 147 | 149 | 151 | 2.94 | 3.36 | 3.62 | 59.2% |
147-193 | Texas Southern University | 149 | 151 | 153 | 2.81 | 3.32 | 3.6 | 28.2% |
147-193 | Touro College | 148 | 150 | 152 | 2.89 | 3.15 | 3.44 | 52.0% |
147-193 | University of Arkansas, Little Rock | 149 | 152 | 155 | 3.02 | 3.43 | 3.63 | 59.6% |
147-193 | University of Illinois—Chicago | 149 | 152 | 155 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 56.7% |
147-193 | University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | 148 | 150 | 153 | 2.99 | 3.36 | 3.62 | 64.5% |
147-193 | University of North Dakota | 147 | 150 | 153 | 3.12 | 3.39 | 3.68 | 54.7% |
147-193 | University of San Francisco | 153 | 155 | 157 | 3.01 | 3.33 | 3.6 | 46.9% |
147-193 | University of the District of Columbia | 147 | 149 | 153 | 2.76 | 3.08 | 3.34 | 42.2% |
147-193 | University of Toledo | 149 | 152 | 155 | 3.06 | 3.42 | 3.65 | 67.3% |
147-193 | Western Michigan University (Cooley) | 146 | 148 | 151 | 2.61 | 2.99 | 3.28 | 49.0% |
147-193 | Western New England University | 147 | 150 | 154 | 3.12 | 3.47 | 3.7 | 57.4% |
147-193 | Western State College Of Law | 148 | 150 | 153 | 2.86 | 3.11 | 3.43 | 46.0% |
147-193 | Widener University—Delaware | 148 | 150 | 152 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 62.1% |
64 | University of Connecticut | 156 | 159 | 161 | 3.28 | 3.54 | 3.71 | 29.3% |
58 | Pennsylvania State - Dickinson Law | 157 | 161 | 163 | 3.22 | 3.54 | 3.73 | 39.6% |
30 | Emory University | 160 | 167 | 169 | 3.47 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 27.3% |
147-193 | (Part-time) Widener University—Pennsylvania (Commonwealth) | 146 | 148 | 152 | 2.87 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 58.9% |
67 | University of Oregon | 156 | 159 | 161 | 3.33 | 3.54 | 3.7 | 48.8% |
147-193 | Ave Maria School Of Law | 148 | 151 | 155 | 2.84 | 3.17 | 3.57 | 48.9% |
133 | CUNY | 151 | 155 | 160 | 3.19 | 3.46 | 3.66 | 29.6% |
91 | University of New Mexico | 152 | 156 | 159 | 3.37 | 3.61 | 3.83 | 41.2% |
114 | University of Maine | 154 | 158 | 161 | 3.24 | 3.57 | 3.79 | 52.3% |
98 | Howard University | 152 | 154 | 158 | 3.24 | 3.49 | 3.69 | 24.5% |
86 | Rutgers University | 155 | 157 | 160 | 3.09 | 3.39 | 3.63 | 41.6% |
91 | Michigan State University | 153 | 156 | 158 | 3.31 | 3.59 | 3.74 | 48.1% |
67 | University of Missouri | 154 | 159 | 161 | 3.52 | 3.69 | 3.86 | 53.0% |
73 | Seton Hall University | 157 | 160 | 162 | 3.31 | 3.58 | 3.75 | 45.7% |
78 | University of Nebraska | 155 | 158 | 161 | 3.38 | 3.64 | 3.95 | 62.6% |
111 | Stetson University | 154 | 157 | 159 | 3.17 | 3.45 | 3.65 | 41.8% |
105 | Washburn University | 151 | 155 | 159 | 3.15 | 3.53 | 3.8 | 49.0% |
25 | University of Notre Dame | 162 | 168 | 170 | 3.52 | 3.77 | 3.85 | 17.5% |
103 | Syracuse University | 154 | 157 | 160 | 3.19 | 3.51 | 3.72 | 32.7% |
122 | University of Baltimore | 151 | 154 | 157 | 2.97 | 3.34 | 3.56 | 54.2% |
94 | University of Buffalo—SUNY | 153 | 156 | 159 | 3.35 | 3.58 | 3.78 | 38.8% |
105 | University of New Hampshire | 153 | 158 | 160 | 3.15 | 3.5 | 3.69 | 49.7% |
127 | Cleveland State University | 152 | 155 | 157 | 3.12 | 3.48 | 3.7 | 44.3% |
67 | University of Kentucky | 155 | 157 | 160 | 3.36 | 3.62 | 3.84 | 45.7% |
49 | University of Colorado—Boulder | 160 | 164 | 166 | 3.38 | 3.61 | 3.77 | 27.7% |
78 | Drexel University | 152 | 158 | 160 | 3.36 | 3.59 | 3.73 | 32.0% |
111 | Drake University | 152 | 155 | 158 | 3.21 | 3.5 | 3.75 | 66.5% |
122 | Mercer University | 154 | 156 | 158 | 3.17 | 3.51 | 3.7 | 36.0% |
129 | Duquesne University | 153 | 155 | 158 | 3.08 | 3.43 | 3.72 | 53.4% |
105 | Texas Tech University | 154 | 157 | 158 | 3.27 | 3.56 | 3.74 | 34.3% |
147-193 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 149 | 151 | 155 | 2.89 | 3.14 | 3.52 | 36.5% |
ATL rankings are (arguably) the second most popular ranking system to determine the best law schools. ATL law school rankings are usually drastically different from USNews rankings of best law schools.
The main reason that Above the Law (ATL) Rankings are different from USNews Rankings is because ATL focuses on employment outcomes and school cost above all other things. US News looks at things like student:faculty ratio and peer review score which ATL doesn’t take into account. The underlying rule that ATL believes is that what happens after law school is the thing that matters most. Not how many professors the school can afford, or what law school administrators think.
USNews Law School rankings are the most often used ranking system for law school. When people talk about T3 schools, or T14 schools they are (almost) always talking about USNews’ law school ranking.
The main reason that Above the Law (ATL) Rankings are different from USNews Rankings is because ATL focuses on employment outcomes and school cost above all other things. US News looks at things like student:faculty ratio and peer review score which ATL doesn’t really think matter.
Based on student ratings of the beauty, safety, and friendliness on campus, among other ratings.