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44 Best Midwest Law Schools 2026

Explore 44 ABA-accredited law schools across the Midwest region with comprehensive data on rankings, admissions statistics, and career outcomes.

Total Law Schools
44
States in Region
12
Avg LSAT Median
156

All Midwest Law Schools

University of Chicago #4
Chicago, Illinois
LSAT 174 GPA 3.97 10%
University of Michigan #9
Ann Arbor, Michigan
LSAT 171 GPA 3.88 9%
Northwestern University #12
Evanston, Illinois
LSAT 173 GPA 3.96 12%
University of Notre Dame #17
South Bend, Indiana
LSAT 170 GPA 3.89 16%
Washington University in St. Louis #19
St. Louis, Missouri
LSAT 175 GPA 3.96 19%
University of Minnesota #24
Minneapolis, Minnesota
LSAT 171 GPA 3.88 27%
University of Wisconsin #29
Madison, Wisconsin
LSAT 167 GPA 3.81 19%
Ohio State University #32
Columbus , Ohio
LSAT 168 GPA 3.91 25%
University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign #32
Champaign, Illinois
LSAT 166 GPA 3.81 33%
University of Iowa #38
Iowa City, Iowa
LSAT 164 GPA 3.78 44%
Indiana University - Bloomington #38
Bloomington, Indiana
LSAT 164 GPA 3.91 36%
University of Missouri #44
Columbia, Missouri
LSAT 161 GPA 3.72 42%
Wayne State University #44
Detroit, Michigan
LSAT 164 GPA 3.89 25%
Case Western Reserve University Top 75
Cleveland, Ohio
LSAT 162 GPA 3.76 35%
University of Kansas Top 75
Lawrence, Kansas
LSAT 162 GPA 3.85 39%
Marquette University Top 75
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
LSAT 158 GPA 3.70 22%
University of Cincinnati Top 75
Cincinnati, Ohio
LSAT 159 GPA 3.80 33%
Michigan State University Top 75
East Lansing, Michigan
LSAT 162 GPA 3.73 26%
University of Nebraska 75+
Lincoln, Nebraska
LSAT 160 GPA 3.81 40%
Loyola University—Chicago 75+
Chicago , Illinois
LSAT 161 GPA 3.70 28%
Drake University 75+
Des Moines, Iowa
LSAT 156 GPA 3.67 55%
Saint Louis University 75+
St. Louis, Missouri
LSAT 157 GPA 3.61 56%
University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) 75+
Minneapolis, Minnesota
LSAT 159 GPA 3.72 58%
Illinois Institute of Technology (Kent) 75+
Chicago, Illinois
LSAT 161 GPA 3.72 39%
University of Detroit Mercy 75+
Detroit, Michigan
LSAT 156 GPA 3.52 41%
Cleveland State University 75+
Cleveland, Ohio
LSAT 155 GPA 3.50 34%
DePaul University 75+
Chicago, Illinois
LSAT 158 GPA 3.61 35%
University of Illinois—Chicago 75+
Chicago, Illinois
LSAT 153 GPA 3.40 53%
Capital University
Columbus, Ohio
LSAT 151 GPA 3.44 66%
Creighton University
Omaha, Nebraska
LSAT 153 GPA 3.51 65%
Indiana University - Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
LSAT 155 GPA 3.58 56%
Mitchell Hamline
St Paul, Minnesota
LSAT 154 GPA 3.29 51%
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, Illinois
LSAT 150 GPA 3.41 44%
Ohio Northern University
Ada, Ohio
LSAT 149 GPA 3.34 0%
Southern Illinois University—Carbondale
Carbondale, Illinois
LSAT 149 GPA 3.38 56%
University of Akron
Akron, Ohio
LSAT 154 GPA 3.51 59%
University of Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
LSAT 157 GPA 3.60 31%
University of Missouri—Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
LSAT 156 GPA 3.65 46%
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
LSAT 151 GPA 3.48 63%
University of South Dakota
Vermillion, South Dakota
LSAT 152 GPA 3.47 63%
University of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
LSAT 153 GPA 3.53 53%
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, Indiana
LSAT 0 GPA 0.00 0%
Washburn University
Topeka, Kansas
LSAT 155 GPA 3.68 46%
Western Michigan University (Cooley)
Lansing, Michigan
LSAT 147 GPA 3.09 53%
44 schools

About Midwest Law Schools

The Midwest region offers excellent value in legal education with generally lower costs of living compared to coastal markets. Chicago serves as the region's primary legal hub, with strong corporate law opportunities. Other metropolitan areas like Detroit, Minneapolis, and Cleveland offer robust legal markets in manufacturing, insurance, and healthcare law.

Regional Legal Market Overview

The Midwest region offers diverse opportunities for legal education and practice, with schools ranging from nationally-ranked institutions to strong regional programs focused on local legal markets.

Top Considerations for Midwest Law Schools

  • Regional bar exam requirements and reciprocity agreements
  • Cost of living variations across different states
  • Employment rates and starting salaries in regional markets
  • Specializations aligned with regional industries
  • Alumni network strength in key metropolitan areas