86 Law Schools are Public, of the 197 ABA-accredited Law Schools
There are 86 public law schools accredited by ABA (American Bar Association). The tuition & fees at public law schools is relatively affordable compared to private law schools.
For the academic year 2023-2024, the average tuition & fees at public law schools is $30,489 for state residents and $43,678 for out-of-state students. (The average tuition at private law schools is $56,676.)
University of Virginia School of Law ranked first among public law schools. Its LSAT score is 171 and the acceptance rate is 11.46%. University of Michigan Law School and Berkeley School of Law follow it in public law school rankings.
Top 25 Top Public Law Schools
The following table compares the top 25 Public Law Schools with important academic indicators.
The average acceptance rate of the schools is 26.06% and the yield is 29.88%. The acceptance rate of Top Public Law Schools is low, compared to average rate of all law schools, 42.35%.
The average LSAT score submitted by enrolled students is 166 and the average GPA is 3.83 at Top Public Law Schools. Their LSAT scores are high, compared to average LSAT score of all law schools, 159.
For the Top Public Law Schools, the average 2024 tuition & fees is $39,372 state residents and $53,507 for out-of-state students in public law schools. The average financial aid amount of them is $24,002 which is 44.86% of tuition & fees.
| Rank | School | Acceptance Rate | Yield | Application Fee | Tuition & Fees | LSAT Score | GPA | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Virginia School of LawPublicCharlottesville, VA | 11.46% | 43.08% | $85 | $77,700 | 171 | 3.94 | 960 |
| 2 | University of Michigan Law SchoolPublicAnn Arbor, MI | 12.58% | 34.03% | $75 | $72,584 | 171 | 3.85 | 978 |
| 3 | Berkeley School of LawPublicBerkeley, CA | 14.92% | 32.12% | $75 | $74,995 | 170 | 3.87 | 1,302 |
| 4 | Los Angeles School of LawPublicLos Angeles, CA | 16.80% | 27.74% | $75 | $71,430 | 170 | 3.92 | 1,376 |
| 5 | University of Texas School of LawPublicAustin, TX | 14.90% | 29.63% | $70 | $54,096 | 171 | 3.86 | 1,005 |
| 6 | University of North Carolina School of LawPublicChapel Hill, NC | 16.27% | 37.99% | $75 | $51,486 | 166 | 3.78 | 572 |
| 7 | University of Georgia School of LawPublicAthens, GA | 14.77% | 35.57% | $50 | $37,752 | 169 | 3.83 | 694 |
| 8 | University of Minnesota Law SchoolPublicMinneapolis, MN | 39.76% | 25.63% | $60 | $58,396 | 168 | 3.85 | 720 |
| 9 | George Mason University School of LawPublicArlington, VA | 14.03% | 30.03% | $70 | $42,798 | 168 | 3.89 | 924 |
| 10 | University of Wisconsin Law SchoolPublicMadison, MI | 35.58% | 28.52% | $60 | $52,893 | 165 | 3.79 | 729 |
| 11 | Levin College of LawPublicGainesville, FL | 17.01% | 26.22% | $30 | $38,040 | 169 | 3.91 | 762 |
| 12 | The University of Alabama School of LawPublicTuscaloosa, AL | 26.62% | 28.51% | $40 | $44,470 | 167 | 3.95 | 473 |
| 13 | S.J. Quinney College of LawPublicSalt Lake City, UT | 30.20% | 35.16% | $60 | $43,598 | 164 | 3.85 | 320 |
| 14 | Irvine School of LawPublicIrvine, CA | 18.18% | 30.54% | No Fee | $68,190 | 167 | 3.72 | 510 |
| 15 | Texas A&M University School of LawPublicFort Worth, TX | 14.64% | 23.01% | $65 | $48,618 | 166 | 3.97 | 1,683 |
| 16 | Marshall-Wythe School of LawPublicWilliamsburg, VA | 27.31% | 23.78% | $85 | $68,329 | 166 | 3.77 | 556 |
| 17 | Michael E. Moritz College of LawPublicColumbus, OH | 33.08% | 26.33% | $60 | $49,292 | 165 | 3.83 | 564 |
| 18 | University of Illinois College of LawPublicChampaign, IL | 43.69% | 21.57% | No Fee | $51,893 | 165 | 3.75 | 683 |
| 19 | Maurer School of LawPublicBloomington, IN | 46.86% | 22.08% | $50 | $62,526 | 164 | 3.86 | 611 |
| 20 | Davis School of Law PublicDavis, CA | 28.99% | 22.46% | No Fee | $67,164 | 165 | 3.69 | 718 |
| 21 | Florida International University College of LawPublicMiami, FL | 25.18% | 33.90% | $20 | $36,049 | 160 | 3.74 | 591 |
| 22 | Florida State University College of LawPublicTallahassee, FL | 21.12% | 20.00% | $30 | $40,705 | 165 | 3.85 | 1,311 |
| 23 | University of Iowa College of LawPublicIowa City, IA | 47.71% | 23.29% | No Fee | $51,955 | 163 | 3.76 | 555 |
| 24 | University of Missouri School of LawPublicColumbia, MO | 52.49% | 42.46% | $60 | $31,339 | 160 | 3.70 | 424 |
| 25 | Wayne State University Law SchoolPublicDetroit, MI | 27.41% | 43.45% | No Fee | $41,388 | 162 | 3.83 | 480 |