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It’s late December, and the 2025-2026 law school application cycle data has continued to reflect a more competitive cycle than the already-quite-competitive 2024-2025 cycle (as of 12/22, applicants are +20.2% vs. this time last year) and even more substantially relative to 2023-2024 (a full +50%). Last week, the American Bar Association published all law schools’ 2025 509 Required Disclosures, which reflect the full results of last year’s hugely competitive cycle. Let’s take a look at key data and trends.
Incoming LSAT & GPA Medians
It was inevitable that medians were going to rise this fall, as last cycle saw not only a significant increase in overall applicants (i.e., more competition) but also a massive increase in the number of applicants in the highest LSAT score bands. We’ve been keeping track of law schools’ new class profiles as they released them throughout the fall, so we’ve been progressively seeing the median impacts of that competitive cycle since August. However, we only recently got the full picture of just how significantly law schools’ incoming stats have shifted, and the results—especially in the LSAT department—are notable.
You can find every ABA-approved law school’s most up-to-date LSAT and GPA medians (plus 25th/75th percentiles, comparisons to 2024 data, class sizes, and JD-Next data) here.
2025 Median LSAT Data
This fall, the average LSAT median of all ABA-approved law schools went up by 1.79 points, and only three law schools decreased its LSAT median from 2024 to 2025. The highest LSAT median this fall is 175 (WashU Law), and the highest 75th percentile LSAT is 177 (Yale Law).
Looking back further, compared to ten years ago (fall 2015 data), every ABA-approved law school but four has increased its LSAT median by 1 to 13 points (with Texas A&M and the University of Florida showing the biggest increases), and only one has decreased its LSAT median. The average increase over that time period was 5 points.
Let’s break it down by different tiers.
A total of 28 law schools had 170+ LSAT medians this fall. Ten years ago, that number was just 5. Among those 28 law schools:
- 4 increased LSAT median by 2 points
- 11 increased LSAT median by 1 point
- 13 kept the same LSAT median
- None decreased LSAT median
A total of 91 law schools had 160+ LSAT medians this fall. Ten years ago, only 49 law schools fell in that category. Taking a look at this set of schools:
- 23 increased LSAT median by 2 points
- 45 increased LSAT median by 1 point
- 23 kept the same LSAT median
- None decreased LSAT median
A total of 104 law schools had 159 or below LSAT medians this fall. Ten years ago, 151 law schools fell in that category. Those 105 law schools’ LSAT medians shifted as follows this fall:
- 2 increased LSAT median by 4 points
- 3 increased LSAT median by 3 points
- 26 increased LSAT median by 2 points
- 45 increased LSAT median by 1 point
- 25 kept the same LSAT median
- 3 decreased LSAT median
2025 Median GPA Data
Median GPAs continue to rise as well. The average GPA median delta from fall 2024 to fall 2025 was +0.03. Texas A&M Law brought in the 1L class with the highest GPA median of all schools, a 4.0 (out of LSAC’s maximum of 4.33), and the highest 75th percentile GPA was brought in by the University of Alabama with a 4.05.
Among all ABA-approved law schools, the average GPA median for fall 2025 was 3.65. Looking back to 2015, the average GPA median was 3.36—and since then, every single ABA-approved law school has increased its GPA median by 0.03 to 0.62 points (with Texas A&M and Charleston Law showing the biggest increases). The average increase over that time period was 0.27.
Let’s look at law schools’ increases this fall.
- 15 increased GPA median by 0.10 or more
- 46 increased GPA median by 0.05 to 0.09
- 70 increased GPA median by 0.01 to 0.04
- 20 kept the same GPA median
- 44 decreased GPA median
A total of 27 law schools had 3.9+ GPA medians this fall. Ten years ago, only 2 law schools had crossed that threshold (Yale with a 3.93 and the University of Chicago with a 3.9). Among those 27 law schools:
- 1 increased GPA median by 0.05
- 21 increased GPA median by 0.01 to 0.04
- 5 kept the same GPA median
- None decreased GPA median
A total of 72 law schools had 3.75+ GPA medians this fall. Ten years ago, only 18 law schools fell in that category. Of the 72 law schools:
- 13 increased GPA median by 0.05 to 0.09
- 40 increased GPA median by 0.01 to 0.04
- 11 kept the same GPA median
- 6 decreased GPA median by 0.01 to 0.04
- 2 decreased GPA median by 0.05
Strategic Takeaways for Current Applicants
This information is hugely important for current 2025-2026 applicants to be aware of. A school that you might have thought of as a “safety” or “target” where you were 1-2 points above the LSAT median may have raised its median by 1-3 points this fall. Pair that with the current increase in applicants—which means it’s safest to assume that schools are targeting an LSAT median one point higher than the 2025 medians just released—and you may now be several points below that school’s target median for the cycle, likely making it a reach.
If you haven’t already been admitted to law school (and most applicants this cycle have not), we strongly recommend cross-referencing your school list with law schools’ new medians to make sure you still have the range of safeties, targets, and reaches you’re aiming for. It’s certainly not too late to submit some additional applications—this cycle has been moving slowly, and the vast majority of admits and scholarship money are still up for grabs.
Class Sizes
The total 1L enrollment for all ABA-approved law schools this fall was 42,817 students, an increase of 7.9% vs. last year and 13% vs. 2023. The average law school increased its class size by 9.8%.
We looked at the average class size increase for different tiers of law schools by LSAT median:
Law School Class Size Increases by LSAT Tier, Fall 2025
- Average school with 170+ LSAT median: +6.76%
- Average school with 160+ LSAT median: +6.34%
- Average schools with 159 and below LSAT median: +10.31%
- Average school with 154 and below LSAT median: +11.32%
What does the increase in class sizes mean for law schools and applicants? Overall, it means that schools are less likely to substantially increase their class sizes again this cycle, meaning the competitiveness stemming from the increase in applicants likely won’t be significantly mitigated by that vector.
It also means that the class of 2028 will be at greater risk of a difficult time finding employment. Let’s double-click on that term, “greater risk,” because it certainly does not mean that the class of 2028 will necessarily have a harder time finding employment. Back in 2021, when law schools largely inadvertently increased class sizes by 11.8% (nationwide adding 4,516 additional 1Ls over 2020 enrollment numbers), many experts worried that the class of 2024 could face a hard time finding employment. But the legal hiring market has been strong and was able to absorb that increase in graduates, leading to record-high employment rates for that graduating class. The trouble is if we hit a legal hiring downturn (due to artificial intelligence or other factors), in which case the greater numbers in the class of 2028 will only compound the difficulty.
Acceptance Rates
The average law school acceptance rate this cycle was 36%. Seven law schools had acceptance rates lower than 10% (with Yale Law having the lowest acceptance rate, 4.06%), and 56 had acceptance rates lower than 25%. 50 law schools admitted half or more of their applicants.
Diversity & Demographics Two Years Post-SFFA
Demographic data for the incoming class is particularly important to examine in the years immediately following the Supreme Court’s decision in SFFA v. Harvard. This fall’s data is the result of the second admissions cycle since that decision, so we looked at the numbers relative both to 2023-2024 and to the most recent pre-SFFA cycle, 2022-2023 (2023 data).
1L Class Diversity
Looking at aggregate data for this fall, the percentage of enrollees identifying as people of color fell slightly relative to last fall (-0.3%). However, compared to fall 2023 data, POC enrollment has increased by 2.3%. We also looked at demographic data for different tiers of schools (see below), and this overall trend was the case for most tiers.
It’s important to look at specific demographic groups as well. Asian and multiracial students have made up most of the increase across almost all tiers vs. 2023 (though Asian students saw a decrease across almost all tiers vs. 2024). Those are also the fastest-growing demographic groups in the U.S. overall. Another thing to note about the “multiracial” category is that it’s quite broad, encompassing many students who identify in practice as Black, Hispanic, or other groups in everyday life.
That said, Black student enrollment has decreased relative to both 2023 and 2024 across all tiers, except for law schools with medians 154 and below. The New York Times recently ran a piece on Black student enrollment at 18 top law schools, in which they found that only 4 of those schools increased Black student enrollment relative to last cycle (despite the earlier noted increase in total matriculants). They also acknowledged that the issue is wider than just those 18 law schools. In areas of the country with few law schools, for example, these recent declines could have lasting implications for accessible legal representation. Native American enrollment has also shown a slight decrease relative to both 2023 and 2024.
The causes behind these decreases are no doubt manifold, but we want to mention one factor that we have heard from several diversity and access-oriented pipeline programs that we advise and partner with—programs that can play a key role in supporting law school applicants who don’t have access to the same connections and resources as other groups. We have been told multiple times that sponsorships and funding are increasingly hard to come by in the wake of the Supreme Court decision, as potential sponsors have become reluctant for fear of legal reprisal. Just earlier this year, the well-known pre-law organization SEO Law had a discrimination complaint filed against them with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Law Schools’ Diversity and Demographic Data - Changes from 2024 to 2025
Law Schools’ Diversity and Demographic Data - Changes from 2023 to 2025
Additionally, we have heard time and again from applicants who aren’t sure whether they can or should discuss their backgrounds and identities in their law school applications since the Supreme Court decision came down, and some applicants may be submitting applications without discussing aspects of their key motivations, life experiences, and goals for law school. As we’ve discussed on our blog and podcast, applicants are in no way barred from discussing their experiences and identities, nor are law schools barred from considering how those factors have impacted and reflect applicants’ qualifications for law school.
International Students
After removing the “non-resident” demographic category last year (which we wrote about here), the ABA reports still do not include any direct data on international student enrollment this year. The best proxy in the 509s is the “# not included in UGPA calculation” figure, as LSAC does not calculate cumulative GPAs for international degrees, but that figure does not encompass non-U.S. citizens/permanent residents who earned college degrees in the United States (and it does count U.S. citizens/permanent residents who earned degrees abroad or from degree programs without convertible grading systems). This fall, 621 students matriculated without reportable undergraduate GPAs, relative to last fall’s 730, a decrease of 14.9% despite the increase in overall enrollment.
Data shows that international students face lower acceptance rates than U.S. citizens/permanent residents, and some law schools have historically matriculated J.D. classes with few or no international students. The lack of good data here only further disadvantages non-U.S. citizens/permanent residents in the law school admissions process.
LSAT Alternatives: GRE & JD-Next
For fall 2025, 30 law schools enrolled JD-Next students, with the vast majority of those enrolling single-digit numbers. Last year, for fall 2024, only 7 law schools reported enrolling JD-Next students. A total of 127 JD-Next students enrolled this fall, with the University of Arizona (where JD-Next was originally developed and studied) enrolling the greatest number at 22. Among law schools with 165+ LSAT medians, WashU, Vanderbilt, and GW Law each enrolled one JD-Next student this fall, and ASU Law enrolled 2.
JD-Next is a relatively new program (we podcasted about it here), and law schools must still receive special approval from the ABA to accept it for admission. More and more law schools continue to seek and be granted variances to accept the test, but be sure to contact each school directly if you hope to apply with JD-Next, as receiving the ABA variance does not automatically mean that the law school has begun admitting JD-Next-only applicants.
Looking at the GRE, 531 students enrolled with GRE scores this fall vs. last fall’s 701, a 24.3% decrease. As a percentage of total 1L enrollment, for fall 2025, just 1.24% of enrollees reported GRE scores, vs. 1.72% for fall 2024. Four years since the ABA voted to allow all law schools to accept the GRE, the LSAT continues to be the overwhelmingly dominant force in law school admissions.
Scholarships
For fall 2025, 79.15% of students are reported to be receiving grants to attend law school (this figure counts all students, not just 1Ls). 6.95% of students received full-tuition or higher scholarships, and 36.1% received half-tuition or higher scholarships.
Looking at law schools’ median scholarships, the average was $23,911. The average law school’s cost of attendance (including tuition, fees, and cost of living) for the 2025-2026 school year is approximately $82,000. Now that federal student loans for graduate school will be capped at $50,000 per year, many students who are unable to pay out-of-pocket (and the vast majority of law students do not pay out-of-pocket) will have to make up the cost differential with private loans, which can be difficult to obtain for applicants without strong credit or a cosigner. It’s possible that law schools will find other ways to help make up that gap as well. In a recent LSAC article, Megan Glinski, manager of financial aid education at LSAC, said that some law schools “have talked about getting into risk-sharing agreements with lenders for students who are below certain credit scores.”
Long-term, some law schools may have to decrease tuition if they want to continue to meet their other enrollment goals. Average private law school tuition has risen over 32% since 2015, and adjusting for inflation, public law school tuition was 5.18 times as expensive in 2024 as it was in 1985.
Transfers
150 law schools matriculated transfer students this year, with 57 matriculating 5 or more and 27 matriculating 10 or more. Georgetown Law is the perennial leader in transfer matriculants, with a total of 120 transfer students enrolling in fall 2025. Here’s the full top 10:
Law Schools that Enrolled the Most Transfer Students in 2025
- Georgetown: 120
- Columbia: 50
- George Washington University: 46
- UC Berkeley: 44
- NYU: 42
- Northwestern: 38
- Harvard: 37
- UCLA: 35
- George Mason: 26
- University of Houston: 25
Looking at the 1L GPA medians of all law schools that matriculated transfers, the average was 3.47. Note that this figure doesn’t take into account differing curves or class rankings, both of which are important for transfer admissions.
Final Thoughts
We often discuss the increasing competitiveness of law school admissions on our podcast, blog, and social media accounts, and at times get some variation of the comment, “They’ve been saying this same thing for multiple years.” Indeed, the law school admissions process has become more and more competitive since Spivey Consulting was founded in 2012. Within that time, things have swung back and forth to some degree from year to year, and we anticipate that the pendulum will swing back toward fewer applicants at some point soon in the coming years (Mike Spivey thinks next admissions cycle is going to be stable then begin to slip down the following cycle, but these are early projections, and we’ll know more when we get more data this summer)—but for now, we are following the data, and the data shows a much more competitive admissions landscape.
If you’re a current applicant, as our consultant Danielle likes to say: reach for the stars, but keep your feet on the ground. Submit your applications to your dream schools, but make sure, if your #1 goal is to go to law school next year, that you have a solid set of “safety” schools. And celebrate your successes—you’re up against an incredibly tough cycle, and every admit is a huge win.
Interested in waitlist help or a strategic review of a final application with Spivey Consulting? That and more can be found here (note that our availability for new clients will reopen on January 6). Already preparing for 1L? Our Pre-L Program gets you a jump start on how to get top grades your 1L year and beyond and is perfect for after your admits have come in.
Looking for more data? You can download law schools’ 509 disclosures and aggregate data on the American Bar Association disclosures website here. Additionally, My Rank by Spivey—where you can create your own law school rankings for free and with no sign-up required—has also been updated with the new data.
