Law school can be a challenging, as well as rewarding endeavor. With so many law schools to choose from, prospective students must do their research to find which will be the best fit. The following article provides a short list of the top law schools in the Midwest, along with a description of each school’s most prized academic programs and facilities.
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Best Pre Law schools in the midwest
As a law student, you may anticipate learning how to address some of the most challenging—and frequently, seemingly unsolvable—conflicts and issues in modern society and values. Because they provide a framework for studying and comprehending foreign countries and cultures, law degrees are a useful way to prepare not only for specialized legal vocations but also for a wide range of professional responsibilities and, in fact, for life in general.
Recent numbers from the American Bar Association (ABA) show that students don’t think the legal job market is as robust as it once was: in 2014 there were fewer jobs available than in previous years, but coincidentally there was a decline in the number of law school graduates.
Those two factors actually helped employment rates go slightly up: 71 percent of students who graduated in 2014 had jobs that required or preferred a law degree within 10 months of graduation, as opposed to 67 percent in 2013. The percent of 2014 grads who were unemployed was also down to nine percent from ten percent in 2013.
It looks like the trend of fewer graduates (and perhaps more employed lawyers) may continue as well: the report adds that 2014 had the lowest first year enrollment since 1974.
With that being said, a law degree is still a lucrative way to launch a career. Researchers found that those with law degrees make, on average, $1 million more in their lifetime than those with a college degree. And the value is still added even if the economy sinks into another recession: those with law degrees still make $700,000 more over a lifetime even if they get a degree when the economy is bad.
The key: get a job. How do Midwest universities stack up when it comes to employability? Though ABA doesn’t rank universities based on employment, they offer the raw data so we crunched the numbers. Here’s a look at how many graduates 42 Midwest universities, and what percent of their graduating class had law jobs within ten months.
42. Capital University
- Columbus, Ohio
- 2014 Graduates: 160
- 2014 Employment rate: 46.3 percent
41. University of Detroit Mercy
- Detroit, Michigan
- 2014 Graduates: 183
- 2014 Employment rate: 46.4 percent
40. Valparaiso University
- Valparaiso, Indiana
- 2014 Graduates: 172
- 2014 Employment rate: 58.1 percent
39. Ohio Northern University
- Ada, Ohio
- 2014 Graduates: 94
- 2014 Employment rate: 58.5 percent
38. University of Toledo
- Toledo, Ohio
- 2014 Graduates: 123
- 2014 Employment rate: 58.5 percent
37. University of North Dakota
- Grand Forks, North Dakota
- 2014 Graduates: 76
- 2014 Employment rate: 64.5 percent
36. Case Western Reserve University
- Cleveland, Ohio
- 2014 Graduates: 168
- 2014 Employment rate: 66.1 percent
35. Michigan State University
- Lansing, Michigan
- 2014 Graduates: 331
- 2014 Employment rate: 66.2 percent
34. Marquette University
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- 2014 Graduates: 214
- 2014 Employment rate: 66.8 percent
33. Chicago-Kent College of Law – IIT
- Chicago, Illinois
- 2014 Graduates: 292
- 2014 Employment rate: 67.1 percent
32. Cleveland State University
- Cleveland, Ohio
- 2014 Graduates: 151
- 2014 Employment rate: 67.5 percent
31. DePaul University
- Chicago, Illinois
- 2014 Graduates: 286
- 2014 Employment rate: 69.2 percent
30. John Marshall College of Law
- Chicago, Illinois
- 2014 Graduates: 419
- 2014 Employment rate: 69.7 percent
29. Southern Illinois University
- Carbondale, Illinois
- 2014 Graduates: 105
- 2014 Employment rate: 70.5 percent
28. University of Akron
- Akron, Ohio
- 2014 Graduates: 126
- 2014 Employment rate: 71.4 percent
27. William Mitchell College of Law
- St. Paul, Minnesota
- 2014 Graduates: 288
- 2014 Employment rate: 71.5 percent
26. Loyola University Chicago
- Chicago, Illinois
- 2014 Graduates: 262
- 2014 Employment rate: 71.8 percent
25. University of Missouri- Kansas City
- Kansas City, Missouri
- 2014 Graduates: 143
- 2014 Employment rate: 72.7 percent
24. University of Dayton
- Dayton, Ohio
- 2014 Graduates: 140
- 2014 Employment rate: 72.9 percent
23. Northern Illinois University
- DeKalb, Illinois
- 2014 Graduates: 99
- 2014 Employment rate: 73.7 percent
22. Indiana University- Indianapolis
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- 2014 Graduates: 279
- 2014 Employment rate: 74.9 percent
21. Creighton University
- Omaha, Nebraska
- 2014 Graduates: 133
- 2014 Employment rate: 76.7 percent
20. University of St. Thomas
- St. Paul, Minnesota
- 2014 Graduates: 143
- 2014 Employment rate: 76.9 percent
19. Drake University
- Des Moines, Iowa
- 2014 Graduates: 130
- 2014 Employment rate: 77.7 percent
18. Saint Louis University
- St. Louis, Missouri
- 2014 Graduates: 267
- 2014 Employment rate: 78.3 percent
17. University of South Dakota
- Vermillion, South Dakota
- 2014 Graduates: 81
- 2014 Employment rate: 79 percent
16. Washburn University School of Law
- Topeka, Kansas
- 2014 Graduates: 112
- 2014 Employment rate: 79.5 percent
15. University of Wisconsin
- Madison, Wisconsin
- 2014 Graduates: 236
- 2014 Employment rate: 79.7 percent
14. University of Kansas
- Lawrence, Kansas
- 2014 Graduates: 119
- 2014 Employment rate: 80.7 percent
13. University of Missouri
- Columbia, Missouri
- 2014 Graduates: 135
- 2014 Employment rate: 80.7 percent
12. University of Minnesota- Twin Cities
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 2014 Graduates: 259
- 2014 Employment rate: 81.5 percent
11. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
- 2014 Graduates: 185
- 2014 Employment rate: 82.2 percent
10. University of Cincinnati
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- 2014 Graduates: 125
- 2014 Employment rate: 82.4 percent
9. Indiana University- Bloomington
- Bloomington, Indiana
- 2014 Graduates: 222
- 2014 Employment rate: 82.4 percent
8. University of Notre Dame
- South Bend, Indiana
- 2014 Graduates: 179
- 2014 Employment rate: 85.5 percent
7. University of Iowa
- Iowa City, Iowa
- 2014 Graduates: 176
- 2014 Employment rate: 86.9 percent
6. University of Nebraska
- Lincoln, Nebraska
- 2014 Graduates: 117
- 2014 Employment rate: 87.2 percent
5. The Ohio State University
- Columbus, Ohio
- 2014 Graduates: 210
- 2014 Employment rate: 89 percent
4. Northwestern University
- Evanston, Illinois
- 2014 Graduates: 291
- 2014 Employment rate: 90 percent
3. Washington University of St. Louis
- St. Louis, Missouri
- 2014 Graduates: 258
- 2014 Employment rate: 91.1 percent
2. University of Michigan
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- 2014 Graduates: 390
- 2014 Employment rate: 93.3 percent
1. University of Chicago
- Chicago, Illinois
- 2014 Graduates: 210
- 2014 Employment rate: 96.2 percent
Best Law Schools In The Midwest
Pulling from our overall law school ranking, we’ve compiled a list of the best schools in the Midwest, as defined by the US Census Bureau. Our methodology draws data from the American Bar Association and focuses on the percentage of graduates who land full-time, long-term, highly coveted jobs, which includes positions at big law firms that pay well — those with over 251 employees — and federal clerkships.
11. University of Kansas
Location: Lawrence, Kansas
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 10%
Bar passage rate: 86%
Median LSAT score: 156
Law students at the University of Kansas can complete dual-degree programs in several areas, including business, journalism, and communications. Tuition for the public school is the third-lowest on our list at $35,328.
10. University of Nebraska
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 6%
Bar passage rate: 90%
Median LSAT score: 156
For students interested in subjects outside of law, the Nebraska College of Law offers eight joint degree programs where students can earn their master’s in subjects such as journalism, business, and community planning. The school also boasts a high success rate for the bar exam, with 90% of graduates passing on the first try.
9. University of Notre Dame
Location: South Bend, Indiana
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 33%
Bar passage rate: 84%
Median LSAT score: 164
The University of Notre Dame law school encourages students to extend their education outside of the US and offers several opportunities to study abroad, including stays at Notre Dame’s programs in London, Chile, or Italy. Grads join the ranks of successful alumni, such as Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan and Fox News senior judicial analyst Andrew Napolitano.
8. University of Wisconsin
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 11%
Bar passage rate: 100%
Median LSAT score: 161
A full 100% of University of Wisconsin Law School graduates pass the bar on their first try — the highest pass rate of any school on the list. The school also stands out for its approach to teaching, using “law in action” as its guiding principle. Students learn not only what laws mean, but also how they change, adapt, and evolve over time.
7. University of Minnesota
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 19%
Bar passage rate: 85%
Median LSAT score: 164
The University of Minnesota Law School’s library holds one of the largest collections in the nation, with over 1 million volumes. The curriculum promotes experiential learning and offers 24 diverse clinical programs that more than 50% of students use to gain real-world experience with clients.
6. University of Iowa
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 18%
Bar passage rate: 87%
Median LSAT score: 161
The University of Iowa College of Law is one of the most affordable choices in the top 25 of our list, with an annual tuition for nonresidents of $42,021 and estimated living costs of $16,892 per year. The school’s Citizen Lawyer program encourages students to promote public access to justice and law through pro bono work and community service.
5. Ohio State University
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 16%
Bar passage rate: 93%
Median LSAT score: 159
Ohio State’s Moritz College of Law is one of the top public law schools on our list. It offers over 175 courses and seminars, and students studying for their JD have the opportunity to choose from over 20 different specialties. Ohio State was also ranked by US News & World Report as the No. 1 school for dispute-resolution training.
4. Northwestern University
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 67%
Bar passage rate: 87%
Median LSAT score: 168
Out of 4,095 applications, the Pritzker School of Law enrolled just 213 students — 5.2% — for the 2015-16 academic year. The private institution was founded in 1859 and is renowned for its competitive admissions, with 70% of entering students possessing at least two years of full-time work experience.
3. Washington University in St. Louis
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 32%
Bar passage rate: 86%
Median LSAT score: 167
Post-graduation, a full 100% of Wash U Law graduates who were seeking a job secured one last year, with 76% of those positions requiring a law degree. This can be chalked up in part to Wash U’s myriad of opportunities for students to gain real-world experience, including a selection of nine externship opportunities, 18 clinical courses, and six trial teams and moot courts where students can put their skills to the test.
2. University of Michigan
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 56%
Bar passage rate: 93%
Median LSAT score: 168
Michigan Law possesses a rich historical background. Three US Supreme Court justices have attended the school, and one of its graduates became the first woman with a law degree to be admitted to the state’s bar in 1871. Michigan Law is the second-highest-ranked public school on our list.
1. University of Chicago
best law schools in the south
1. University of Virginia (3.80)
2. Vanderbilt (3.79)
3. University of North Carolina (3.67)
4. Duke (3.58)
5. Wake Forest (3.56)
6. University of Georgia (3.50)
7. George Mason (3.46)
7. University of Florida (3.46)
9. University of Richmond (3.45)
10. Emory (3.43)
11. University of Alabama (3.33)
12. Tulane (3.31)
13. University of Miami (3.16)
14. University of Tennessee (3.14)
15. University of South Carolina (3.10)
best law schools in the world
Are you interested in pursuing a law degree in a foreign country? Do you aspire to attend one of the world’s top law schools? Even if you think you can afford it or get a scholarship, you’ll need to think about your possibilities. That is why there are international university rankings!
Top ten lists from TopUniversities’ QS Rankings, Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings, and Shanghai University’s Academic Ranking of World Universities are featured. Academic Influence Real-Time Ranking and student reviews from graduates of the top 10 law schools are also available.
QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021: Law
- Harvard University, US
- University of Oxford, UK
- University of Cambridge, UK
- Yale University, US
- Stanford University, US
- The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK
- Columbia University, US
- New York University (NYU), US
- University of California, Berkeley (UCB), US
- National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore
World University Rankings 2022 by subject: Law
- Stanford University, US
- University of Cambridge, UK
- New York University, US
- University of Oxford, UK
- University of Melbourne, Australia
- University College London, UK
- Harvard University, US
- National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Yale University, US
- KU Leuven, Belgium
top 50 go to law schools
So, you aced college, smashed the LSAT, wowed/conned/bribed your professors into writing stellar recommendation letters, built the ideal law school CV, and topped it all off with the perfect personal statement and supplementary essays subject. The only thing left to do now is choose your law school from the slew of acceptance letters that have flooded your inbox. To assist you in making your decision, you will discover thorough information on the nation’s top law schools here.