American University Washington College of Law
Washington, District of Columbia · Private · ABA-approved since 1940 · Data updated November 2, 2026
American University Washington College of Law is a private law school in Washington, District of Columbia, approved by the American Bar Association since 1940. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 162, higher than 63% of ABA-approved schools, saw 86.6% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 69.4% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- 69.4% of 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs, fewer than at 89% of schools.
- A median scholarship of $40,000, larger than at 89% of schools.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, American University received 5,952 completed applications and made 1,981 offers, an acceptance rate of 33.3%. 405 students enrolled in the first-year class (354 full-time, 51 part-time). The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 157 | 162 | 163 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.32 | 3.63 | 3.75 |
A quarter of the class scored 157 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 163 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 162, is in the stronger half of this class; one below the 25th percentile is a long shot unless something else in the file stands out.
4 of the entering students were admitted on a GRE score instead of the LSAT.
Where would your numbers fall in this class?
Enter an LSAT score and undergraduate GPA. We compare them with the class that entered in fall 2025. This shows where your numbers sit, not your chances: admissions offices read the whole file.
Tuition, living costs and scholarships
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $69,172 a year. That is more than 83% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $33,832 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $66,990 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $2,182 |
| Living costs, on campus | $29,094 |
| Living costs, off campus | $33,832 |
| Living costs, at home | $33,832 |
In 2024-25, 60% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $40,000, and the middle half of awards ran from $40,000 to $40,000. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $29,172 a year in tuition and fees, before living costs. That is a rough guide, since awards vary and some students get nothing.
| Size of grant, all students | Share of students |
|---|---|
| Less than half tuition | 13% |
| Half to full tuition | 40% |
| Full tuition | 6% |
| More than full tuition | 1% |
Scholarships that can be cut. The school reports that it does not award scholarships that are reduced or ended because of grades, other than for failing to stay in good academic standing.
Three years, roughly. At 2025-26 prices, three years of full-time tuition and fees plus off-campus living costs come to about $309,012. With the median scholarship every year, about $189,012. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 366 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 317 passed: 86.6%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 84.3%, so the school finished within a few points of that average (+2.3 pts).
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 199 | 177 | 88.9% | 87.5% |
| Maryland | 43 | 38 | 88.4% | 73% |
| New York | 45 | 37 | 82.2% | 87.3% |
| Virginia | 23 | 18 | 78.3% | 81.6% |
| 20 other jurisdictions | 56 | 47 | 83.9% | 80.4% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 316 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 289 had passed one within two years: 91.5%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 399 2025 graduates, 277 (69.4%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 50 more (12.5%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 40 (10%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 399 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 63 (15.8%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in District of Columbia (134), followed by Maryland (51) and New York (30).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 7 first-year students left American University: 2 for academic reasons (0%) and 5 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (1%).
Transfers run both ways: 51 first-year students transferred out and 13 transferred in from other law schools. The students who transferred in had a median first-year law school GPA of 3.21.
Classes, clinics and faculty
American University offered 306 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 95% had fewer than 25 students and 1% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 181 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 181 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 261 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 619 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 87 |
The school reports 72 full-time faculty and 258 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 1,199 J.D. students, that is about 17 students per full-time faculty member.
How American University compares in District of Columbia
District of Columbia has 6 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, American University ranks 3rd in median LSAT, 4th in first-time bar passage, 5th in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 4th-lowest tuition.
| School | Median LSAT | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown University | 171 | $83,576 | 94.5% | 91.6% |
| George Washington University | 168 | $75,420 | 87.7% | 89.8% |
| American University | 162 | $69,172 | 86.6% | 69.4% |
| Catholic University of America | 161 | $63,280 | 90.4% | 79.6% |
| Howard University | 156 | $41,412 | 78% | 71% |
| University of the District of Columbia | 151 | $13,438 | 57.9% | 52.5% |
More on each, and on the District of Columbia bar exam: law schools in District of Columbia.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to American University's, so an applicant who fits here is likely to be a similar fit there. Compare what each costs and how its graduates fare.
| School | Median LSAT | Median GPA | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American University | 162 | 3.63 | $69,172 | 86.6% | 69.4% |
| University of South Carolina Columbia, SC | 162 | 3.67 | $24,022 | 90% | 88.9% |
| Brooklyn Law School Brooklyn, NY | 161 | 3.59 | $76,946 | 85.5% | 84.6% |
| Lewis & Clark Law School Portland, OR | 161 | 3.59 | $61,484 | 86.7% | 79.7% |
| Tulane University New Orleans, LA | 161 | 3.67 | $74,756 | 76.1% | 84.1% |
| Catholic University of America Washington, DC | 161 | 3.68 | $63,280 | 90.4% | 79.6% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into American University Washington College of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 162, with the middle half scoring 157 to 163. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.63. The school accepted 33.3% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at American University Washington College of Law?
86.6% of American University graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 84.3%. Within two years of graduating, 91.5% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does American University Washington College of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $69,172 a year. Most students pay less: 60% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $40,000.
Do American University Washington College of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 69.4% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 12.5% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 10% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is American University Washington College of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. American University Washington College of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1940, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.