Capital University Law School
Columbus, Ohio · Private · ABA-approved since 1954 · Data updated November 2, 2026
Capital University Law School is a private law school in Columbus, Ohio, approved by the American Bar Association since 1954. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 151, higher than 7% of ABA-approved schools, saw 73.7% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 71.9% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- It accepted 65.9% of applicants, more than 99% of schools did.
- A median LSAT of 151, lower than 90% of ABA-approved schools.
- 11% of first-year students left during the year, a higher share than at 11% of schools.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, Capital University Law School received 874 completed applications and made 576 offers, an acceptance rate of 65.9%. 180 students enrolled in the first-year class (143 full-time, 37 part-time). The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 148 | 151 | 157 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.07 | 3.44 | 3.66 |
A quarter of the class scored 148 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 157 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 151, 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.
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 $45,456 a year. That is less than 52% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $21,112 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $45,066 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $390 |
| Tuition, part-time, resident | $40,404 |
| Living costs, on campus | $21,112 |
| Living costs, off campus | $21,112 |
| Living costs, at home | $21,112 |
In 2024-25, 95% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $21,000, and the middle half of awards ran from $12,000 to $32,000. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $24,456 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 | 57% |
| Half to full tuition | 39% |
| Full tuition | 0% |
| More than full tuition | 0% |
Three years, roughly. At 2025-26 prices, three years of full-time tuition and fees plus off-campus living costs come to about $199,704. With the median scholarship every year, about $136,704. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 114 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 84 passed: 73.7%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 78.1%, so the school finished 4.5 points below that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 other jurisdictions | 10 | 8 | 80% | 81.1% |
| Ohio | 104 | 76 | 73.1% | 77.9% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 125 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 119 had passed one within two years: 95.2%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 121 2025 graduates, 87 (71.9%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 7 more (5.8%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 13 (10.7%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 121 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 5 (4.1%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Ohio (87), followed by Alaska (2) and Illinois (2).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 20 first-year students left Capital University Law School: 17 for academic reasons (9%) and 3 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (2%).
Transfers run both ways: 5 first-year students transferred out and 2 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
Capital University Law School offered 83 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 69% had fewer than 25 students and 0% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 50 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 40 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 142 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 659 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 7 |
The school reports 25 full-time faculty and 53 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 483 J.D. students, that is about 19 students per full-time faculty member.
How Capital University Law School compares in Ohio
Ohio has 9 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, Capital University Law School ranks 8th in median LSAT, 6th in first-time bar passage, 8th in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 8th-lowest tuition.
| School | Median LSAT | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Ohio State University | 168 | $37,263 | 93.1% | 88.5% |
| Case Western Reserve University | 162 | $65,552 | 77.5% | 75.4% |
| University of Cincinnati | 159 | $24,810 | 85.1% | 82.7% |
| University of Dayton | 157 | $41,914 | 87.5% | 73.9% |
| Cleveland State University | 155 | $31,566 | 72.7% | 72.7% |
| University of Akron | 154 | $26,649 | 70.2% | 78.9% |
| University of Toledo | 153 | $29,598 | 77.4% | 62.8% |
| Capital University Law School | 151 | $45,456 | 73.7% | 71.9% |
| Ohio Northern University | 149 | $33,900 | 56.4% | 83.7% |
More on each, and on the Ohio bar exam: law schools in Ohio.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to Capital University Law School'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital University Law School | 151 | 3.44 | $45,456 | 73.7% | 71.9% |
| Roger Williams University Bristol, RI | 150 | 3.43 | $49,090 | 65.2% | 69.2% |
| St. Thomas University (Miami) Miami Gardens, FL | 152 | 3.42 | $47,578 | 87.1% | 77.8% |
| University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND | 151 | 3.48 | $19,585 | 72.3% | 80.8% |
| Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL | 150 | 3.41 | $24,067 | 61.9% | 70.1% |
| University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD | 152 | 3.47 | $17,113 | 69.2% | 78% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into Capital University Law School?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 151, with the middle half scoring 148 to 157. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.44. The school accepted 65.9% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at Capital University Law School?
73.7% of Capital University Law School graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 78.1%. Within two years of graduating, 95.2% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does Capital University Law School cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $45,456 a year. Most students pay less: 95% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $21,000.
Do Capital University Law School graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 71.9% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 5.8% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 10.7% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is Capital University Law School ABA-accredited?
Yes. Capital University Law School has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1954, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.