Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law
Washington, District of Columbia · Private · ABA-approved since 1925 · Data updated November 2, 2026
Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law is a private law school in Washington, District of Columbia, approved by the American Bar Association since 1925. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 161, higher than 57% of ABA-approved schools, saw 90.4% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 79.6% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, Catholic University of America received 1,867 completed applications and made 605 offers, an acceptance rate of 32.4%. 182 students enrolled in the first-year class (139 full-time, 43 part-time). The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 158 | 161 | 163 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.46 | 3.68 | 3.85 |
A quarter of the class scored 158 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 163 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 161, 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 $63,280 a year. That is more than 76% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $32,374 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $61,580 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $1,700 |
| Living costs, on campus | $27,168 |
| Living costs, off campus | $32,374 |
| Living costs, at home | $16,222 |
In 2024-25, 99% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $26,000, and the middle half of awards ran from $15,727 to $45,000. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $37,280 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 | 49% |
| Half to full tuition | 49% |
| Full tuition | 0% |
| More than full tuition | 0% |
Scholarships that can be cut. Catholic University of America awards some conditional scholarships, which shrink or end if a student's grades fall below a set mark. Of 45 students who entered in 2024-25 with one, 12 had it reduced or eliminated (27%). For students who entered in 2023-24 the figure was 7 of 28. Ask any school that offers you one exactly what you must do to keep it.
Three years, roughly. At 2025-26 prices, three years of full-time tuition and fees plus off-campus living costs come to about $286,962. With the median scholarship every year, about $208,962. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 104 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 94 passed: 90.4%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 81.9%, so the school finished 8.5 points above that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 47 | 43 | 91.5% | 87.5% |
| Maryland | 26 | 23 | 88.5% | 73% |
| Virginia | 12 | 10 | 83.3% | 81.6% |
| 12 other jurisdictions | 19 | 18 | 94.7% | 79.6% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 105 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 99 had passed one within two years: 94.3%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 113 2025 graduates, 90 (79.6%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 15 more (13.3%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 4 (3.5%) were unemployed and looking for work. 5 of the full-time, long-term jobs were funded by the school.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 113 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 16 (14.2%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in District of Columbia (41), followed by Maryland (24) and Virginia (17).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 7 first-year students left Catholic University of America: 5 for academic reasons (4%) and 2 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (2%).
Transfers run both ways: 5 first-year students transferred out and 1 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
Catholic University of America offered 102 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 82% had fewer than 25 students and 1% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 97 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 77 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 119 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 165 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 10 |
The school reports 35 full-time faculty and 68 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 432 J.D. students, that is about 12 students per full-time faculty member.
How Catholic University of America compares in District of Columbia
District of Columbia has 6 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, Catholic University of America ranks 4th in median LSAT, 2nd in first-time bar passage, 3rd in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 3rd-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 Catholic University of America'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic University of America | 161 | 3.68 | $63,280 | 90.4% | 79.6% |
| Tulane University New Orleans, LA | 161 | 3.67 | $74,756 | 76.1% | 84.1% |
| Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL | 161 | 3.70 | $59,666 | 85.7% | 79.7% |
| Seton Hall University Newark, NJ | 161 | 3.71 | $71,550 | 87.1% | 87% |
| UC Law San Francisco San Francisco, CA | 161 | 3.71 | $54,329 | 86.2% | 87% |
| University of South Carolina Columbia, SC | 162 | 3.67 | $24,022 | 90% | 88.9% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 161, with the middle half scoring 158 to 163. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.68. The school accepted 32.4% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law?
90.4% of Catholic University of America graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 81.9%. Within two years of graduating, 94.3% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $63,280 a year. Most students pay less: 99% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $26,000.
Do Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 79.6% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 13.3% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 3.5% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1925, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.