Cleveland State University College of Law
Cleveland, Ohio · Public · ABA-approved since 1957 · Data updated November 2, 2026
Cleveland State University College of Law is a public law school in Cleveland, Ohio, approved by the American Bar Association since 1957. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 155, higher than 25% of ABA-approved schools, saw 72.7% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 72.7% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- 15% of first-year students left during the year, a higher share than at 4% of schools.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, Cleveland State University received 1,733 completed applications and made 597 offers, an acceptance rate of 34.5%. 195 students enrolled in the first-year class (120 full-time, 75 part-time). The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 152 | 155 | 158 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.11 | 3.50 | 3.76 |
A quarter of the class scored 152 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 158 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 155, 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.
8 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 $31,566 a year for Ohio residents and $31,666 for everyone else. That is less than 72% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $21,870 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $29,766 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $1,800 |
| Tuition, full-time, nonresident | $29,866 |
| Fees, full-time, nonresident | $1,800 |
| Living costs, on campus | $21,870 |
| Living costs, off campus | $21,870 |
| Living costs, at home | $21,870 |
In 2024-25, 99% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $11,000, and the middle half of awards ran from $6,000 to $18,000. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $20,566 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 | 69% |
| Half to full tuition | 29% |
| Full tuition | 0% |
| More than full tuition | 0% |
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 at the in-state rate plus off-campus living costs come to about $160,308. With the median scholarship every year, about $127,308. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 117 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 85 passed: 72.7%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 78%, so the school finished 5.4 points below that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 other jurisdictions | 7 | 4 | 57.1% | 79.9% |
| Ohio | 110 | 81 | 73.6% | 77.9% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 122 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 109 had passed one within two years: 89.3%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 132 2025 graduates, 96 (72.7%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 9 more (6.8%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 14 (10.6%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 132 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 16 (12.1%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Ohio (106), followed by Michigan (2) and Illinois (1).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 27 first-year students left Cleveland State University: 24 for academic reasons (13%) and 3 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (2%).
Transfers run both ways: 2 first-year students transferred out and 2 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
Cleveland State University offered 89 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 81% had fewer than 25 students and 0% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 103 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 83 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 90 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 175 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 8 |
The school reports 31 full-time faculty and 64 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 495 J.D. students, that is about 16 students per full-time faculty member.
How Cleveland State University compares in Ohio
Ohio has 9 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, Cleveland State University ranks 5th in median LSAT, 7th in first-time bar passage, 7th in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 4th-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 Cleveland State 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland State University | 155 | 3.50 | $31,566 | 72.7% | 72.7% |
| California Western School of Law San Diego, CA | 155 | 3.50 | $64,870 | 71.4% | 74.1% |
| University of New Hampshire Concord, NH | 155 | 3.50 | $42,348 | 73.8% | 57.8% |
| Nova Southeastern University Davie, FL | 155 | 3.52 | $50,710 | 74.5% | 69.5% |
| University of Memphis Memphis, TN | 155 | 3.53 | $21,228 | 72.6% | 79.8% |
| University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | 155 | 3.47 | $59,990 | 80.9% | 76.3% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into Cleveland State University College of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 155, with the middle half scoring 152 to 158. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.50. The school accepted 34.5% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at Cleveland State University College of Law?
72.7% of Cleveland State University graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 78%. Within two years of graduating, 89.3% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does Cleveland State University College of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $31,566 a year for Ohio residents and $31,666 for nonresidents. Most students pay less: 99% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $11,000.
Do Cleveland State University College of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 72.7% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 6.8% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 10.6% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is Cleveland State University College of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. Cleveland State University College of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1957, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.