Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
Hempstead, New York · Private · ABA-approved since 1970 · Data updated November 2, 2026
Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University is a private law school in Hempstead, New York, approved by the American Bar Association since 1970. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 157, higher than 38% of ABA-approved schools, saw 79.2% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 86.3% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- 53% of students who entered with a conditional scholarship in 2024-25 had it cut or taken away.
- Tuition and fees of $74,860, more than 89% of schools charge.
- A median scholarship of $35,793, larger than at 86% of schools.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, Hofstra University received 2,448 completed applications and made 993 offers, an acceptance rate of 40.6%. 263 students enrolled in the first-year class (256 full-time, 7 part-time). The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 154 | 157 | 160 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.35 | 3.65 | 3.83 |
A quarter of the class scored 154 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 160 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 157, 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.
2 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 $74,860 a year. That is more than 89% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $36,009 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $73,344 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $1,516 |
| Tuition, part-time, resident | $55,006 |
| Living costs, on campus | $32,035 |
| Living costs, off campus | $36,009 |
| Living costs, at home | $20,073 |
In 2024-25, 85% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $35,793, and the middle half of awards ran from $17,500 to $71,586. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $39,067 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 | 41% |
| Half to full tuition | 20% |
| Full tuition | 23% |
| More than full tuition | 0% |
Scholarships that can be cut. Hofstra University awards some conditional scholarships, which shrink or end if a student's grades fall below a set mark. Of 231 students who entered in 2024-25 with one, 123 had it reduced or eliminated (53%). For students who entered in 2023-24 the figure was 118 of 226. 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 $332,607. With the median scholarship every year, about $225,228. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 264 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 209 passed: 79.2%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 86.7%, so the school finished 7.5 points below that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 252 | 202 | 80.2% | 87.3% |
| 7 other jurisdictions | 12 | 7 | 58.3% | 76.5% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 258 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 237 had passed one within two years: 91.9%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 263 2025 graduates, 227 (86.3%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 10 more (3.8%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 12 (4.6%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 263 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 35 (13.3%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in New York (210), followed by New Jersey (15) and Georgia (2).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 5 first-year students left Hofstra University: 2 for academic reasons (1%) and 3 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (1%).
Transfers run both ways: 6 first-year students transferred out and 4 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
Hofstra University offered 155 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 79% had fewer than 25 students and 4% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 122 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 117 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 120 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 891 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 16 |
The school reports 52 full-time faculty and 112 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 800 J.D. students, that is about 15 students per full-time faculty member.
How Hofstra University compares in New York
New York has 15 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, Hofstra University ranks 10th in median LSAT, 12th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia University | 173 | $88,390 | 94.7% | 96.5% |
| Cornell University | 173 | $85,412 | 93.7% | 99.5% |
| New York University | 172 | $87,214 | 96.9% | 98.1% |
| Fordham University | 168 | $79,248 | 90.8% | 85.5% |
| Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University | 165 | $76,458 | 87.8% | 89.1% |
| St. John's University | 164 | $76,742 | 87.5% | 90.4% |
| Brooklyn Law School | 161 | $76,946 | 85.5% | 84.6% |
| Albany Law School | 158 | $64,234 | 86.7% | 88.5% |
| Syracuse University | 158 | $66,940 | 84.8% | 71.2% |
| Hofstra University | 157 | $74,860 | 79.2% | 86.3% |
| New York Law School | 157 | $73,524 | 86.5% | 74.8% |
| University at Buffalo | 157 | $29,750 | 88.5% | 91.2% |
| City University of New York | 155 | $16,013 | 69% | 73.4% |
| Pace University | 154 | $57,756 | 65.2% | 80.8% |
| Touro University | 153 | $62,150 | 67.9% | 75.2% |
More on each, and on the New York bar exam: law schools in New York.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to Hofstra 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hofstra University | 157 | 3.65 | $74,860 | 79.2% | 86.3% |
| New York Law School New York, NY | 157 | 3.63 | $73,524 | 86.5% | 74.8% |
| University of Louisville Louisville, KY | 157 | 3.67 | $28,396 | 84.5% | 89.1% |
| University of Missouri, Kansas City Kansas City, MO | 156 | 3.65 | $26,192 | 82.3% | 81.2% |
| Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA | 157 | 3.62 | $60,118 | 89.7% | 86.8% |
| Mercer University Macon, GA | 157 | 3.62 | $45,082 | 86.5% | 90.1% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 157, with the middle half scoring 154 to 160. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.65. The school accepted 40.6% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University?
79.2% of Hofstra University graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 86.7%. Within two years of graduating, 91.9% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $74,860 a year. Most students pay less: 85% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $35,793.
Do Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 86.3% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 3.8% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 4.6% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University ABA-accredited?
Yes. Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1970, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.