Law Schools in Illinois
9 ABA-approved schools · ABA disclosures · updated November 2, 2026
Illinois has nine ABA-approved law schools: four public and five private. Median LSAT scores for the class that entered in fall 2025 run from 149 at Southern Illinois University to 174 at the University of Chicago.
Illinois law schools compared
| School | Median LSAT | Median GPA | Accepted | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Chicago Law School Chicago · Private | 174 | 3.97 | 9.7% | $84,906 | 96.7% | 96.8% |
| Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law Chicago · Private | 173 | 3.96 | 12.3% | $80,633 | 91.8% | 92% |
| University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign Champaign · Public | 166 | 3.81 | 32.9% | $39,904 | 93.2% | 92.2% |
| Chicago-Kent College of Law Chicago · Private | 161 | 3.72 | 38.6% | $54,080 | 79.7% | 75.4% |
| Loyola University Chicago School of Law Chicago · Private | 161 | 3.70 | 28.2% | $59,666 | 85.7% | 79.7% |
| DePaul University College of Law Chicago · Private | 158 | 3.61 | 34.8% | $55,628 | 83.8% | 81.3% |
| University of Illinois Chicago School of Law Chicago · Public | 153 | 3.40 | 52.6% | $42,080 | 68.8% | 71.2% |
| Northern Illinois University College of Law DeKalb · Public | 150 | 3.41 | 44.3% | $24,067 | 61.9% | 70.1% |
| Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School Carbondale · Public | 149 | 3.38 | 56.2% | $22,088 | 74.2% | 73% |
Tuition is full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26, at the in-state rate for public schools. Bar pass is the first-time rate on 2025 exams in every state where graduates sat; lawyer jobs is the share of 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage. Each school's page has the detail.
The University of Chicago had the highest first-time bar passage rate, 96.7%. The University of Chicago placed the largest share of 2025 graduates in lawyer jobs, 96.8%. The University of Chicago was the hardest to get into, accepting 9.7% of applicants. Southern Illinois University charged the least, about $22,088.
The Illinois bar exam
In 2025, 81.1% of graduates of ABA-approved law schools who took the Illinois bar exam for the first time passed, as the ABA reports it. That is the yardstick each school's rate is compared with when its graduates sit here.
Graduates of these schools took it most often in 2025 (schools with at least 10 first-time takers here):
| School | Takers | Passed | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Chicago | 255 | 176 | 69% |
| Loyola University Chicago | 226 | 194 | 85.8% |
| Chicago-Kent College of Law | 194 | 154 | 79.4% |
| Northwestern University | 157 | 147 | 93.6% |
| DePaul University | 141 | 117 | 83% |
| University of Illinois | 118 | 110 | 93.2% |
| Northern Illinois University | 89 | 58 | 65.2% |
| University of Chicago | 76 | 72 | 94.7% |
| University of Notre Dame | 49 | 43 | 87.8% |
| University of Michigan | 48 | 43 | 89.6% |
| Washington University (St. Louis) | 46 | 43 | 93.5% |
| Southern Illinois University | 43 | 33 | 76.7% |
| Indiana University Bloomington | 32 | 27 | 84.4% |
| University of Iowa | 26 | 23 | 88.5% |
| University of Minnesota | 23 | 23 | 100% |
Out-of-state schools that send graduates to Illinois
Each school reports the three states where most of its employed graduates work. These schools outside Illinois count it among their top three:
- University of Michigan (MI): 45 employed 2025 graduates
- Washington University (St. Louis) (MO): 44 employed 2025 graduates
- University of Notre Dame (IN): 41 employed 2025 graduates
- University of Wisconsin (WI): 32 employed 2025 graduates
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN): 30 employed 2025 graduates
- University of Iowa (IA): 25 employed 2025 graduates
- University of Minnesota (MN): 21 employed 2025 graduates
- Saint Louis University (MO): 15 employed 2025 graduates
- Marquette University (WI): 14 employed 2025 graduates
- Michigan State University (MI): 11 employed 2025 graduates
Practicing in Illinois: Illinois Rules of Civil Procedure · Illinois procedural guides · Divorce in Illinois.
Check your own numbers against these schools with the LSAT and GPA school finder.
Frequently asked questions
How many law schools are in Illinois?
Illinois has 9 ABA-approved law schools: Chicago-Kent College of Law, DePaul University College of Law, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Northern Illinois University College of Law, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School, The University of Chicago Law School, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign.
Which Illinois law school has the highest bar passage rate?
The University of Chicago Law School, where 96.7% of first-time takers passed in 2025.
What is the cheapest law school in Illinois?
Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School, at about $22,088 a year in full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 (in-state rate).
What is the hardest law school to get into in Illinois?
By acceptance rate, The University of Chicago Law School, which accepted 9.7% of applicants for fall 2025, with a median LSAT of 174.
What is the Illinois bar exam pass rate?
In 2025, 81.1% of first-time takers from ABA-approved law schools passed the Illinois bar exam, as the ABA reports it.