Law Schools in Massachusetts
8 ABA-approved schools · ABA disclosures · updated November 2, 2026
Massachusetts has eight ABA-approved law schools: one public and seven private. Median LSAT scores for the class that entered in fall 2025 run from 152 at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth to 174 at Harvard University.
Massachusetts law schools compared
| School | Median LSAT | Median GPA | Accepted | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard Law School Cambridge · Private | 174 | 3.96 | 9.2% | $82,352 | 97.9% | 93.2% |
| Boston University School of Law Boston · Private | 170 | 3.88 | 12.1% | $71,382 | 94.9% | 92.1% |
| Boston College Law School Newton · Private | 168 | 3.83 | 8.5% | $72,755 | 96.2% | 92.5% |
| Northeastern University School of Law Boston · Private | 164 | 3.77 | 24.2% | $65,850 | 90.5% | 82.2% |
| Suffolk University Law School Boston · Private | 155 | 3.58 | 61.9% | $64,046 | 80.8% | 76.3% |
| New England Law | Boston Boston · Private | 153 | 3.37 | 61.3% | $63,216 | 73.9% | 51.4% |
| Western New England University School of Law Springfield · Private | 153 | 3.27 | 51.9% | $53,020 | 68% | 56% |
| University of Massachusetts School of Law-Dartmouth North Dartmouth · Public | 152 | 3.36 | 52.2% | $33,456 | 62.6% | 68.4% |
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.
Harvard University had the highest first-time bar passage rate, 97.9%. Harvard University placed the largest share of 2025 graduates in lawyer jobs, 93.2%. Boston College was the hardest to get into, accepting 8.5% of applicants. The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth charged the least, $33,456.
The Massachusetts bar exam
In 2025, 85.4% of graduates of ABA-approved law schools who took the Massachusetts 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk University | 299 | 244 | 81.6% |
| New England Law | Boston | 197 | 150 | 76.1% |
| Northeastern University | 137 | 125 | 91.2% |
| Boston College | 131 | 129 | 98.5% |
| Boston University | 116 | 113 | 97.4% |
| University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | 61 | 42 | 68.8% |
| Harvard University | 56 | 56 | 100% |
| Western New England University | 30 | 23 | 76.7% |
| Roger Williams University | 29 | 22 | 75.9% |
| University of New Hampshire | 21 | 20 | 95.2% |
| University of Connecticut | 16 | 16 | 100% |
| Georgetown University | 14 | 14 | 100% |
| Vermont Law School | 12 | 11 | 91.7% |
Out-of-state schools that send graduates to Massachusetts
Each school reports the three states where most of its employed graduates work. These schools outside Massachusetts count it among their top three:
- Roger Williams University (RI): 19 employed 2025 graduates
- University of New Hampshire (NH): 17 employed 2025 graduates
- University of Connecticut (CT): 15 employed 2025 graduates
- Florida A&M University (FL): 3 employed 2025 graduates
- Florida International University (FL): 2 employed 2025 graduates
- University of Houston (TX): 2 employed 2025 graduates
- University of Maine (ME): 2 employed 2025 graduates
Practicing in Massachusetts: Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure · Massachusetts procedural guides · Divorce in Massachusetts.
Check your own numbers against these schools with the LSAT and GPA school finder.
Frequently asked questions
How many law schools are in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 8 ABA-approved law schools: Boston College Law School, Boston University School of Law, Harvard Law School, New England Law | Boston, Northeastern University School of Law, Suffolk University Law School, University of Massachusetts School of Law-Dartmouth, Western New England University School of Law.
Which Massachusetts law school has the highest bar passage rate?
Harvard Law School, where 97.9% of first-time takers passed in 2025.
What is the cheapest law school in Massachusetts?
University of Massachusetts School of Law-Dartmouth, at $33,456 a year in full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 (in-state rate).
What is the hardest law school to get into in Massachusetts?
By acceptance rate, Boston College Law School, which accepted 8.5% of applicants for fall 2025, with a median LSAT of 168.
What is the Massachusetts bar exam pass rate?
In 2025, 85.4% of first-time takers from ABA-approved law schools passed the Massachusetts bar exam, as the ABA reports it.