Michigan State University College of Law
East Lansing, Michigan · Public · ABA-approved since 1941 · Data updated November 2, 2026
Michigan State University College of Law is a public law school in East Lansing, Michigan, approved by the American Bar Association since 1941. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 162, higher than 63% of ABA-approved schools, saw 77.3% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 81.2% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- A median scholarship of $42,682, larger than at 96% of schools.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, Michigan State University received 1,526 completed applications and made 397 offers, an acceptance rate of 26%. 150 students enrolled in the first-year class. The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 158 | 162 | 164 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.47 | 3.73 | 3.87 |
A quarter of the class scored 158 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 164 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 162, 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 $43,868 a year for Michigan residents and $48,610 for everyone else. That is less than 55% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $27,152 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $43,480 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $388 |
| Tuition, full-time, nonresident | $48,222 |
| Fees, full-time, nonresident | $388 |
| Living costs, on campus | $27,152 |
| Living costs, off campus | $27,152 |
| Living costs, at home | $27,152 |
In 2024-25, 100% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $42,682, and the middle half of awards ran from $35,000 to $47,424. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $1,186 a year in tuition and fees, before living costs. That is a rough guide, since awards vary.
| Size of grant, all students | Share of students |
|---|---|
| Less than half tuition | 14% |
| Half to full tuition | 34% |
| Full tuition | 52% |
| 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 $213,060. With the median scholarship every year, about $85,014. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 181 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 140 passed: 77.3%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 74%, so the school finished 3.4 points above that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 other jurisdictions | 40 | 28 | 70% | 81.4% |
| Illinois | 10 | 10 | 100% | 81.1% |
| Michigan | 131 | 102 | 77.9% | 71.3% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 175 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 152 had passed one within two years: 86.9%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 197 2025 graduates, 160 (81.2%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 14 more (7.1%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 8 (4.1%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 197 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 13 (6.6%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Michigan (122), followed by Illinois (11) and Florida (7).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 6 first-year students left Michigan State University: 5 for academic reasons (4%) and 1 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (1%).
Transfers run both ways: 2 first-year students transferred out and 1 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
Michigan State University offered 159 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 73% had fewer than 25 students and 4% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 137 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 131 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 84 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 835 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 19 |
The school reports 53 full-time faculty and 71 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 500 J.D. students, that is about 9 students per full-time faculty member.
How Michigan State University compares in Michigan
Michigan has 5 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, Michigan State University ranks 3rd in median LSAT, 2nd in first-time bar passage, 4th in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 2nd-lowest tuition.
| School | Median LSAT | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan | 171 | $76,680 | 94.2% | 95.9% |
| Wayne State University | 164 | $42,594 | 73.8% | 84.7% |
| Michigan State University | 162 | $43,868 | 77.3% | 81.2% |
| University of Detroit Mercy | 156 | $48,807 | 71.5% | 88.4% |
| Cooley Law School | 147 | $48,040 | 51.5% | 58.7% |
More on each, and on the Michigan bar exam: law schools in Michigan.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to Michigan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State University | 162 | 3.73 | $43,868 | 77.3% | 81.2% |
| University of Oklahoma Norman, OK | 162 | 3.73 | $24,653 | 91.7% | 91.1% |
| Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH | 162 | 3.76 | $65,552 | 77.5% | 75.4% |
| Chicago-Kent College of Law Chicago, IL | 161 | 3.72 | $54,080 | 79.7% | 75.4% |
| University of Missouri Columbia, MO | 161 | 3.72 | $25,503 | 86.2% | 86.4% |
| Loyola Marymount University (Loyola Law School) Los Angeles, CA | 163 | 3.74 | $71,386 | 79.7% | 85.7% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into Michigan State University College of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 162, with the middle half scoring 158 to 164. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.73. The school accepted 26% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at Michigan State University College of Law?
77.3% of Michigan State University graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 74%. Within two years of graduating, 86.9% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does Michigan State University College of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $43,868 a year for Michigan residents and $48,610 for nonresidents. Most students pay less: 100% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $42,682.
Do Michigan State University College of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 81.2% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 7.1% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 4.1% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is Michigan State University College of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. Michigan State University College of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1941, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.