Northern Illinois University College of Law
DeKalb, Illinois · Public · ABA-approved since 1978 · Data updated November 2, 2026
Northern Illinois University College of Law is a public law school in DeKalb, Illinois, approved by the American Bar Association since 1978. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 150, higher than 4% of ABA-approved schools, saw 61.9% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 70.1% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- A median LSAT of 150, lower than 93% of ABA-approved schools.
- First-time bar passage 18.7 points below the average for the states where its graduates sat.
- 70.1% of 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs, fewer than at 88% of schools.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, Northern Illinois University received 951 completed applications and made 421 offers, an acceptance rate of 44.3%. 134 students enrolled in the first-year class. The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 148 | 150 | 154 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.17 | 3.41 | 3.64 |
A quarter of the class scored 148 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 154 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 150, 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 $24,067 a year. That is less than 84% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $22,742 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $23,667 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $400 |
| Living costs, on campus | $22,742 |
| Living costs, off campus | $22,742 |
| Living costs, at home | $22,742 |
In 2024-25, 78% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $8,274, and the middle half of awards ran from $4,137 to $12,411. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $15,793 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 | 52% |
| Half to full tuition | 25% |
| 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 plus off-campus living costs come to about $140,427. With the median scholarship every year, about $115,605. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 105 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 65 passed: 61.9%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 80.6%, so the school finished a full 18.7 points below that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 89 | 58 | 65.2% | 81.1% |
| 10 other jurisdictions | 16 | 7 | 43.8% | 79.7% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 92 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 76 had passed one within two years: 82.6%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 107 2025 graduates, 75 (70.1%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 6 more (5.6%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 11 (10.3%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 107 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 1 (0.9%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Illinois (70), followed by Indiana (3) and Texas (3).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 8 first-year students left Northern Illinois University: 8 for academic reasons (7%) and 0 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (0%).
Transfers run both ways: 1 first-year students transferred out and 4 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
Northern Illinois University offered 77 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 62% had fewer than 25 students and 4% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 91 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 43 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 77 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 156 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 2 |
The school reports 26 full-time faculty and 22 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 352 J.D. students, that is about 14 students per full-time faculty member.
How Northern Illinois University compares in Illinois
Illinois has 9 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, Northern Illinois University ranks 8th in median LSAT, 9th in first-time bar passage, 9th in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 2nd-lowest tuition.
| School | Median LSAT | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | 174 | $84,906 | 96.7% | 96.8% |
| Northwestern University | 173 | $80,633 | 91.8% | 92% |
| University of Illinois | 166 | $39,904 | 93.2% | 92.2% |
| Chicago-Kent College of Law | 161 | $54,080 | 79.7% | 75.4% |
| Loyola University Chicago | 161 | $59,666 | 85.7% | 79.7% |
| DePaul University | 158 | $55,628 | 83.8% | 81.3% |
| University of Illinois Chicago | 153 | $42,080 | 68.8% | 71.2% |
| Northern Illinois University | 150 | $24,067 | 61.9% | 70.1% |
| Southern Illinois University | 149 | $22,088 | 74.2% | 73% |
More on each, and on the Illinois bar exam: law schools in Illinois.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to Northern Illinois 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Illinois University | 150 | 3.41 | $24,067 | 61.9% | 70.1% |
| Roger Williams University Bristol, RI | 150 | 3.43 | $49,090 | 65.2% | 69.2% |
| Capital University Law School Columbus, OH | 151 | 3.44 | $45,456 | 73.7% | 71.9% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL | 149 | 3.38 | $22,088 | 74.2% | 73% |
| St. Thomas University (Miami) Miami Gardens, FL | 152 | 3.42 | $47,578 | 87.1% | 77.8% |
| Mississippi Christian University Jackson, MS | 152 | 3.37 | $39,642 | 81.6% | 90.3% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into Northern Illinois University College of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 150, with the middle half scoring 148 to 154. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.41. The school accepted 44.3% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at Northern Illinois University College of Law?
61.9% of Northern Illinois University graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 80.6%. Within two years of graduating, 82.6% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does Northern Illinois University College of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $24,067 a year. Most students pay less: 78% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $8,274.
Do Northern Illinois University College of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 70.1% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 5.6% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 10.3% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is Northern Illinois University College of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. Northern Illinois University College of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1978, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.