Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law
Highland Heights, Kentucky · Public · ABA-approved since 1954 · Data updated November 2, 2026
Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law is a public law school in Highland Heights, Kentucky, approved by the American Bar Association since 1954. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 154, higher than 20% of ABA-approved schools, saw 76.2% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 68.8% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- It accepted 58.7% of applicants, more than 91% of schools did.
- 68.8% of 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs, fewer than at 91% of schools.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, Northern Kentucky University received 661 completed applications and made 388 offers, an acceptance rate of 58.7%. 155 students enrolled in the first-year class (128 full-time, 27 part-time). The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 152 | 154 | 157 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.15 | 3.41 | 3.68 |
A quarter of the class scored 152 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 157 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 154, 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.
4 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 $25,392 a year for Kentucky residents and $39,458 for everyone else. That is less than 82% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $20,932 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $24,388 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $1,004 |
| Tuition, full-time, nonresident | $38,454 |
| Fees, full-time, nonresident | $1,004 |
| Tuition, part-time, resident | $20,636 |
| Living costs, on campus | $16,212 |
| Living costs, off campus | $20,932 |
| Living costs, at home | $20,932 |
In 2024-25, 66% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $18,000, and the middle half of awards ran from $10,000 to $25,000. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $7,392 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 | 25% |
| Half to full tuition | 32% |
| Full tuition | 0% |
| More than full tuition | 1% |
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 $138,972. With the median scholarship every year, about $84,972. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 84 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 64 passed: 76.2%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 78.6%, so the school finished within a few points of that average (-2.4 pts).
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 other jurisdictions | 7 | 6 | 85.7% | 80.2% |
| Kentucky | 44 | 34 | 77.3% | 78.8% |
| Ohio | 33 | 24 | 72.7% | 77.9% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 99 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 92 had passed one within two years: 92.9%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 96 2025 graduates, 66 (68.8%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 12 more (12.5%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 6 (6.2%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 96 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 11 (11.5%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Kentucky (41), followed by Ohio (37) and Indiana (2).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 13 first-year students left Northern Kentucky University: 10 for academic reasons (6%) and 3 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (2%).
Transfers run both ways: 3 first-year students transferred out and 0 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
Northern Kentucky University offered 78 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 69% had fewer than 25 students and 0% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 42 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 30 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 93 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 152 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 3 |
The school reports 24 full-time faculty and 40 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 412 J.D. students, that is about 17 students per full-time faculty member.
How Northern Kentucky University compares in Kentucky
Kentucky has 3 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, Northern Kentucky University ranks 3rd in median LSAT, 3rd in first-time bar passage, 3rd in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and the lowest tuition.
| School | Median LSAT | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kentucky | 159 | $27,301 | 79.8% | 89.6% |
| University of Louisville | 157 | $28,396 | 84.5% | 89.1% |
| Northern Kentucky University | 154 | $25,392 | 76.2% | 68.8% |
More on each, and on the Kentucky bar exam: law schools in Kentucky.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to Northern Kentucky 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 Kentucky University | 154 | 3.41 | $25,392 | 76.2% | 68.8% |
| Elon University Greensboro, NC | 154 | 3.40 | $45,333 | 69.9% | 82.2% |
| South Texas College of Law Houston Houston, TX | 155 | 3.41 | $44,960 | 85.6% | 81.9% |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, AR | 153 | 3.41 | $17,474 | 78.9% | 75% |
| University of North Texas at Dallas Dallas, TX | 153 | 3.41 | $18,761 | 79.7% | 71.7% |
| University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL | 153 | 3.40 | $42,080 | 68.8% | 71.2% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 154, with the middle half scoring 152 to 157. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.41. The school accepted 58.7% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law?
76.2% of Northern Kentucky University graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 78.6%. Within two years of graduating, 92.9% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $25,392 a year for Kentucky residents and $39,458 for nonresidents. Most students pay less: 66% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $18,000.
Do Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 68.8% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 12.5% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 6.2% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1954, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.