Law Schools in Pennsylvania
8 ABA-approved schools · ABA disclosures · updated November 2, 2026
Pennsylvania has eight ABA-approved law schools: three public and five private. Median LSAT scores for the class that entered in fall 2025 run from 150 at Widener University Commonwealth Law School to 173 at the University of Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania law schools compared
| School | Median LSAT | Median GPA | Accepted | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School Philadelphia · Private | 173 | 3.95 | 8.1% | $84,492 | 94.4% | 97.2% |
| Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law Philadelphia · Public | 165 | 3.76 | 24.4% | $34,137 | 89% | 88.2% |
| Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law Villanova · Private | 164 | 3.80 | 25.9% | $60,750 | 90% | 90.8% |
| Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law Philadelphia · Private | 160 | 3.76 | 29.6% | $58,850 | 84.2% | 85.7% |
| University of Pittsburgh School of Law Pittsburgh · Public | 160 | 3.54 | 34.9% | $41,633 | 93% | 82% |
| Penn State Dickinson Law Carlisle · Public | 159 | 3.71 | 43% | $60,479 | 87.6% | 83.4% |
| Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University Pittsburgh · Private | 157 | 3.62 | 43.2% | $60,118 | 89.7% | 86.8% |
| Widener University Commonwealth Law School Harrisburg · Private | 150 | 3.33 | 60.4% | $56,900 | 68.9% | 77.1% |
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 Pennsylvania had the highest first-time bar passage rate, 94.4%. The University of Pennsylvania placed the largest share of 2025 graduates in lawyer jobs, 97.2%. The University of Pennsylvania was the hardest to get into, accepting 8.1% of applicants. Temple University charged the least, $34,137.
The Pennsylvania bar exam
In 2025, 79.7% of graduates of ABA-approved law schools who took the Pennsylvania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temple University | 157 | 136 | 86.6% |
| Duquesne University | 126 | 117 | 92.9% |
| Villanova University | 116 | 106 | 91.4% |
| Drexel University | 103 | 88 | 85.4% |
| Penn State Dickinson Law | 103 | 95 | 92.2% |
| University of Pittsburgh | 98 | 91 | 92.9% |
| Widener University Delaware Law School | 92 | 68 | 73.9% |
| Widener University Commonwealth Law School | 79 | 62 | 78.5% |
| Rutgers University | 56 | 42 | 75% |
| University of Pennsylvania | 44 | 41 | 93.2% |
| Georgetown University | 15 | 15 | 100% |
Out-of-state schools that send graduates to Pennsylvania
Each school reports the three states where most of its employed graduates work. These schools outside Pennsylvania count it among their top three:
- Widener University Delaware Law School (DE): 71 employed 2025 graduates
- Rutgers University (NJ): 46 employed 2025 graduates
- University of Akron (OH): 8 employed 2025 graduates
- New York Law School (NY): 6 employed 2025 graduates
- West Virginia University (WV): 6 employed 2025 graduates
- Case Western Reserve University (OH): 4 employed 2025 graduates
- Brooklyn Law School (NY): 3 employed 2025 graduates
- Southwestern Law School (CA): 3 employed 2025 graduates
- Texas A&M University (TX): 3 employed 2025 graduates
- University of Tulsa (OK): 3 employed 2025 graduates
Practicing in Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure · Pennsylvania procedural guides · Divorce in Pennsylvania.
Check your own numbers against these schools with the LSAT and GPA school finder.
Frequently asked questions
How many law schools are in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has 8 ABA-approved law schools: Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, Penn State Dickinson Law, Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, Widener University Commonwealth Law School.
Which Pennsylvania law school has the highest bar passage rate?
University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where 94.4% of first-time takers passed in 2025.
What is the cheapest law school in Pennsylvania?
Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, at $34,137 a year in full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 (in-state rate).
What is the hardest law school to get into in Pennsylvania?
By acceptance rate, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, which accepted 8.1% of applicants for fall 2025, with a median LSAT of 173.
What is the Pennsylvania bar exam pass rate?
In 2025, 79.7% of first-time takers from ABA-approved law schools passed the Pennsylvania bar exam, as the ABA reports it.