Seton Hall University School of Law
Newark, New Jersey · Private · ABA-approved since 1951 · Data updated November 2, 2026
Seton Hall University School of Law is a private law school in Newark, New Jersey, approved by the American Bar Association since 1951. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 161, higher than 57% of ABA-approved schools, saw 87.1% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 87% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- First-time bar passage 12.8 points above the average for the states where its graduates sat.
- A median scholarship of $40,000, larger than at 89% of schools.
- Tuition and fees of $71,550, more than 86% of schools charge.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, Seton Hall University received 2,714 completed applications and made 930 offers, an acceptance rate of 34.3%. 302 students enrolled in the first-year class (266 full-time, 36 part-time). The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 158 | 161 | 164 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.51 | 3.71 | 3.86 |
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, 161, 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.
2 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 $71,550 a year. That is more than 86% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $28,548 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $69,660 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $1,890 |
| Tuition, part-time, resident | $52,270 |
| Living costs, off campus | $28,548 |
| Living costs, at home | $9,900 |
In 2024-25, 90% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $40,000, and the middle half of awards ran from $20,500 to $60,000. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $31,550 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 | 37% |
| Half to full tuition | 50% |
| Full tuition | 1% |
| 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 $300,294. With the median scholarship every year, about $180,294. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 202 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 176 passed: 87.1%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 74.4%, so the school finished a full 12.8 points above that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 156 | 136 | 87.2% | 71.1% |
| New York | 37 | 32 | 86.5% | 87.3% |
| 8 other jurisdictions | 9 | 8 | 88.9% | 79.7% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 237 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 221 had passed one within two years: 93.2%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 207 2025 graduates, 180 (87%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 8 more (3.9%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 4 (1.9%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 207 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 37 (17.9%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in New Jersey (150), followed by New York (38) and Florida (3).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 20 first-year students left Seton Hall University: 14 for academic reasons (5%) and 6 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (2%).
Transfers run both ways: 10 first-year students transferred out and 2 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
Seton Hall University offered 153 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 77% had fewer than 25 students and 3% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 119 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 119 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 205 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 902 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 62 |
The school reports 58 full-time faculty and 81 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 822 J.D. students, that is about 14 students per full-time faculty member.
How Seton Hall University compares in New Jersey
New Jersey has 2 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, Seton Hall University ranks first in median LSAT, first in first-time bar passage, first in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 2nd-lowest tuition.
| School | Median LSAT | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seton Hall University | 161 | $71,550 | 87.1% | 87% |
| Rutgers University | 158 | $35,607 | 79.1% | 85.3% |
More on each, and on the New Jersey bar exam: law schools in New Jersey.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to Seton Hall 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seton Hall University | 161 | 3.71 | $71,550 | 87.1% | 87% |
| UC Law San Francisco San Francisco, CA | 161 | 3.71 | $54,329 | 86.2% | 87% |
| Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL | 161 | 3.70 | $59,666 | 85.7% | 79.7% |
| 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% |
| Catholic University of America Washington, DC | 161 | 3.68 | $63,280 | 90.4% | 79.6% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into Seton Hall University School of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 161, with the middle half scoring 158 to 164. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.71. The school accepted 34.3% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at Seton Hall University School of Law?
87.1% of Seton Hall University graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 74.4%. Within two years of graduating, 93.2% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does Seton Hall University School of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $71,550 a year. Most students pay less: 90% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $40,000.
Do Seton Hall University School of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 87% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 3.9% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 1.9% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is Seton Hall University School of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. Seton Hall University School of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1951, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.