Suffolk University Law School
Boston, Massachusetts · Private · ABA-approved since 1953 · Data updated November 2, 2026
Suffolk University Law School is a private law school in Boston, Massachusetts, approved by the American Bar Association since 1953. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 155, higher than 25% of ABA-approved schools, saw 80.8% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 76.3% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- It accepted 61.9% of applicants, more than 96% of schools did.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, Suffolk University received 3,481 completed applications and made 2,153 offers, an acceptance rate of 61.9%. 544 students enrolled in the first-year class (458 full-time, 86 part-time). The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 152 | 155 | 159 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.37 | 3.58 | 3.79 |
A quarter of the class scored 152 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 159 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 155, 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.
7 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 $64,046 a year. That is more than 78% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $34,706 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $62,610 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $1,436 |
| Tuition, part-time, resident | $46,958 |
| Living costs, on campus | $34,706 |
| Living costs, off campus | $34,706 |
In 2024-25, 83% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $22,445, and the middle half of awards ran from $10,000 to $40,000. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $41,601 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 | 54% |
| Half to full tuition | 24% |
| Full tuition | 2% |
| 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 $296,256. With the median scholarship every year, about $228,921. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 348 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 281 passed: 80.8%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 84.3%, so the school finished 3.6 points below that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 other jurisdictions | 37 | 27 | 73% | 76.8% |
| Massachusetts | 299 | 244 | 81.6% | 85.4% |
| New York | 12 | 10 | 83.3% | 87.3% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 336 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 307 had passed one within two years: 91.4%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 358 2025 graduates, 273 (76.3%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 41 more (11.5%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 17 (4.7%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 358 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 40 (11.2%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Massachusetts (263), followed by New York (8) and Maine (6).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 19 first-year students left Suffolk University: 3 for academic reasons (1%) and 16 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (4%).
Transfers run both ways: 1 first-year students transferred out and 2 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
Suffolk University offered 191 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 78% had fewer than 25 students and 4% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 276 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 260 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 216 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 1,242 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 30 |
The school reports 81 full-time faculty and 97 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 1,337 J.D. students, that is about 17 students per full-time faculty member.
How Suffolk University compares in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has 8 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, Suffolk University ranks 5th in median LSAT, 5th in first-time bar passage, 5th in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 4th-lowest tuition.
| School | Median LSAT | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard University | 174 | $82,352 | 97.9% | 93.2% |
| Boston University | 170 | $71,382 | 94.9% | 92.1% |
| Boston College | 168 | $72,755 | 96.2% | 92.5% |
| Northeastern University | 164 | $65,850 | 90.5% | 82.2% |
| Suffolk University | 155 | $64,046 | 80.8% | 76.3% |
| New England Law | Boston | 153 | $63,216 | 73.9% | 51.4% |
| Western New England University | 153 | $53,020 | 68% | 56% |
| University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | 152 | $33,456 | 62.6% | 68.4% |
More on each, and on the Massachusetts bar exam: law schools in Massachusetts.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to Suffolk 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk University | 155 | 3.58 | $64,046 | 80.8% | 76.3% |
| Indiana University Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN | 155 | 3.58 | $32,083 | 80.4% | 75.9% |
| Gonzaga University Spokane, WA | 155 | 3.55 | $58,787 | 85.8% | 78.3% |
| City University of New York Long Island City, NY | 155 | 3.54 | $16,013 | 69% | 73.4% |
| University of Wyoming Laramie, WY | 156 | 3.55 | $19,244 | 83% | 85.9% |
| Liberty University Lynchburg, VA | 154 | 3.54 | $45,348 | 85.3% | 88% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into Suffolk University Law School?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 155, with the middle half scoring 152 to 159. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.58. The school accepted 61.9% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at Suffolk University Law School?
80.8% of Suffolk University graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 84.3%. Within two years of graduating, 91.4% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does Suffolk University Law School cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $64,046 a year. Most students pay less: 83% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $22,445.
Do Suffolk University Law School graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 76.3% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 11.5% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 4.7% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is Suffolk University Law School ABA-accredited?
Yes. Suffolk University Law School has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1953, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.