Law Schools in Texas
10 ABA-approved schools · ABA disclosures · updated November 2, 2026
Texas has ten ABA-approved law schools: six public and four private. Median LSAT scores for the class that entered in fall 2025 run from 150 at Texas Southern University to 172 at the University of Texas.
Texas law schools compared
| School | Median LSAT | Median GPA | Accepted | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Texas School of Law Austin · Public | 172 | 3.89 | 14% | $38,236 | 96.4% | 95.8% |
| Texas A&M University School of Law Fort Worth · Public | 169 | 4.00 | 12.1% | $32,634 | 95.3% | 95.2% |
| SMU Dedman School of Law Dallas · Private | 167 | 3.81 | 24.6% | $68,686 | 97.8% | 94.7% |
| Baylor Law School Waco · Private | 164 | 3.77 | 20.6% | $67,547 | 93.7% | 95.5% |
| University of Houston Law Center Houston · Public | 163 | 3.79 | 23% | $39,222 | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| Texas Tech University School of Law Lubbock · Public | 159 | 3.69 | 25.6% | $27,532 | 95.5% | 91.9% |
| South Texas College of Law Houston Houston · Private | 155 | 3.41 | 33.6% | $44,960 | 85.6% | 81.9% |
| St. Mary's University School of Law San Antonio · Private | 153 | 3.49 | 26% | $46,310 | 84.6% | 80.6% |
| University of North Texas Dallas College of Law Dallas · Public | 153 | 3.41 | 24.2% | $18,761 | 79.7% | 71.7% |
| Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law Houston · Public | 150 | 3.33 | 33.1% | $21,038 | 62.9% | 54.3% |
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.
Southern Methodist University had the highest first-time bar passage rate, 97.8%. The University of Texas placed the largest share of 2025 graduates in lawyer jobs, 95.8%. Texas A&M University was the hardest to get into, accepting 12.1% of applicants. The University of North Texas at Dallas charged the least, about $18,761.
The Texas bar exam
In 2025, 82.7% of graduates of ABA-approved law schools who took the Texas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Texas College of Law Houston | 283 | 242 | 85.5% |
| University of Texas | 240 | 231 | 96.2% |
| University of Houston | 234 | 197 | 84.2% |
| St. Mary's University | 225 | 190 | 84.4% |
| Southern Methodist University | 212 | 207 | 97.6% |
| Texas Southern University | 155 | 97 | 62.6% |
| Texas Tech University | 127 | 121 | 95.3% |
| University of North Texas at Dallas | 121 | 97 | 80.2% |
| Texas A&M University | 116 | 110 | 94.8% |
| Baylor University | 105 | 98 | 93.3% |
| Tulane University | 42 | 35 | 83.3% |
| University of Oklahoma | 41 | 35 | 85.4% |
| Louisiana State University | 30 | 24 | 80% |
| University of Virginia | 28 | 27 | 96.4% |
| Southern University | 26 | 16 | 61.5% |
Out-of-state schools that send graduates to Texas
Each school reports the three states where most of its employed graduates work. These schools outside Texas count it among their top three:
- University of Oklahoma (OK): 42 employed 2025 graduates
- Tulane University (LA): 38 employed 2025 graduates
- Louisiana State University (LA): 29 employed 2025 graduates
- Emory University (GA): 15 employed 2025 graduates
- Oklahoma City University (OK): 15 employed 2025 graduates
- Mitchell Hamline School of Law (MN): 12 employed 2025 graduates
- Brigham Young University (UT): 11 employed 2025 graduates
- Syracuse University (NY): 11 employed 2025 graduates
- Southern University (LA): 10 employed 2025 graduates
- University of Tulsa (OK): 10 employed 2025 graduates
Practicing in Texas: Texas Rules of Civil Procedure · Texas procedural guides · Divorce in Texas.
Check your own numbers against these schools with the LSAT and GPA school finder.
Frequently asked questions
How many law schools are in Texas?
Texas has 10 ABA-approved law schools: Baylor Law School, SMU Dedman School of Law, South Texas College of Law Houston, St. Mary's University School of Law, Texas A&M University School of Law, Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Tech University School of Law, University of Houston Law Center, University of North Texas Dallas College of Law, University of Texas School of Law.
Which Texas law school has the highest bar passage rate?
SMU Dedman School of Law, where 97.8% of first-time takers passed in 2025.
What is the cheapest law school in Texas?
University of North Texas Dallas College of Law, at about $18,761 a year in full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 (in-state rate).
What is the hardest law school to get into in Texas?
By acceptance rate, Texas A&M University School of Law, which accepted 12.1% of applicants for fall 2025, with a median LSAT of 169.
What is the Texas bar exam pass rate?
In 2025, 82.7% of first-time takers from ABA-approved law schools passed the Texas bar exam, as the ABA reports it.