University at Buffalo School of Law
Buffalo, New York · Public · ABA-approved since 1936 · Data updated November 2, 2026
University at Buffalo School of Law is a public law school in Buffalo, New York, approved by the American Bar Association since 1936. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 157, higher than 38% of ABA-approved schools, saw 88.5% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 91.2% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- 10% of first-year students left during the year, a higher share than at 13% of schools.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, the University at Buffalo received 977 completed applications and made 414 offers, an acceptance rate of 42.4%. 167 students enrolled in the first-year class. The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 155 | 157 | 161 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.51 | 3.71 | 3.88 |
A quarter of the class scored 155 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 161 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 157, 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.
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 $29,750 a year for New York residents and $35,420 for everyone else. That is less than 74% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $24,814 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $26,430 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $3,320 |
| Tuition, full-time, nonresident | $32,100 |
| Fees, full-time, nonresident | $3,320 |
| Living costs, on campus | $24,814 |
| Living costs, off campus | $24,814 |
| Living costs, at home | $24,814 |
In 2024-25, 51% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $7,500, and the middle half of awards ran from $3,500 to $11,500. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $22,250 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 | 41% |
| Half to full tuition | 11% |
| Full tuition | 0% |
| 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 at the in-state rate plus off-campus living costs come to about $163,692. With the median scholarship every year, about $141,192. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 130 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 115 passed: 88.5%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 87.2%, so the school finished within a few points of that average (+1.2 pts).
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 other jurisdiction | 1 | 1 | 100% | 82.7% |
| New York | 129 | 114 | 88.4% | 87.3% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 156 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 140 had passed one within two years: 89.7%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 137 2025 graduates, 125 (91.2%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 5 more (3.6%) 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 (4.4%) were unemployed and looking for work. 3 of the full-time, long-term jobs were funded by the school.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 137 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 14 (10.2%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in New York (125), followed by California (1) and District of Columbia (1).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 15 first-year students left the University at Buffalo: 12 for academic reasons (8%) and 3 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (2%).
Transfers run both ways: 5 first-year students transferred out and 0 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
The University at Buffalo offered 134 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 81% had fewer than 25 students and 1% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 162 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 116 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 69 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 331 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 2 |
The school reports 65 full-time faculty and 62 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 430 J.D. students, that is about 7 students per full-time faculty member.
How the University at Buffalo compares in New York
New York has 15 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, the University at Buffalo ranks 10th in median LSAT, 5th in first-time bar passage, 4th in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 2nd-lowest tuition.
| School | Median LSAT | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia University | 173 | $88,390 | 94.7% | 96.5% |
| Cornell University | 173 | $85,412 | 93.7% | 99.5% |
| New York University | 172 | $87,214 | 96.9% | 98.1% |
| Fordham University | 168 | $79,248 | 90.8% | 85.5% |
| Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University | 165 | $76,458 | 87.8% | 89.1% |
| St. John's University | 164 | $76,742 | 87.5% | 90.4% |
| Brooklyn Law School | 161 | $76,946 | 85.5% | 84.6% |
| Albany Law School | 158 | $64,234 | 86.7% | 88.5% |
| Syracuse University | 158 | $66,940 | 84.8% | 71.2% |
| Hofstra University | 157 | $74,860 | 79.2% | 86.3% |
| New York Law School | 157 | $73,524 | 86.5% | 74.8% |
| University at Buffalo | 157 | $29,750 | 88.5% | 91.2% |
| City University of New York | 155 | $16,013 | 69% | 73.4% |
| Pace University | 154 | $57,756 | 65.2% | 80.8% |
| Touro University | 153 | $62,150 | 67.9% | 75.2% |
More on each, and on the New York bar exam: law schools in New York.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to the University at Buffalo'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University at Buffalo | 157 | 3.71 | $29,750 | 88.5% | 91.2% |
| University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR | 158 | 3.71 | $18,773 | 80% | 73.1% |
| University of Mississippi University, MS | 157 | 3.68 | $19,957 | 78.2% | 81.8% |
| Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA | 157 | 3.74 | $23,665 | 85.4% | 83.8% |
| Marquette University Milwaukee, WI | 158 | 3.70 | $51,970 | — | 88.6% |
| University of Maine Portland, ME | 158 | 3.70 | $30,160 | 85.1% | 71.6% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into University at Buffalo School of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 157, with the middle half scoring 155 to 161. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.71. The school accepted 42.4% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at University at Buffalo School of Law?
88.5% of University at Buffalo graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 87.2%. Within two years of graduating, 89.7% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does University at Buffalo School of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $29,750 a year for New York residents and $35,420 for nonresidents. Most students pay less: 51% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $7,500.
Do University at Buffalo School of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 91.2% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 3.6% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 4.4% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is University at Buffalo School of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. University at Buffalo School of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1936, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.