University of Cincinnati College of Law
Cincinnati, Ohio · Public · ABA-approved since 1923 · Data updated November 2, 2026
University of Cincinnati College of Law is a public law school in Cincinnati, Ohio, approved by the American Bar Association since 1923. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 159, higher than 49% of ABA-approved schools, saw 85.1% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 82.7% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, the University of Cincinnati received 1,353 completed applications and made 443 offers, an acceptance rate of 32.7%. 139 students enrolled in the first-year class. The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 156 | 159 | 161 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.64 | 3.80 | 3.91 |
A quarter of the class scored 156 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 161 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 159, 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 $24,810 a year for Ohio residents and $29,810 for everyone else. That is less than 83% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $25,956 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $24,010 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $800 |
| Tuition, full-time, nonresident | $29,010 |
| Fees, full-time, nonresident | $800 |
| Living costs, on campus | $25,956 |
| Living costs, off campus | $25,956 |
| Living costs, at home | $25,956 |
In 2024-25, 100% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $19,000, and the middle half of awards ran from $11,700 to $23,400. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $5,810 a year in tuition and fees, before living costs. That is a rough guide, since awards vary.
| Size of grant, all students | Share of students |
|---|---|
| Less than half tuition | 32% |
| Half to full tuition | 57% |
| Full tuition | 3% |
| More than full tuition | 7% |
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 $152,298. With the median scholarship every year, about $95,298. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 121 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 103 passed: 85.1%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 78.6%, so the school finished 6.5 points above that average.
1 more graduates were admitted to practice through an alternative pathway without a bar exam; counting them, the rate is 85.2%.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 other jurisdictions | 23 | 22 | 95.7% | 81.9% |
| Ohio | 98 | 81 | 82.7% | 77.9% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 121 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 115 had passed one within two years: 95%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 127 2025 graduates, 105 (82.7%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 10 more (7.9%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 10 (7.9%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 127 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 19 (15%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Ohio (79), followed by Kentucky (8) and New York (3).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 3 first-year students left the University of Cincinnati: 0 for academic reasons (0%) and 3 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (3%).
Transfers run both ways: 1 first-year students transferred out and 0 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
The University of Cincinnati offered 146 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 80% had fewer than 25 students and 3% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 64 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 62 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 137 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 219 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 5 |
The school reports 57 full-time faculty and 73 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 398 J.D. students, that is about 7 students per full-time faculty member.
How the University of Cincinnati compares in Ohio
Ohio has 9 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, the University of Cincinnati ranks 3rd in median LSAT, 3rd in first-time bar passage, 3rd in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and the lowest tuition.
| School | Median LSAT | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Ohio State University | 168 | $37,263 | 93.1% | 88.5% |
| Case Western Reserve University | 162 | $65,552 | 77.5% | 75.4% |
| University of Cincinnati | 159 | $24,810 | 85.1% | 82.7% |
| University of Dayton | 157 | $41,914 | 87.5% | 73.9% |
| Cleveland State University | 155 | $31,566 | 72.7% | 72.7% |
| University of Akron | 154 | $26,649 | 70.2% | 78.9% |
| University of Toledo | 153 | $29,598 | 77.4% | 62.8% |
| Capital University Law School | 151 | $45,456 | 73.7% | 71.9% |
| Ohio Northern University | 149 | $33,900 | 56.4% | 83.7% |
More on each, and on the Ohio bar exam: law schools in Ohio.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to the University of Cincinnati'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 of Cincinnati | 159 | 3.80 | $24,810 | 85.1% | 82.7% |
| University of Nebraska Lincoln, NE | 160 | 3.81 | $18,102 | 84.9% | 86% |
| Drexel University Philadelphia, PA | 160 | 3.76 | $58,850 | 84.2% | 85.7% |
| University of Nevada, Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV | 160 | 3.76 | $33,128 | 83.5% | 88.9% |
| Florida International University Miami, FL | 161 | 3.80 | $21,129 | 85.9% | 84.1% |
| Belmont University Nashville, TN | 161 | 3.84 | $57,705 | 96.5% | 87.3% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into University of Cincinnati College of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 159, with the middle half scoring 156 to 161. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.80. The school accepted 32.7% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at University of Cincinnati College of Law?
85.1% of University of Cincinnati graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 78.6%. Within two years of graduating, 95% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does University of Cincinnati College of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $24,810 a year for Ohio residents and $29,810 for nonresidents. Most students pay less: 100% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $19,000.
Do University of Cincinnati College of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 82.7% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 7.9% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 7.9% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is University of Cincinnati College of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. University of Cincinnati College of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1923, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.