University of Denver Sturm College of Law
Denver, Colorado · Private · ABA-approved since 1923 · Data updated November 2, 2026
University of Denver Sturm College of Law is a private law school in Denver, Colorado, approved by the American Bar Association since 1923. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 160, higher than 54% of ABA-approved schools, saw 81.5% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 77.2% 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 Denver received 2,214 completed applications and made 915 offers, an acceptance rate of 41.3%. 285 students enrolled in the first-year class (234 full-time, 51 part-time). The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 156 | 160 | 162 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.36 | 3.66 | 3.80 |
A quarter of the class scored 156 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 162 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 160, 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.
1 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 $63,812 a year. That is more than 77% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $27,260 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $63,390 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $422 |
| Tuition, part-time, resident | $46,486 |
| Living costs, on campus | $27,260 |
| Living costs, off campus | $27,260 |
| Living costs, at home | $27,260 |
In 2024-25, 81% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $30,000, and the middle half of awards ran from $23,000 to $41,000. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $33,812 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 | 40% |
| Half to full tuition | 23% |
| Full tuition | 11% |
| More than full tuition | 3% |
Scholarships that can be cut. The University of Denver awards some conditional scholarships, which shrink or end if a student's grades fall below a set mark. Of 178 students who entered in 2024-25 with one, 0 had it reduced or eliminated (0%). For students who entered in 2023-24 the figure was 3 of 165. Ask any school that offers you one exactly what you must do to keep it.
Three years, roughly. At 2025-26 prices, three years of full-time tuition and fees plus off-campus living costs come to about $273,216. With the median scholarship every year, about $183,216. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 286 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 233 passed: 81.5%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 80.3%, so the school finished within a few points of that average (+1.2 pts).
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 other jurisdictions | 34 | 26 | 76.5% | 80% |
| Colorado | 252 | 207 | 82.1% | 80.2% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 251 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 241 had passed one within two years: 96%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 285 2025 graduates, 220 (77.2%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 17 more (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. 24 (8.4%) were unemployed and looking for work. 2 of the full-time, long-term jobs were funded by the school.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 285 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 34 (11.9%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Colorado (213), followed by District of Columbia (5) and New York (5).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 5 first-year students left the University of Denver: 2 for academic reasons (1%) and 3 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (1%).
Transfers run both ways: 12 first-year students transferred out and 5 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
The University of Denver offered 183 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 0% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 256 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 207 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 723 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 500 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 17 |
The school reports 69 full-time faculty and 95 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 851 J.D. students, that is about 12 students per full-time faculty member.
How the University of Denver compares in Colorado
Colorado has 2 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, the University of Denver ranks 2nd in median LSAT, 2nd in first-time bar passage, 2nd in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 2nd-lowest tuition.
| School | Median LSAT | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado | 164 | $37,325 | 89.7% | 93% |
| University of Denver | 160 | $63,812 | 81.5% | 77.2% |
More on each, and on the Colorado bar exam: law schools in Colorado.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to the University of Denver'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 Denver | 160 | 3.66 | $63,812 | 81.5% | 77.2% |
| Georgia State University Atlanta, GA | 160 | 3.64 | $17,596 | 87.4% | 88.7% |
| Tulane University New Orleans, LA | 161 | 3.67 | $74,756 | 76.1% | 84.1% |
| Catholic University of America Washington, DC | 161 | 3.68 | $63,280 | 90.4% | 79.6% |
| University of Oregon Eugene, OR | 160 | 3.62 | $48,612 | 79.2% | 82.4% |
| Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX | 159 | 3.69 | $27,532 | 95.5% | 91.9% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into University of Denver Sturm College of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 160, with the middle half scoring 156 to 162. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.66. The school accepted 41.3% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at University of Denver Sturm College of Law?
81.5% of University of Denver graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 80.3%. Within two years of graduating, 96% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does University of Denver Sturm College of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $63,812 a year. Most students pay less: 81% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $30,000.
Do University of Denver Sturm College of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 77.2% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 6% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 8.4% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is University of Denver Sturm College of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. University of Denver Sturm 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.