University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law
Honolulu, Hawaii · Public · ABA-approved since 1974 · Data updated November 2, 2026
University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law is a public law school in Honolulu, Hawaii, approved by the American Bar Association since 1974. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 158, higher than 45% of ABA-approved schools, saw 77.1% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 75.5% 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 Hawaii received 1,654 completed applications and made 434 offers, an acceptance rate of 26.2%. 140 students enrolled in the first-year class (87 full-time, 53 part-time). The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 155 | 158 | 162 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.40 | 3.62 | 3.80 |
A quarter of the class scored 155 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 162 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 158, 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.
15 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 $24,076 a year for Hawaii residents and $47,500 for everyone else. That is less than 84% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $27,322 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $23,304 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $772 |
| Tuition, full-time, nonresident | $46,728 |
| Fees, full-time, nonresident | $772 |
| Tuition, part-time, resident | $17,478 |
| Living costs, on campus | $21,026 |
| Living costs, off campus | $27,322 |
| Living costs, at home | $17,676 |
In 2024-25, 73% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $7,000, and the middle half of awards ran from $6,000 to $13,000. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $17,076 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 | 14% |
| Full tuition | 0% |
| More than full tuition | 1% |
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 $154,194. With the median scholarship every year, about $133,194. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 96 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 74 passed: 77.1%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 77.2%, so the school finished within a few points of that average (-0.1 pts).
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 other jurisdictions | 9 | 4 | 44.4% | 78.5% |
| Hawaii | 87 | 70 | 80.5% | 77% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 83 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 75 had passed one within two years: 90.4%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 98 2025 graduates, 74 (75.5%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 9 more (9.2%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 5 (5.1%) were unemployed and looking for work. 1 of the full-time, long-term jobs were funded by the school.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 98 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 0 (0%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Hawaii (82), followed by Colorado (2) and Texas (2).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 3 first-year students left the University of Hawaii: 0 for academic reasons (0%) and 3 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (3%).
Transfers run both ways: 2 first-year students transferred out and 2 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
The University of Hawaii offered 111 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 91% had fewer than 25 students and 0% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 190 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 185 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 88 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 168 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 11 |
The school reports 44 full-time faculty and 65 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 375 J.D. students, that is about 9 students per full-time faculty member.
How the University of Hawaii compares in Hawaii
The University of Hawaii is the only ABA-approved law school in Hawaii (more on law school in Hawaii). The full table compares it with every other school.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to the University of Hawaii'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 Hawaii | 158 | 3.62 | $24,076 | 77.1% | 75.5% |
| DePaul University Chicago, IL | 158 | 3.61 | $55,628 | 83.8% | 81.3% |
| Syracuse University Syracuse, NY | 158 | 3.60 | $66,940 | 84.8% | 71.2% |
| Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA | 157 | 3.62 | $60,118 | 89.7% | 86.8% |
| Mercer University Macon, GA | 157 | 3.62 | $45,082 | 86.5% | 90.1% |
| New York Law School New York, NY | 157 | 3.63 | $73,524 | 86.5% | 74.8% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 158, with the middle half scoring 155 to 162. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.62. The school accepted 26.2% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law?
77.1% of University of Hawaii graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 77.2%. Within two years of graduating, 90.4% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $24,076 a year for Hawaii residents and $47,500 for nonresidents. Most students pay less: 73% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $7,000.
Do University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 75.5% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 9.2% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 5.1% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1974, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.