University of Illinois Chicago School of Law
Chicago, Illinois · Public · ABA-approved since 1951 · Data updated November 2, 2026
University of Illinois Chicago School of Law is a public law school in Chicago, Illinois, approved by the American Bar Association since 1951. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 153, higher than 15% of ABA-approved schools, saw 68.8% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 71.2% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- 47% of students who entered with a conditional scholarship in 2024-25 had it cut or taken away.
- First-time bar passage 12.2 points below the average for the states where its graduates sat.
- 71.2% of 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs, fewer than at 86% of schools.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, the University of Illinois Chicago received 2,488 completed applications and made 1,308 offers, an acceptance rate of 52.6%. 379 students enrolled in the first-year class (302 full-time, 77 part-time). The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 150 | 153 | 156 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.13 | 3.40 | 3.64 |
A quarter of the class scored 150 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 156 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 153, 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.
13 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
The University of Illinois Chicago charges tuition by the credit hour: $1,248 a credit for Illinois residents and $1,560 for everyone else, plus $4,640 in annual fees. The degree takes 90 credits, so a full-time year of about 30 credits comes to roughly $42,080 ($51,440 out of state). That is less than 57% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $24,976 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition per credit hour, full-time, resident | $1,248 |
| Annual fees, resident | $4,640 |
| Tuition per credit hour, full-time, nonresident | $1,560 |
| Annual fees, nonresident | $4,640 |
| Living costs, on campus | $24,976 |
| Living costs, off campus | $24,976 |
| Living costs, at home | $7,226 |
In 2024-25, 62% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $23,250, and the middle half of awards ran from $9,000 to $33,750. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $18,830 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 | 27% |
| Half to full tuition | 33% |
| Full tuition | 1% |
| More than full tuition | 0% |
Scholarships that can be cut. The University of Illinois Chicago awards some conditional scholarships, which shrink or end if a student's grades fall below a set mark. Of 162 students who entered in 2024-25 with one, 76 had it reduced or eliminated (47%). For students who entered in 2023-24 the figure was 68 of 139. 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 at the in-state rate plus off-campus living costs come to about $201,168. With the median scholarship every year, about $131,418. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 279 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 192 passed: 68.8%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 81.1%, so the school finished a full 12.2 points below that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 other jurisdictions | 24 | 16 | 66.7% | 81% |
| Illinois | 255 | 176 | 69% | 81.1% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 285 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 224 had passed one within two years: 78.6%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 274 2025 graduates, 195 (71.2%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 17 more (6.2%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 38 (13.9%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 274 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 15 (5.5%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Illinois (197), followed by Indiana (5) and California (4).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 22 first-year students left the University of Illinois Chicago: 18 for academic reasons (4%) and 4 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (1%).
Transfers run both ways: 0 first-year students transferred out and 1 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
The University of Illinois Chicago offered 130 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 69% had fewer than 25 students and 3% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 250 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 167 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 307 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 1,241 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 24 |
The school reports 52 full-time faculty and 155 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 1,015 J.D. students, that is about 20 students per full-time faculty member.
How the University of Illinois Chicago compares in Illinois
Illinois has 9 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, the University of Illinois Chicago ranks 7th in median LSAT, 8th in first-time bar passage, 8th in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 4th-lowest tuition.
| School | Median LSAT | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | 174 | $84,906 | 96.7% | 96.8% |
| Northwestern University | 173 | $80,633 | 91.8% | 92% |
| University of Illinois | 166 | $39,904 | 93.2% | 92.2% |
| Chicago-Kent College of Law | 161 | $54,080 | 79.7% | 75.4% |
| Loyola University Chicago | 161 | $59,666 | 85.7% | 79.7% |
| DePaul University | 158 | $55,628 | 83.8% | 81.3% |
| University of Illinois Chicago | 153 | $42,080 | 68.8% | 71.2% |
| Northern Illinois University | 150 | $24,067 | 61.9% | 70.1% |
| Southern Illinois University | 149 | $22,088 | 74.2% | 73% |
More on each, and on the Illinois bar exam: law schools in Illinois.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to the University of Illinois Chicago'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 Illinois Chicago | 153 | 3.40 | $42,080 | 68.8% | 71.2% |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, AR | 153 | 3.41 | $17,474 | 78.9% | 75% |
| University of North Texas at Dallas Dallas, TX | 153 | 3.41 | $18,761 | 79.7% | 71.7% |
| Elon University Greensboro, NC | 154 | 3.40 | $45,333 | 69.9% | 82.2% |
| New England Law | Boston Boston, MA | 153 | 3.37 | $63,216 | 73.9% | 51.4% |
| Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY | 154 | 3.41 | $25,392 | 76.2% | 68.8% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into University of Illinois Chicago School of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 153, with the middle half scoring 150 to 156. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.40. The school accepted 52.6% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at University of Illinois Chicago School of Law?
68.8% of University of Illinois Chicago graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 81.1%. Within two years of graduating, 78.6% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does University of Illinois Chicago School of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are about $42,080 a year for Illinois residents and $51,440 for nonresidents. The school charges by the credit hour, so that figure assumes a full-time load of 30 credits a year. Most students pay less: 62% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $23,250.
Do University of Illinois Chicago School of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 71.2% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 6.2% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 13.9% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is University of Illinois Chicago School of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. University of Illinois Chicago School of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1951, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.