University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, Illinois · Public · ABA-approved since 1923 · Data updated November 2, 2026
University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign is a public law school in Champaign, Illinois, approved by the American Bar Association since 1923. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 166, higher than 78% of ABA-approved schools, saw 93.2% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 92.2% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- First-time bar passage 11.9 points above the average for the states where its graduates sat.
- 92.2% of 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs, more than at 86% of schools.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, the University of Illinois received 2,153 completed applications and made 709 offers, an acceptance rate of 32.9%. 188 students enrolled in the first-year class. The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 160 | 166 | 168 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.55 | 3.81 | 3.92 |
A quarter of the class scored 160 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 168 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 166, 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 $39,904 a year for Illinois residents and $49,904 for everyone else. That is less than 61% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $20,620 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $36,500 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $3,404 |
| Tuition, full-time, nonresident | $46,500 |
| Fees, full-time, nonresident | $3,404 |
| Living costs, on campus | $20,620 |
| Living costs, off campus | $20,620 |
| Living costs, at home | $4,890 |
The school reports a tuition guarantee program, which holds a student's tuition steady for set years.
In 2024-25, 99% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $32,000, and the middle half of awards ran from $13,125 to $46,500. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $7,904 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 | 39% |
| Half to full tuition | 58% |
| Full tuition | 0% |
| More than full tuition | 2% |
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 $181,572. With the median scholarship every year, about $85,572. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 147 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 137 passed: 93.2%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 81.3%, so the school finished a full 11.9 points above that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 118 | 110 | 93.2% | 81.1% |
| 14 other jurisdictions | 29 | 27 | 93.1% | 80% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 148 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 144 had passed one within two years: 97.3%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 153 2025 graduates, 141 (92.2%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 5 more (3.3%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 0 (0%) were unemployed and looking for work. 4 of the full-time, long-term jobs were funded by the school.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 153 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 51 (33.3%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Illinois (113), followed by California (5) and Missouri (5).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 5 first-year students left the University of Illinois: 0 for academic reasons (0%) and 5 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (3%).
Transfers run both ways: 5 first-year students transferred out and 2 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
The University of Illinois offered 144 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 75% had fewer than 25 students and 6% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 122 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 117 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 209 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 413 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 18 |
The school reports 53 full-time faculty and 71 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 500 J.D. students, that is about 9 students per full-time faculty member.
How the University of Illinois compares in Illinois
Illinois has 9 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, the University of Illinois ranks 3rd in median LSAT, 2nd in first-time bar passage, 2nd in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 3rd-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'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 | 166 | 3.81 | $39,904 | 93.2% | 92.2% |
| Emory University Atlanta, GA | 166 | 3.82 | $70,472 | 86.3% | 87.9% |
| William & Mary Williamsburg, VA | 166 | 3.82 | $46,102 | 92.8% | 91% |
| Wake Forest University Winston Salem, NC | 166 | 3.79 | $59,144 | 89.6% | 89.2% |
| Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | 167 | 3.81 | $68,686 | 97.8% | 94.7% |
| University of Wisconsin Madison, WI | 167 | 3.81 | $38,186 | 75% | 90.2% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 166, with the middle half scoring 160 to 168. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.81. The school accepted 32.9% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign?
93.2% of University of Illinois graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 81.3%. Within two years of graduating, 97.3% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $39,904 a year for Illinois residents and $49,904 for nonresidents. Most students pay less: 99% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $32,000.
Do University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 92.2% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 3.3% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 0% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign ABA-accredited?
Yes. University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1923, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.