University of Kansas School of Law
Lawrence, Kansas · Public · ABA-approved since 1923 · Data updated November 2, 2026
University of Kansas School of Law is a public law school in Lawrence, Kansas, approved by the American Bar Association since 1923. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 162, higher than 63% of ABA-approved schools, saw 94.2% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 91.3% 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 Kansas received 1,172 completed applications and made 458 offers, an acceptance rate of 39.1%. 122 students enrolled in the first-year class. The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 158 | 162 | 164 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.58 | 3.85 | 3.95 |
A quarter of the class scored 158 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 164 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 162, 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
The University of Kansas charges tuition by the credit hour: $857 a credit for Kansas residents and $1,094 for everyone else, plus $1,155 in annual fees. The degree takes 90 credits, so a full-time year of about 30 credits comes to roughly $26,865 ($33,975 out of state). That is less than 79% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $20,238 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition per credit hour, full-time, resident | $857 |
| Annual fees, resident | $1,155 |
| Tuition per credit hour, full-time, nonresident | $1,094 |
| Annual fees, nonresident | $1,155 |
| Living costs, on campus | $20,238 |
| Living costs, off campus | $20,238 |
| Living costs, at home | $20,238 |
In 2024-25, 85% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $15,000, and the middle half of awards ran from $5,375 to $24,700. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $11,865 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 | 47% |
| Half to full tuition | 17% |
| Full tuition | 14% |
| More than full tuition | 7% |
Scholarships that can be cut. The University of Kansas awards some conditional scholarships, which shrink or end if a student's grades fall below a set mark. Of 34 students who entered in 2024-25 with one, 6 had it reduced or eliminated (18%). For students who entered in 2023-24 the figure was 20 of 93. 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 $141,309. With the median scholarship every year, about $96,309. 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, 114 passed: 94.2%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 83.8%, so the school finished a full 10.4 points above that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 other jurisdictions | 27 | 24 | 88.9% | 81.2% |
| Kansas | 60 | 57 | 95% | 84.1% |
| Missouri | 34 | 33 | 97.1% | 86.4% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 89 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 88 had passed one within two years: 98.9%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 126 2025 graduates, 115 (91.3%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 6 more (4.8%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 3 (2.4%) 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 126 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 17 (13.5%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Kansas (52), followed by Missouri (34) and Colorado (5).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 5 first-year students left the University of Kansas: 4 for academic reasons (3%) and 1 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (1%).
Transfers run both ways: 1 first-year students transferred out and 1 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
The University of Kansas offered 102 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 4% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 98 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 63 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 132 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 360 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 22 |
The school reports 31 full-time faculty and 47 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 356 J.D. students, that is about 11 students per full-time faculty member.
How the University of Kansas compares in Kansas
Kansas has 2 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, the University of Kansas ranks first in median LSAT, first in first-time bar passage, first in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and the lowest tuition.
| School | Median LSAT | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kansas | 162 | $26,865 | 94.2% | 91.3% |
| Washburn University | 155 | $28,980 | 73.9% | 86.9% |
More on each, and on the Kansas bar exam: law schools in Kansas.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to the University of Kansas'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 Kansas | 162 | 3.85 | $26,865 | 94.2% | 91.3% |
| Belmont University Nashville, TN | 161 | 3.84 | $57,705 | 96.5% | 87.3% |
| University of San Diego San Diego, CA | 163 | 3.84 | $67,751 | 86.7% | 88.6% |
| Florida International University Miami, FL | 161 | 3.80 | $21,129 | 85.9% | 84.1% |
| Pepperdine University Malibu, CA | 164 | 3.85 | $73,550 | 90.7% | 91.8% |
| University of Houston Houston, TX | 163 | 3.79 | $39,222 | 84.5% | 84.9% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into University of Kansas School of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 162, with the middle half scoring 158 to 164. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.85. The school accepted 39.1% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at University of Kansas School of Law?
94.2% of University of Kansas graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 83.8%. Within two years of graduating, 98.9% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does University of Kansas School of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are about $26,865 a year for Kansas residents and $33,975 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: 85% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $15,000.
Do University of Kansas School of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 91.3% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 4.8% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 2.4% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is University of Kansas School of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. University of Kansas School of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1923, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.