Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana
Missoula, Montana · Public · ABA-approved since 1923 · Data updated November 2, 2026
Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana is a public law school in Missoula, Montana, approved by the American Bar Association since 1923. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 156, higher than 33% of ABA-approved schools, saw 82.5% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 80.2% 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 Montana received 568 completed applications and made 292 offers, an acceptance rate of 51.4%. 95 students enrolled in the first-year class. The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 153 | 156 | 159 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.33 | 3.64 | 3.80 |
A quarter of the class scored 153 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 159 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 156, 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.
3 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 $27,512 a year for Montana residents and $55,084 for everyone else. That is less than 78% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $35,371 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $24,582 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $2,930 |
| Tuition, full-time, nonresident | $51,582 |
| Fees, full-time, nonresident | $3,502 |
| Living costs, on campus | $35,371 |
| Living costs, off campus | $35,371 |
| Living costs, at home | $35,371 |
In 2024-25, 89% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $10,000, and the middle half of awards ran from $6,630 to $15,585. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $17,512 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 | 71% |
| Half to full tuition | 9% |
| Full tuition | 3% |
| More than full tuition | 6% |
Scholarships that can be cut. The University of Montana awards some conditional scholarships, which shrink or end if a student's grades fall below a set mark. Of 64 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 2 of 58. 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 $188,649. With the median scholarship every year, about $158,649. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 80 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 66 passed: 82.5%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 82.3%, so the school finished within a few points of that average (+0.2 pts).
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 other jurisdictions | 15 | 10 | 66.7% | 80.5% |
| Montana | 65 | 56 | 86.2% | 82.7% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 76 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 72 had passed one within two years: 94.7%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 86 2025 graduates, 69 (80.2%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 4 more (4.7%) 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 (3.5%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 86 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 0 (0%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Montana (61), followed by Idaho (2) and Unknown (2).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 0 first-year students left the University of Montana: 0 for academic reasons (0%) and 0 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (0%).
Transfers run both ways: 0 first-year students transferred out and 0 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
The University of Montana offered 155 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 68% had fewer than 25 students and 3% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 23 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 20 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 93 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 323 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 12 |
The school reports 18 full-time faculty and 28 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 280 J.D. students, that is about 16 students per full-time faculty member.
How the University of Montana compares in Montana
The University of Montana is the only ABA-approved law school in Montana (more on law school in Montana). 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 Montana'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 Montana | 156 | 3.64 | $27,512 | 82.5% | 80.2% |
| University of Missouri, Kansas City Kansas City, MO | 156 | 3.65 | $26,192 | 82.3% | 81.2% |
| Howard University Washington, DC | 156 | 3.63 | $41,412 | 78% | 71% |
| Samford University Birmingham, AL | 156 | 3.63 | $47,334 | 90.4% | 80.6% |
| Drake University Des Moines, IA | 156 | 3.67 | $51,390 | 77.2% | 86% |
| Hofstra University Hempstead, NY | 157 | 3.65 | $74,860 | 79.2% | 86.3% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 156, with the middle half scoring 153 to 159. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.64. The school accepted 51.4% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana?
82.5% of University of Montana graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 82.3%. Within two years of graduating, 94.7% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $27,512 a year for Montana residents and $55,084 for nonresidents. Most students pay less: 89% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $10,000.
Do Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 80.2% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 4.7% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 3.5% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana ABA-accredited?
Yes. Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1923, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.