University of New Mexico School of Law
Albuquerque, New Mexico · Public · ABA-approved since 1949 · Data updated November 2, 2026
University of New Mexico School of Law is a public law school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, approved by the American Bar Association since 1949. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 157, higher than 38% of ABA-approved schools, saw 77% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 74% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- Tuition and fees of $21,020, less than 89% of schools charge.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, the University of New Mexico received 640 completed applications and made 265 offers, an acceptance rate of 41.4%. 108 students enrolled in the first-year class. The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 154 | 157 | 161 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.12 | 3.56 | 3.82 |
A quarter of the class scored 154 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 161 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 157, 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 $21,020 a year for New Mexico residents and $44,738 for everyone else. That is less than 89% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $23,114 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $19,474 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $1,546 |
| Tuition, full-time, nonresident | $43,192 |
| Fees, full-time, nonresident | $1,546 |
| Living costs, on campus | $23,114 |
| Living costs, off campus | $23,114 |
In 2024-25, 60% 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 $5,000 to $16,000. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $11,020 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 | 13% |
| Full tuition | 2% |
| More than full tuition | 6% |
Scholarships that can be cut. The University of New Mexico awards some conditional scholarships, which shrink or end if a student's grades fall below a set mark. Of 41 students who entered in 2024-25 with one, 6 had it reduced or eliminated (15%). For students who entered in 2023-24 the figure was 3 of 39. 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 $132,402. With the median scholarship every year, about $102,402. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 100 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 77 passed: 77%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 77.9%, so the school finished within a few points of that average (-0.9 pts).
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 90 | 72 | 80% | 77.6% |
| 7 other jurisdictions | 10 | 5 | 50% | 80.8% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 78 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 64 had passed one within two years: 82%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 100 2025 graduates, 74 (74%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 4 more (4%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 1 (1%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 100 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 0 (0%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in New Mexico (66), followed by Arizona (2) and California (2).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 0 first-year students left the University of New Mexico: 0 for academic reasons (0%) and 0 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (0%).
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 New Mexico offered 107 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 89% had fewer than 25 students and 0% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 120 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 117 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 51 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 79 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 19 |
The school reports 41 full-time faculty and 61 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 296 J.D. students, that is about 7 students per full-time faculty member.
How the University of New Mexico compares in New Mexico
The University of New Mexico is the only ABA-approved law school in New Mexico (more on law school in New Mexico). 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 New Mexico'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 New Mexico | 157 | 3.56 | $21,020 | 77% | 74% |
| University of Wyoming Laramie, WY | 156 | 3.55 | $19,244 | 83% | 85.9% |
| Albany Law School Albany, NY | 158 | 3.54 | $64,234 | 86.7% | 88.5% |
| University of Dayton Dayton, OH | 157 | 3.60 | $41,914 | 87.5% | 73.9% |
| Syracuse University Syracuse, NY | 158 | 3.60 | $66,940 | 84.8% | 71.2% |
| University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, MI | 156 | 3.52 | $48,807 | 71.5% | 88.4% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into University of New Mexico School of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 157, with the middle half scoring 154 to 161. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.56. The school accepted 41.4% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at University of New Mexico School of Law?
77% of University of New Mexico graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 77.9%. Within two years of graduating, 82% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does University of New Mexico School of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $21,020 a year for New Mexico residents and $44,738 for nonresidents. Most students pay less: 60% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $10,000.
Do University of New Mexico School of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 74% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 4% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 1% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is University of New Mexico School of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. University of New Mexico School of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1949, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.