University of Richmond School of Law
Richmond, Virginia · Private · ABA-approved since 1928 · Data updated November 2, 2026
University of Richmond School of Law is a private law school in Richmond, Virginia, approved by the American Bar Association since 1928. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 164, higher than 69% of ABA-approved schools, saw 91.3% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 88% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- A median scholarship of $40,000, larger than at 89% of schools.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, the University of Richmond received 1,738 completed applications and made 689 offers, an acceptance rate of 39.6%. 146 students enrolled in the first-year class. The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 159 | 164 | 167 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.66 | 3.81 | 3.92 |
A quarter of the class scored 159 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 167 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 164, 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.
2 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 $57,700 a year. That is more than 64% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $26,510 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $57,700 |
| Living costs, on campus | $26,510 |
| Living costs, off campus | $26,510 |
| Living costs, at home | $14,960 |
In 2024-25, 81% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $40,000, and the middle half of awards ran from $20,000 to $55,550. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $17,700 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 | 28% |
| Half to full tuition | 26% |
| Full tuition | 26% |
| 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 plus off-campus living costs come to about $252,630. With the median scholarship every year, about $132,630. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 115 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 105 passed: 91.3%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 82.3%, so the school finished 9 points above that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 other jurisdictions | 34 | 32 | 94.1% | 80.4% |
| District of Columbia | 11 | 10 | 90.9% | 87.5% |
| Virginia | 70 | 63 | 90% | 81.6% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 147 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 140 had passed one within two years: 95.2%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 117 2025 graduates, 103 (88%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 4 more (3.4%) had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. At the typical ABA school, 83.4% were in lawyer jobs. 5 (4.3%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 117 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 12 (10.3%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Virginia (71), followed by New York (6) and Texas (4).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 1 first-year students left the University of Richmond: 0 for academic reasons (0%) and 1 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (1%).
Transfers run both ways: 4 first-year students transferred out and 1 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
The University of Richmond offered 134 upper-level course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024-25. Of its upper-level class sections, 85% had fewer than 25 students and 2% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 99 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 57 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 73 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 354 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 6 |
The school reports 60 full-time faculty and 68 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 413 J.D. students, that is about 7 students per full-time faculty member.
How the University of Richmond compares in Virginia
Virginia has 8 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, the University of Richmond ranks 5th in median LSAT, 4th in first-time bar passage, 5th in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 6th-lowest tuition.
| School | Median LSAT | Tuition | Bar pass | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Virginia | 173 | $77,900 | 95.1% | 98.1% |
| George Mason University | 169 | $27,832 | 86.3% | 81.4% |
| Washington and Lee University | 167 | $59,940 | 93.5% | 91.8% |
| William & Mary | 166 | $46,102 | 92.8% | 91% |
| University of Richmond | 164 | $57,700 | 91.3% | 88% |
| Regent University | 158 | $44,854 | 91.3% | 93.2% |
| Liberty University | 154 | $45,348 | 85.3% | 88% |
| Appalachian School of Law | 146 | $41,000 | 54.8% | 53.5% |
More on each, and on the Virginia bar exam: law schools in Virginia.
Schools with similar admissions numbers
These five schools admitted fall 2025 classes with the median LSAT and GPA closest to the University of Richmond'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 Richmond | 164 | 3.81 | $57,700 | 91.3% | 88% |
| St. John's University Queens, NY | 164 | 3.81 | $76,742 | 87.5% | 90.4% |
| University of Colorado Boulder, CO | 164 | 3.81 | $37,325 | 89.7% | 93% |
| Villanova University Villanova, PA | 164 | 3.80 | $60,750 | 90% | 90.8% |
| University of Miami Coral Gables, FL | 164 | 3.79 | $69,218 | 85.3% | 83.3% |
| University of Iowa Iowa City, IA | 164 | 3.78 | $33,489 | 91.4% | 91.1% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into University of Richmond School of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 164, with the middle half scoring 159 to 167. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.81. The school accepted 39.6% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at University of Richmond School of Law?
91.3% of University of Richmond 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, 95.2% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does University of Richmond School of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $57,700 a year. Most students pay less: 81% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $40,000.
Do University of Richmond School of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 88% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 3.4% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 4.3% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is University of Richmond School of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. University of Richmond School of Law has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1928, so its graduates can sit for the bar exam in every state.