Washburn University School of Law
Topeka, Kansas · Public · ABA-approved since 1923 · Data updated November 2, 2026
Washburn University School of Law is a public law school in Topeka, Kansas, approved by the American Bar Association since 1923. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 155, higher than 25% of ABA-approved schools, saw 73.9% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 86.9% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- First-time bar passage 10.3 points below the average for the states where its graduates sat.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, Washburn University received 549 completed applications and made 255 offers, an acceptance rate of 46.5%. 137 students enrolled in the first-year class. The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 151 | 155 | 159 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.37 | 3.68 | 3.88 |
A quarter of the class scored 151 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 159 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 155, 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
Washburn University charges tuition by the credit hour: $932 a credit for Kansas residents and $1,393 for everyone else, plus $1,020 in annual fees. The degree takes 90 credits, so a full-time year of about 30 credits comes to roughly $28,980 ($42,810 out of state). That is less than 75% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $17,018 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition per credit hour, full-time, resident | $932 |
| Annual fees, resident | $1,020 |
| Tuition per credit hour, full-time, nonresident | $1,393 |
| Annual fees, nonresident | $1,020 |
| Living costs, on campus | $16,043 |
| Living costs, off campus | $17,018 |
| Living costs, at home | $8,514 |
In 2024-25, 80% 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 $11,915 to $21,500. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $13,980 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 | 36% |
| Half to full tuition | 26% |
| Full tuition | 0% |
| More than full tuition | 17% |
Scholarships that can be cut. Washburn University awards some conditional scholarships, which shrink or end if a student's grades fall below a set mark. Of 86 students who entered in 2024-25 with one, 16 had it reduced or eliminated (19%). For students who entered in 2023-24 the figure was 10 of 46. 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 $137,994. With the median scholarship every year, about $92,994. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 92 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 68 passed: 73.9%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 84.2%, so the school finished a full 10.3 points below that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 other jurisdictions | 17 | 12 | 70.6% | 82.1% |
| Kansas | 62 | 47 | 75.8% | 84.1% |
| Missouri | 13 | 9 | 69.2% | 86.4% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 100 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 89 had passed one within two years: 89%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 99 2025 graduates, 86 (86.9%) 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. 4 (4%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Law firm jobs by firm size
Shares are of all 99 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 3 (3%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Kansas (60), followed by Missouri (13) and Colorado (4).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 4 first-year students left Washburn University: 3 for academic reasons (2%) 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
Washburn University offered 106 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 | 40 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 49 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 97 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 360 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 18 |
The school reports 28 full-time faculty and 38 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 347 J.D. students, that is about 12 students per full-time faculty member.
How Washburn University compares in Kansas
Kansas has 2 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, Washburn University ranks 2nd in median LSAT, 2nd in first-time bar passage, 2nd in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 2nd-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 Washburn University'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washburn University | 155 | 3.68 | $28,980 | 73.9% | 86.9% |
| Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT | 155 | 3.65 | $57,760 | 75.4% | 76.4% |
| West Virginia University Morgantown, WV | 155 | 3.65 | $27,774 | 78.7% | 82.4% |
| Drake University Des Moines, IA | 156 | 3.67 | $51,390 | 77.2% | 86% |
| University of Missouri, Kansas City Kansas City, MO | 156 | 3.65 | $26,192 | 82.3% | 81.2% |
| University of Montana Missoula, MT | 156 | 3.64 | $27,512 | 82.5% | 80.2% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into Washburn University School of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 155, with the middle half scoring 151 to 159. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.68. The school accepted 46.5% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at Washburn University School of Law?
73.9% of Washburn University graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 84.2%. Within two years of graduating, 89% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does Washburn University School of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are about $28,980 a year for Kansas residents and $42,810 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: 80% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $15,000.
Do Washburn University School of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 86.9% 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. 4% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is Washburn University School of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. Washburn University 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.