Washington and Lee University School of Law
Lexington, Virginia · Private · ABA-approved since 1923 · Data updated November 2, 2026
Washington and Lee University School of Law is a private law school in Lexington, Virginia, approved by the American Bar Association since 1923. It admitted a fall 2025 class with a median LSAT of 167, higher than 81% of ABA-approved schools, saw 93.5% of its first-time bar takers pass in 2025 and placed 91.8% of its 2025 graduates in full-time lawyer jobs.
What stands out
- 44.5% of graduates went to firms of more than 250 lawyers or federal clerkships.
Admissions: LSAT, GPA and acceptance rate
For the class that entered in fall 2025, Washington and Lee University received 2,341 completed applications and made 532 offers, an acceptance rate of 22.7%. 131 students enrolled in the first-year class. The typical ABA school accepted 35.8%.
| Entering class, fall 2025 | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 161 | 167 | 168 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.51 | 3.75 | 3.85 |
A quarter of the class scored 161 or lower on the LSAT and a quarter scored 168 or higher. An applicant at or above the median, 167, 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 $59,940 a year. That is more than 69% of ABA schools charge. The school estimates living costs of $21,890 a year off campus.
| Annual cost, 2025-26 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time, resident | $57,450 |
| Fees, full-time, resident | $2,490 |
| Living costs, off campus | $21,890 |
| Living costs, at home | $8,978 |
In 2024-25, 97% of full-time students received a grant or scholarship from the school. The median award was $33,500, and the middle half of awards ran from $19,000 to $41,500. Subtract the median award from the full-time tuition and fees above and a typical recipient pays about $26,440 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 | 33% |
| Half to full tuition | 63% |
| Full tuition | 1% |
| More than full tuition | 0% |
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 $245,490. With the median scholarship every year, about $144,990. Tuition usually rises each year, so treat this as a floor.
Bar passage
Of 107 graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, 100 passed: 93.5%. The average for the same exams, weighted by where its graduates sat, was 82.8%, so the school finished a full 10.7 points above that average.
| Where they sat, 2025 | Takers | Passed | School | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 15 | 14 | 93.3% | 87.5% |
| North Carolina | 11 | 11 | 100% | 82.1% |
| New York | 22 | 20 | 90.9% | 87.3% |
| Virginia | 20 | 18 | 90% | 81.6% |
| 17 other jurisdictions | 39 | 37 | 94.9% | 79.4% |
The ABA also follows each class for two years. Of the 107 members of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam, 105 had passed one within two years: 98.1%.
Jobs after graduation
The ABA counts where each class is working ten months after graduation. Of 110 2025 graduates, 101 (91.8%) had full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, and 1 more (0.9%) 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 (2.7%) 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 110 graduates. Firms of more than 250 lawyers, the usual sense of “Big Law,” hired 39 (35.5%).
Where graduates work
Most employed graduates stayed in Virginia (24), followed by New York (17) and District of Columbia (11).
Students who leave
In 2024-25, 2 first-year students left Washington and Lee University: 1 for academic reasons (1%) and 1 for other reasons, such as transferring to another school (1%).
Transfers run both ways: 6 first-year students transferred out and 1 transferred in from other law schools.
Classes, clinics and faculty
Washington and Lee University offered 104 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 1% had 75 or more.
| Hands-on learning, 2024-25 | Number |
|---|---|
| Law clinic seats available | 32 |
| Law clinic seats filled | 30 |
| Field placement (externship) positions filled | 92 |
| Simulation course seats filled | 612 |
| Co-curricular offerings (journals, moot court, etc.) | 14 |
The school reports 36 full-time faculty and 56 more who teach part-time or in other roles. With 369 J.D. students, that is about 10 students per full-time faculty member.
How Washington and Lee University compares in Virginia
Virginia has 8 ABA-approved law schools. Among them, Washington and Lee University ranks 3rd in median LSAT, 2nd in first-time bar passage, 3rd in share of graduates in lawyer jobs and 7th-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 Washington and Lee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington and Lee University | 167 | 3.75 | $59,940 | 93.5% | 91.8% |
| Fordham University New York, NY | 168 | 3.79 | $79,248 | 90.8% | 85.5% |
| Wake Forest University Winston Salem, NC | 166 | 3.79 | $59,144 | 89.6% | 89.2% |
| Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | 167 | 3.81 | $68,686 | 97.8% | 94.7% |
| University of Wisconsin Madison, WI | 167 | 3.81 | $38,186 | 75% | 90.2% |
| Temple University Philadelphia, PA | 165 | 3.76 | $34,137 | 89% | 88.2% |
Frequently asked questions
What LSAT score do you need to get into Washington and Lee University School of Law?
There is no cutoff, but the class that entered in fall 2025 had a median LSAT of 167, with the middle half scoring 161 to 168. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.75. The school accepted 22.7% of applicants.
What is the bar passage rate at Washington and Lee University School of Law?
93.5% of Washington and Lee University graduates taking a bar exam for the first time in 2025 passed, against a weighted state average of 82.8%. Within two years of graduating, 98.1% of the class of 2023 who took a bar exam had passed.
How much does Washington and Lee University School of Law cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $59,940 a year. Most students pay less: 97% of full-time students received a grant, with a median award of $33,500.
Do Washington and Lee University School of Law graduates get jobs?
Ten months after graduation, 91.8% of the class of 2025 had full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage, and 0.9% more had full-time, long-term jobs where a law degree is an advantage. 2.7% were unemployed and seeking work.
Is Washington and Lee University School of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. Washington and Lee 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.