Top 20 Law Schools by First-Time Bar Passage Rate (2025)

Below are the 20 law schools with the highest first-time bar passage rates based on the most recent reported data:

Data source: ABA-required disclosures and first-time bar admission reports.

Top 20 Law Schools by Full-Time, Long-Term Bar Admission Required Employment Rate (Class of 2024)

Below are the 20 law schools with the highest percentage of graduates in full-time, long-term jobs that require bar admission about 10 months after graduation:

Data source: ABA-reported graduate employment outcomes (summarized by LawHub/Law School Transparency).

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Is Becoming an Attorney Worth It?

Law can be financially rewarding and intellectually satisfying. It can also be expensive, competitive, and stressful. Before you commit to three years of law school and potentially six figures of debt, you need to understand how the economics actually work.

Here is the reality.

1. The Salary Range Is Wide

The median salary for attorneys is strong. But that number hides major variation.

Your income will depend heavily on:

• The law school you attend
• Your class rank
• Whether you land a large firm position
• Your geographic market
• Your specialty

Graduates who enter large corporate firms in major cities can start well into six figures. Attorneys in small firms, rural areas, public defense, or nonprofit roles often start much lower.

Law is not a guaranteed high-income path. It is a performance-tiered market.

2. The Debt Is Real

Law school commonly costs $100,000 to $200,000 or more when tuition and living expenses are combined.

That means:

• Your first job salary matters
• Your loan repayment structure matters
• Your employment timing matters

If you graduate without a strong job offer, the financial pressure can shape your career decisions for years.

Before enrolling, calculate:

• Total projected debt
• Realistic starting salary in your target practice area
• Monthly repayment under standard and income-driven plans

If the numbers do not work on paper, they will not magically work after graduation.

Helpful tools:

• Federal Student Aid Loan Simulator
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) basics

You can also explore the CareerFitter Scholarship as an additional funding resource to help offset education costs.

Compare Law School Cost of Attendance the Right Way

Law schools publish official cost of attendance budgets that include tuition, fees, and a standard living budget. Because these budgets change every year and vary by state residency and living assumptions, the most reliable way to compare schools is to use standardized, school-reported disclosures.

Use these two sources to compare costs across any ABA-accredited school:

• ABA Standard 509 Required Disclosures
• LSAC law school profiles

Once you have a school’s annual cost of attendance, a quick planning estimate is Annual COA multiplied by 3, plus interest.

Top 10 Highest-Cost Law Schools (Estimated Annual COA, 2025–2026)

The chart and table below use each school’s published 2025–2026 tuition and living budget to estimate annual cost of attendance (tuition plus living). This is a planning estimate, not a bill.

Data source: LawHub / Law School Transparency school pages (tuition and living budget, based on ABA-reported disclosures).

3. The Hiring Funnel Is Structured

Legal hiring is not random.

At many schools, large firms hire primarily through:

• On-campus recruiting
• Summer associate programs
• Top-tier academic performance

That means early law school performance can significantly influence long-term earning trajectory.

This is not meant to intimidate you. It is meant to clarify the system.

Students who understand this structure early position themselves differently. They pursue internships strategically. They network intentionally. They choose electives based on hiring demand, not curiosity alone.

4. Burnout and Stress Are Real Factors

Law consistently ranks as a high-pressure profession.

Common stress drivers include:

• Billable hour requirements
• Adversarial environments
• Client conflict
• Long hours
• High responsibility

Some personalities thrive in structured, competitive, detail-heavy environments.

Others find the constant pressure draining.

Being honest about your stress tolerance and conflict comfort is not weakness. It is strategic self-awareness.

If you are unsure how your personality aligns with this type of environment, the CareerFitter Work Personality Test can help you evaluate whether your natural strengths match legal work styles.

So Is It Worth It?

It is worth it if:

• You enjoy analytical problem-solving
• You are comfortable with structured competition
• You can tolerate delayed rewards
• You are willing to play a performance-driven system
• The financial math works for your situation

It is not worth it if:

• You dislike conflict
• You prefer loosely structured work
• You are highly debt-averse without strong earning potential
• You are choosing law only because it sounds impressive

Law is a high-commitment career. The difference is clarity before you commit.

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Step-by-Step: How to Become an Attorney

Once you understand the economics and hiring structure, here is the path itself:

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree (4 Years)

No matter which area of law you pursue, earning your bachelor’s degree is your first official step. Law schools care about intellectual rigor, strong writing skills, and a history of academic excellence.

What Should You Major In?

You can major in virtually anything, as long as you demonstrate critical thinking and communication skills.

Popular majors for future attorneys:

• Political Science
• Philosophy
• English or Communications
• History
• Economics or Business
• Psychology or Sociology

If you want ideas beyond majors, browse CareerFitter’s Research Careers library to explore roles that match your strengths before you invest in law school.

How to Stand Out as a Pre-Law Student

Law schools look for:

• A strong GPA (3.5+ is ideal for top programs)
• Challenging coursework
• Leadership roles
• Legal or government internships
• Research or writing-intensive experience

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Step 2: Take the LSAT

The LSAT measures reasoning, analysis, and critical thinking under pressure.

Strong performance can expand your law school options and scholarship opportunities.

Key sections include:

• Logical Reasoning
• Analytical Reasoning
• Reading Comprehension
• Writing Sample

Prepare 3 to 6 months in advance and practice under timed conditions.

For official dates, registration, and prep resources, start with the LSAC website.

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Step 3: Attend Law School and Earn a J.D. (3 Years)

Law school builds your legal foundation and professional network.

1L typically includes:

• Contracts
• Civil Procedure
• Constitutional Law
• Criminal Law
• Torts
• Legal Research and Writing

2L and 3L often include clinics, externships, law review, and electives aligned with your intended specialty.

Choose a law school based on:

• Bar passage rates (compare schools using the ABA Bar Passage/Admission Outcomes database)
• Employment outcomes (see ABA Employment Outcomes data)
• Cost and scholarships
• Geographic placement
• Support systems

To confirm a school is accredited, use the ABA’s official list of Council-Approved Law Schools.

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Step 4: Pass the Bar Exam

Most states use the Uniform Bar Exam, which includes:

• Multistate Bar Examination
• Multistate Essay Examination
• Multistate Performance Test

Preparation typically requires 8 to 10 weeks of full-time study.

To understand pass rates by jurisdiction and exam cycle, review the NCBE statistics hub.

To see which states use the Uniform Bar Exam and current UBE rules, review the NCBE UBE information page.

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Step 5: Get Licensed and Start Practicing

After passing the bar, you must complete character and fitness review and take an oath before practicing.

To look up your state’s exact admissions steps and required forms, use the NCBE Jurisdictions directory.

First jobs may include:

• Private law firms
• Government roles
• In-house corporate counsel
• Nonprofits
• Judicial clerkships

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How to Choose Your Legal Specialty

Ask yourself:

• Do you want courtroom work or advisory work?
• Do you prefer working with individuals or corporations?
• What issues genuinely interest you?

Common specialties include:

• Corporate law
• Criminal defense
• Family law
• Immigration law
• Environmental law

If you want to explore adjacent career paths that often intersect with legal work, CareerFitter’s category pages can help you scan options quickly:

• Criminal justice roles
• Finance roles that connect to corporate work

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Pro Insights from the Field

• Your first job does not define your entire career.
• Networking influences hiring more than most applicants expect.
• Law school teaches theory; practice teaches application.
• Many J.D. holders transition into business, consulting, or policy roles.

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Actionable Next Steps

• Take the CareerFitter Work Personality Test to evaluate your fit.
• Research LSAT timelines and preparation strategies.
• Shadowing an Attorney in a field that interests you.
• Compare law school employment reports before applying.