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Law School Directory: All U.S. Law Schools

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By Bar Exam Project

Law School Advice11 min readUpdated June 8, 2026

LAW SCHOOL DIRECTORY: ALL U.S. LAW SCHOOLS (2026)

This directory covers all 195 ABA-accredited law schools across 51 jurisdictions in the United States (the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, along with Puerto Rico), current as of the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings. Use it to orient yourself to the national landscape of legal education: which schools exist, where they are, and how the most selective programs stack up on the numbers. A word of caution before you dive in — rankings are only one factor among many. Cost, geography, employment outcomes, scholarship offers, and where you actually want to practice all matter at least as much as a school's ordinal position on a list. For a deeper treatment of how to weigh these factors, see our companion piece, The Complete Guide to Law School. Section IV separately lists the state-accredited and non-ABA law schools, with an important notice about how a non-ABA degree limits where you can sit for the bar and practice.

I. THE TOP TIER (T14) — 2026 U.S. NEWS RANKINGS

The "T14" refers to the fourteen schools that have historically clustered at the very top of the rankings. These are the programs with national reach, the strongest big-firm and clerkship placement, and the most selective admissions numbers. Here is the 2026 T14 with median admissions statistics:

Rank School Median LSAT Median GPA Acceptance Rate
1 (tie)Stanford University1733.926.9%
1 (tie)Yale University1753.945.7%
3University of Chicago1733.9114.2%
4University of Pennsylvania (Carey)1723.909.7%
5 (tie)Duke University1703.8510.7%
5 (tie)Harvard University1743.9210.1%
5 (tie)New York University (NYU)1723.8815.7%
8 (tie)Columbia University1733.8711.9%
8 (tie)University of Virginia1713.9412.9%
10 (tie)Northwestern University (Pritzker)1713.8915.0%
10 (tie)University of California, Berkeley1703.8312.5%
10 (tie)University of Michigan–Ann Arbor1713.8313.5%
13Cornell University1723.8717.4%
14UCLA1713.9015.5%

The 2026 rankings brought a genuine shake-up at the top. For the first time ever, Stanford claimed the #1 spot outright, with Yale falling to #2 after decades of unbroken dominance. Meanwhile, the traditional composition of the T14 was disrupted: Vanderbilt rose to #12, and WashU and Cornell tied at #13, while Berkeley (#16), UT-Austin (#16), and Georgetown (#18) all dropped OUT of the traditional T14. (Note that Berkeley still appears in the historical T14 table above at its long-standing slot; the methodology churn means the precise membership of "the T14" is now genuinely contested year to year.)

PRO TIP: Don't treat median LSAT and GPA as cutoffs. They are the 50th-percentile marks — half of each entering class scored below them. A number slightly under a school's median paired with a compelling application can still earn an offer, and a number above the median can attract scholarship money. Always verify current figures against each school's official ABA Standard 509 disclosures rather than relying on rankings alone.

II. THE NEXT TIER (15–26)

Just outside the T14 sits a band of excellent, nationally and regionally powerful schools. Several of these (Berkeley, UT-Austin, Georgetown) were T14 mainstays until the 2026 reshuffle. Here is the next tier from the 2026 rankings:

Approx. RankSchool
12Vanderbilt University
13Washington University in St. Louis (WashU)
16University of California, Berkeley
16University of Texas at Austin
18Georgetown University
18University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
20Boston College
20University of Notre Dame
22Texas A&M University
22University of Minnesota
24Boston University
24Brigham Young University (BYU)
26George Washington University
26University of Georgia
26University of Southern California (USC)
26University of Wisconsin

THE TOP TIER AT A GLANCE — THREE-COLUMN VIEW

For quick scanning, here is the full 2026 T14 split across three side-by-side columns:

  1. Stanford University (1)
  2. Yale University (1)
  3. University of Chicago (3)
  4. University of Pennsylvania (4)
  5. Duke University (5)
  1. Harvard University (5)
  2. New York University (5)
  3. Columbia University (8)
  4. University of Virginia (8)
  5. Northwestern University (10)
  1. UC Berkeley (10)
  2. University of Michigan (10)
  3. Cornell University (13)
  4. UCLA (14)

III. LAW SCHOOLS BY STATE — ABA & NON-ABA

⚠ READ THIS FIRST — the two columns are NOT equivalent. The left column lists ABA-accredited schools (a J.D. that qualifies you to sit for the bar in any U.S. state). The right column lists non-ABA schools accredited or registered only by a state authority. A non-ABA degree generally qualifies you to sit for the bar only in that state, can block reciprocity to other states, and is disqualifying for many large firms, federal jobs, and clerkships; California registered/unaccredited schools also require passing the First-Year Law Students’ Examination (“Baby Bar”). Always confirm a school’s current status with the state bar before relying on it.

Alabama (ABA: 3 · Non-ABA: 2)

ABA-accredited

  1. Cumberland School of Law, Samford University
  2. Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, Faulkner University
  3. University of Alabama School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

  1. Birmingham School of Law
  2. Miles Law School

Alaska

Alaska has no ABA-accredited and no state-accredited law school.

Arizona (ABA: 2)

ABA-accredited

  1. Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University
  2. James E. Rogers College of Law, University of Arizona

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Arkansas (ABA: 2)

ABA-accredited

  1. University of Arkansas School of Law
  2. William H. Bowen School of Law, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

California (ABA: 17 · Non-ABA: 23)

ABA-accredited

  1. California Western School of Law
  2. Chapman University School of Law
  3. Loyola Law School, Loyola Marymount University
  4. McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific
  5. Pepperdine University School of Law
  6. Santa Clara University School of Law
  7. Southwestern Law School
  8. Stanford Law School
  9. University of California, Berkeley School of Law
  10. University of California, Davis School of Law (King Hall)
  11. University of California College of the Law, San Francisco
  12. Golden Gate University School of Law, Golden Gate University
  13. University of California, Irvine School of Law
  14. University of California, Los Angeles School of Law
  15. University of San Diego School of Law
  16. University of San Francisco School of Law
  17. Gould School of Law, University of Southern California

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

  1. Cal Northern School of Law
  2. JFK School of Law (National University)
  3. Laurence Drivon School of Law (Humphreys University)
  4. Lincoln Law School of Sacramento
  5. Lincoln Law School of San Jose
  6. Monterey College of Law
  7. Northwestern California University School of Law
  8. Purdue Global Law School
  9. San Joaquin College of Law
  10. St. Francis School of Law
  11. Thomas Jefferson School of Law
  12. Trinity Law School
  13. University of La Verne College of Law
  14. University of West Los Angeles School of Law
  15. The Colleges of Law
  16. California Desert Trial Academy College of Law
  17. California School of Law
  18. Oak Brook College of Law
  19. American Institute of Law
  20. Pacific Coast University School of Law
  21. Southern California Institute of Law
  22. San Francisco Law School (Alliant)
  23. Western Sierra Law School

Colorado (ABA: 2)

ABA-accredited

  1. University of Colorado Law School
  2. Sturm College of Law, University of Denver

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Connecticut (ABA: 3)

ABA-accredited

  1. Quinnipiac University School of Law
  2. University of Connecticut School of Law
  3. Yale Law School

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Delaware (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. Widener University Delaware Law School

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

District of Columbia (ABA: 6)

ABA-accredited

  1. Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America
  2. David A. Clarke School of Law, University of the District of Columbia
  3. George Washington University Law School
  4. Georgetown University Law Center
  5. Howard University School of Law
  6. American University Washington College of Law, American University

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Florida (ABA: 10)

ABA-accredited

  1. Barry University, Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law
  2. Florida A&M University College of Law
  3. Florida International University College of Law
  4. Florida State University College of Law
  5. University of Florida Levin College of Law
  6. Shepard Broad College of Law, Nova Southeastern University
  7. Benjamin L. Crump College of Law, St. Thomas University
  8. Stetson University College of Law
  9. University of Miami School of Law
  10. Ave Maria School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Georgia (ABA: 4)

ABA-accredited

  1. Emory University School of Law
  2. Georgia State University College of Law
  3. University of Georgia School of Law
  4. Mercer University School of Law, Mercer University

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Hawaii (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaiʻi

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Idaho (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. University of Idaho College of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Illinois (ABA: 9)

ABA-accredited

  1. Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology
  2. DePaul University College of Law
  3. University of Illinois College of Law
  4. University of Illinois Chicago School of Law
  5. Loyola University Chicago School of Law
  6. Northern Illinois University College of Law
  7. Northwestern University School of Law
  8. Southern Illinois University School of Law
  9. University of Chicago Law School

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Indiana (ABA: 3)

ABA-accredited

  1. Maurer School of Law, Indiana University Bloomington
  2. Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
  3. Notre Dame Law School

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Iowa (ABA: 2)

ABA-accredited

  1. Drake University Law School
  2. University of Iowa College of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Kansas (ABA: 2)

ABA-accredited

  1. University of Kansas School of Law
  2. Washburn University School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Kentucky (ABA: 3)

ABA-accredited

  1. Salmon P. Chase College of Law, Northern Kentucky University
  2. Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, University of Louisville
  3. University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Louisiana (ABA: 4)

ABA-accredited

  1. Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University
  2. Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
  3. Southern University Law Center
  4. Tulane University Law School

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Maine (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. University of Maine School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Maryland (ABA: 2)

ABA-accredited

  1. University of Baltimore School of Law
  2. University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Massachusetts (ABA: 8 · Non-ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. Boston College Law School
  2. Boston University School of Law
  3. Harvard Law School
  4. New England Law Boston
  5. Northeastern University School of Law
  6. Suffolk University Law School
  7. University of Massachusetts School of Law
  8. Western New England University School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

  1. Massachusetts School of Law at Andover

Michigan (ABA: 5)

ABA-accredited

  1. Michigan State University College of Law
  2. Cooley Law School
  3. University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
  4. University of Michigan Law School
  5. Wayne State University Law School

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Minnesota (ABA: 3)

ABA-accredited

  1. University of Minnesota Law School
  2. University of St. Thomas School of Law
  3. Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Mississippi (ABA: 2)

ABA-accredited

  1. Mississippi College School of Law
  2. University of Mississippi School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Missouri (ABA: 4)

ABA-accredited

  1. Saint Louis University School of Law
  2. University of Missouri School of Law
  3. University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law
  4. Washington University School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Montana (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. Alexander Blewett III School of Law, University of Montana

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Nebraska (ABA: 2)

ABA-accredited

  1. Creighton University School of Law
  2. University of Nebraska College of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Nevada (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

New Hampshire (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. University of New Hampshire School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

New Jersey (ABA: 3)

ABA-accredited

  1. Rutgers Law School (Newark)
  2. Rutgers Law School (Camden)
  3. Seton Hall University School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

New Mexico (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. University of New Mexico School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

New York (ABA: 15)

ABA-accredited

  1. Albany Law School, Union University
  2. Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University
  3. Brooklyn Law School
  4. University at Buffalo Law School, SUNY
  5. Columbia Law School
  6. Cornell Law School
  7. City University of New York School of Law
  8. Fordham University School of Law
  9. Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
  10. Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center
  11. New York Law School
  12. New York University School of Law
  13. Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
  14. St. John's University School of Law
  15. Syracuse University College of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

North Carolina (ABA: 6)

ABA-accredited

  1. Duke University School of Law
  2. Elon University School of Law
  3. North Carolina Central University School of Law
  4. Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, Campbell University
  5. University of North Carolina School of Law
  6. Wake Forest University School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

North Dakota (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. University of North Dakota School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Ohio (ABA: 9)

ABA-accredited

  1. Cleveland State University College of Law
  2. Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, Ohio State University
  3. University of Cincinnati College of Law
  4. Case Western Reserve University School of Law
  5. Capital University Law School
  6. University of Dayton School of Law
  7. University of Toledo College of Law
  8. Claude W. Pettit College of Law, Ohio Northern University
  9. University of Akron School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Oklahoma (ABA: 3)

ABA-accredited

  1. Oklahoma City University School of Law
  2. University of Oklahoma College of Law
  3. University of Tulsa College of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Oregon (ABA: 3)

ABA-accredited

  1. University of Oregon School of Law
  2. Willamette University College of Law
  3. Lewis & Clark Law School

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Pennsylvania (ABA: 9)

ABA-accredited

  1. Drexel University School of Law
  2. Duquesne University School of Law
  3. Beasley School of Law, Temple University
  4. Dickinson School of Law, Penn State University
  5. Penn State Law, Penn State University
  6. University of Pennsylvania Law School
  7. University of Pittsburgh School of Law
  8. Villanova University School of Law
  9. Widener University Commonwealth Law School

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Puerto Rico (ABA: 3)

ABA-accredited

  1. Interamerican University of Puerto Rico School of Law
  2. Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law
  3. University of Puerto Rico School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Rhode Island (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. Roger Williams University School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

South Carolina (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. Joseph F. Rice School of Law, University of South Carolina

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

South Dakota (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. University of South Dakota School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Tennessee (ABA: 5 · Non-ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. Belmont University College of Law
  2. Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, University of Memphis
  3. Duncan School of Law, Lincoln Memorial University
  4. University of Tennessee College of Law
  5. Vanderbilt University Law School

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

  1. Nashville School of Law

Texas (ABA: 10)

ABA-accredited

  1. Baylor Law School, Baylor University
  2. Dedman School of Law, Southern Methodist University
  3. University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law
  4. Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University
  5. University of Houston Law Center
  6. South Texas College of Law Houston
  7. Texas Tech University School of Law
  8. University of Texas School of Law
  9. Texas A&M University School of Law
  10. St. Mary's University School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Utah (ABA: 2)

ABA-accredited

  1. J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University
  2. S.J. Quinney College of Law, University of Utah

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Vermont (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. Vermont Law and Graduate School

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Virginia (ABA: 9)

ABA-accredited

  1. Appalachian School of Law
  2. Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University
  3. Liberty University School of Law
  4. Regent University School of Law
  5. Washington and Lee University School of Law
  6. William & Mary Law School
  7. University of Richmond School of Law
  8. University of Virginia School of Law
  9. The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Washington (ABA: 3)

ABA-accredited

  1. Gonzaga University School of Law
  2. Seattle University School of Law
  3. University of Washington School of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

West Virginia (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. West Virginia University College of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Wisconsin (ABA: 2)

ABA-accredited

  1. Marquette University Law School
  2. University of Wisconsin Law School

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

Wyoming (ABA: 1)

ABA-accredited

  1. University of Wyoming College of Law

Non-ABA (state-accredited / registered)

— None —

IV. HOW TO USE THIS DIRECTORY

A directory tells you what your options are; it cannot tell you which option is right for you. As you work through this list, filter it through three lenses rather than rankings alone:

  • Outcomes. Look past the headline rank to the data that actually predicts your future: employment rate ten months after graduation, the share of graduates in full-time, bar-passage-required jobs, first-time bar passage, and the types of employers hiring each class. The ABA Standard 509 disclosures and Employment Summary reports are the place to find these.
  • Cost. Compare your realistic out-the-door price after scholarships, not sticker tuition. An in-state public school or a generous merit offer from a slightly lower-ranked program can leave you with dramatically less debt — and far more freedom in the careers you can afford to pursue.
  • Geography. Most law schools place graduates most heavily in their home region. If you know where you want to practice, weight schools with strong alumni networks, employer relationships, and bar-passage records in that market.

Use the T14 and next-tier tables to understand the national selectivity landscape, then use the by-state listings to build a realistic, geographically grounded application list. For a full walkthrough of how to balance prestige, cost, and fit — and how to actually run the numbers on an offer — see The Complete Guide to Law School.

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