Washington University in St. Louis School of Law was established in 1867 as the first private law school west of the Mississippi River. The school was founded by a group of prominent St. Louis lawyers and judges who wanted to create an institution to provide legal education for aspiring attorneys. In its early years, the school was known as the St. Louis Law School and operated out of several downtown locations before settling into its own building in 1873. In 1899, the school officially changed its name to Washington University School of Law, reflecting the university’s commitment to providing legal education with a focus on academic excellence and professional development.
Throughout its long history, Washington University in St. Louis School of Law has remained committed to providing an outstanding legal education with an emphasis on scholarship and public service. Over time, the curriculum has evolved to include courses that prepare students for practice in a variety of areas including corporate law, environmental law, international law, and civil rights law. The school also offers joint degree programs with other disciplines such as business administration, medicine, and public health so that students can gain expertise in multiple fields simultaneously.
In addition to its rigorous academic program, Washington University in St. Louis School of Law is highly regarded for its strong faculty which includes some of the most accomplished scholars from around the world as well as many distinguished alumni who have gone on to become successful attorneys and judges at all levels of government. The school also provides numerous opportunities for students to engage in pro bono work through various student organizations such as The Innocence Project and The Legal Clinic at Wash U which provides free legal advice for low-income individuals across Missouri.
Washington University in St. Louis School of Law is located in the state of Missouri. As one of the leading law programs, Washington University in St. Louis School of Law has a high average LSAT score of 161-168 when recruiting new students. As a return, the median starting salary for law graduates reaches $152,500 per year. See the following table for detailed admissions information and career profiles of Washington University in St. Louis School of Law.
Admissions: Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis School of Law is one of the top law schools in the nation. It has an impressive admissions rate of around 25%, making it one of the most selective law schools in the US. The School of Law admits students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, and it has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. For example, approximately 20% of the student body is composed of racial or ethnic minorities, including African American, Hispanic/Latino American, Native American, Asian American and Pacific Islander students. Additionally, about 40% are female students. The school also admits international students from over 40 countries across the globe. Furthermore, Washington University in St. Louis School of Law offers generous financial aid packages to help make a legal education more accessible to all applicants regardless of their financial background or circumstances. In total, over 92% of admitted students receive some type of financial aid package ranging from grants to scholarships and loans.
Fall 2019 Admissions and Enrollment Statistics | |
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Total number of full- and part-time applicants | 3,690 |
Total number of full- and part-time acceptances | 987 |
Overall acceptance rate | 26.7% |
Total number of full- and part-time first-year students enrolled | 261 |
Number of full-time program applicants | 3,690 |
Number of full-time program acceptances | 987 |
Full-time acceptance rate | 26.7% |
Number of first-year full-time students enrolled | 261 |
Number of part-time program applicants | N/A |
Number of part-time program acceptances | N/A |
Part-time acceptance rate | N/A |
Number of first-year part-time students enrolled | N/A |
Fall 2019 GPA and LSAT Scores | |
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students | 3.3-3.8 |
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students | 161-168 |
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for full-time students | 3.3-3.8 |
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for full-time students | 161-168 |
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for part-time students | N/A |
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for part-time students | N/A |
Careers: Washington University in St. Louis
Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2018 administrations) | |
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State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar | MO |
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers | 100.0% |
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers | 91.3% |
Class of 2018 Graduates | |
Total graduates | 266 |
Graduates employed at graduation | 89.4% |
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation | 95.0% |
Starting Salaries of 2018 Graduates Employed Full-time | |
25th percentile private sector starting salary | $110,000 |
Median private sector starting salary | $152,500 |
75th percentile private sector starting salary | $160,000 |
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information | 65% |
Median public service starting salary | $39,750 |
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2018) | |
Percent employed in academia | 2.0% |
Percent employed in business and industry | 10.0% |
Percent employed in government | 10.5% |
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships | 10.5% |
Percent employed in law firms | 62.0% |
Percent employed in public interest | 2.0% |
Percent employed in an unknown field | 3.0% |
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge | 8.2% |
2018 Graduates Employment Location | |
Graduates employed in-state | 23% |
Graduates employed in foreign countries | 4% |
Number of states where graduates are employed | 30 |
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) | 2.4% |
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) | 13.7% |
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) | 15.8% |
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) | 24.3% |
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) | 16.7% |
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) | 3.0% |
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) | 5.5% |
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) | 7.3% |
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) | 4.3% |
Employment location unknown | 3.5% |
Career Services | |
(Data appear as originally submitted by this school) | |
Career services operations | The Career Services Office provides a full spectrum of professional development programming and opportunities for students as well as focused outreach to potential employers across the nation. The CSO commitment to close interaction in matching students with outstanding employment opportunities remains a hallmark of Washington University Law. Visit us at http://law.wustl.edu/career_services/ |
Job Type | |
Bar admission required or anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) | 91.0% |
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) | 7.0% |
Professional/other (jobs that require professional skills or training but for which a J.D. is neither preferred nor particularly applicable; e.g., accountant, teacher, business manager, nurse) | 2.0% |
Nonprofessional/other (job that does not require any professional skills or training or is taken on a temporary basis and not viewed as part of a career path) | 0.0% |