Boston University School of Law was founded in 1872 as the first law school in the northeastern United States. It is one of the oldest and most respected law schools in the country. The original building, located on Boylston Street, was destroyed by fire in 1873 and replaced by a new building at the same location. The new building soon became overcrowded, leading to the acquisition of a larger building on Commonwealth Avenue in 1889. This structure became known as the “Old Law School Building,” and is now a National Historic Landmark.
The school continued to grow over the years, and during World War II it expanded its curriculum to offer courses in international law and human rights. In 1949, Boston University merged with Harvard Law School, giving it access to Harvard’s extensive library collection and faculty. In 1965, Boston University School of Law became an independent institution again, with its own faculty and library resources. Since then it has grown into one of the top-ranked law schools in the country. It offers a wide range of degree programs including traditional JD degrees as well as joint degrees such as JD/MBA or JD/MPP programs. It also offers specialized certificates such as environmental law or business law for students who wish to specialize their legal education.
Boston University School of Law is located in the state of Massachusetts. As one of the leading law programs, Boston University School of Law has a high average LSAT score of 164-167 when recruiting new students. As a return, the median starting salary for law graduates reaches $160,000 per year. See the following table for detailed admissions information and career profiles of Boston University School of Law.
Admissions: Boston University
The admissions statistics of Boston University School of Law for the 2018-19 academic year indicate that the school received 4,863 applications for their full-time day program. Of these, 939 were accepted and 551 enrolled. This resulted in an acceptance rate of 19.3% and a yield rate of 58.5%. The median LSAT score was 167 and the median GPA was 3.76. Furthermore, 43% of the incoming class were women and 21% were students of color or international students. Additionally, 80% of the admitted applicants had work experience prior to law school with an average age at matriculation of 24 years old. This is indicative of a diverse student body with various experiences which contributes to a vibrant learning environment at Boston University School of Law.
Fall 2019 Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
Total number of full- and part-time applicants
7,659
Total number of full- and part-time acceptances
1,801
Overall acceptance rate
23.5%
Total number of full- and part-time first-year students enrolled
271
Number of full-time program applicants
7,659
Number of full-time program acceptances
1,801
Full-time acceptance rate
23.5%
Number of first-year full-time students enrolled
271
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
3.5-3.83
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students
164-167
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for full-time students
3.5-3.83
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for full-time students
164-167
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for part-time students
N/A
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for part-time students
N/A
Careers: Boston University
Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2018 administrations)
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar
MA
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers
97.7%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers
89.0%
Class of 2018 Graduates
Total graduates
278
Graduates employed at graduation
90.6%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation
99.1%
Starting Salaries of 2018 Graduates Employed Full-time
25th percentile private sector starting salary
$160,000
Median private sector starting salary
$160,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary
$160,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information
82%
Median public service starting salary
$48,000
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2018)
Percent employed in academia
7.0%
Percent employed in business and industry
5.0%
Percent employed in government
5.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships
6.0%
Percent employed in law firms
69.0%
Percent employed in public interest
6.0%
Percent employed in an unknown field
2.0%
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge
1.5%
2018 Graduates Employment Location
Graduates employed in-state
46%
Graduates employed in foreign countries
1%
Number of states where graduates are employed
24
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
49.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA)
24.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
3.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD)
1.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)
7.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN)
1.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)
1.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)
10.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)
1.0%
Employment location unknown
2.0%
Career Services
(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)
Career services operations
Staffed by 7 attorneys, 4 administrators, and part-time attorney advisers. Students have access to more than 400 employers through on-and off-campus recruiting. Assistance is provided through individual advising, resume writing, interviewing and networking techniques and numerous programs, often featuring practicing attorneys. The office maintains extensive career-related resources.
Job Type
Bar admission required or anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks)
95.0%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent)
2.0%
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)
1.0%
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)
