Cornell University Law School was established in 1887 and is one of the oldest law schools in the United States. It was initially founded as a department within Cornell University but eventually became its own distinct school. The first class graduated in 1889. Over the years, it has grown to become one of the top law schools in the nation, consistently ranking among the top 20 law schools according to U.S. News & World Report. In addition, its faculty members are some of the most respected scholars and practitioners in their fields. The school offers a wide range of courses, including environmental law, intellectual property law, international law, tax law, and more. It also provides its students with hands-on legal experience through clinics and externships with various legal organizations throughout New York State. Cornell Law School also boasts an impressive alumni network that includes several Supreme Court justices as well as prominent political figures and business executives. With a strong academic reputation and a commitment to providing students with practical experience, Cornell University Law School continues to be an important part of legal education today.
Cornell University Law School is located in the state of New York. As one of the leading law programs, Cornell University Law School has a high average LSAT score of 165-168 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 Cornell University Law School.
Admissions: Cornell University
Cornell University Law School is one of the top law schools in the country, and its admissions statistics reflect this. In the 2019-2020 academic year, 10,845 applications were received for admission to Cornell Law School. Out of these applicants, only 1,077 were accepted—a 9.9% acceptance rate. Of those admitted, 714 matriculated to become part of the incoming class—a 66% yield rate. This incoming class was made up of 482 students who graduated from college within the last year and 232 students with prior law school experience. The average GPA for admitted students was 3.70 and their median LSAT score was 169 (in the 99th percentile). These high numbers reflect Cornell’s prestigious reputation as a top-tier law school.
Fall 2019 Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
Total number of full- and part-time applicants
4,207
Total number of full- and part-time acceptances
900
Overall acceptance rate
21.4%
Total number of full- and part-time first-year students enrolled
205
Number of full-time program applicants
4,207
Number of full-time program acceptances
900
Full-time acceptance rate
21.4%
Number of first-year full-time students enrolled
205
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
3.5-3.8
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students
165-168
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for full-time students
3.5-3.8
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for full-time students
165-168
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for part-time students
N/A
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for part-time students
N/A
Careers: Cornell University
Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2018 administrations)
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar
NY
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers
99.2%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers
80.7%
Class of 2018 Graduates
Total graduates
186
Graduates employed at graduation
96.8%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation
98.4%
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
$58,206
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2018)
Percent employed in academia
0.5%
Percent employed in business and industry
0.0%
Percent employed in government
1.5%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships
9.5%
Percent employed in law firms
85.0%
Percent employed in public interest
3.5%
Percent employed in an unknown field
0.0%
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge
8.0%
2018 Graduates Employment Location
Graduates employed in-state
60%
Graduates employed in foreign countries
2%
Number of states where graduates are employed
21
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
9.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA)
60.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
6.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD)
0.5%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)
11.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN)
0.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)
1.5%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)
10.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)
0.0%
Employment location unknown
0.0%
Career Services
(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)
Career services operations
Four professionals, two dedicated to public service, provide customized advising services to students. They also conduct workshops throughout the year and host job fairs around the country, in addition to arranging a full schedule of on-campus interviews. This results not just in the highest placement rates, but in very satisfied graduates. Find out more at www.lawschool.cornell.edu
Job Type
Bar admission required or anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks)
100.0%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent)
N/A
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)
N/A
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)
