Duquesne University School of Law was established in 1911 as the Pittsburgh School of Law. The school was founded by Joseph G. Armstrong, a prominent local lawyer, and it was located in downtown Pittsburgh. The school offered a two-year curriculum that provided students with a basic knowledge of the law. In 1916, the school moved to its current location on Forbes Avenue and became part of Duquesne University. In 1927, the school was renamed Duquesne University School of Law and began offering a four-year program that awarded bachelor’s degrees in law.
The school continued to grow and expand over the years and by 1955 it had become accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). This accreditation allowed its graduates to practice law in all 50 states in the United States. In 1965, the school opened its first graduate program which offered master’s degrees in law. Since then, several additional graduate programs have been added including an LLM program for international students and a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degree for those interested in pursuing academic legal research or teaching careers. Today, Duquesne University School of Law offers a wide range of educational opportunities including certificates, dual degrees, joint degrees with other universities, and online programs.
Duquesne University School of Law is located in the state of Pennsylvania. As one of the leading law programs, Duquesne University School of Law has a high average LSAT score of 152-155 when recruiting new students. As a return, the median starting salary for law graduates reaches $65,000 per year. See the following table for detailed admissions information and career profiles of Duquesne University School of Law.
Admissions: Duquesne University
Duquesne University School of Law has a competitive admissions process that requires applicants to have a strong academic background. The average GPA of admitted students is 3.5, and the median LSAT score is 156. The acceptance rate for the school is approximately 40%, and they accept students from all over the world. The school also encourages applicants to submit additional materials such as letters of recommendation, personal statements, and resumes in order to give them an edge in the admissions process. Applicants are also encouraged to visit the campus if possible in order to get a better feel for what it’s like to attend Duquesne Law School. The application process includes interviews with faculty members and current students, which gives applicants the opportunity to show off their knowledge and skills in person. Additionally, prospective students must complete an essay or statement of purpose outlining their goals and motivations for attending law school at Duquesne University. This helps the admissions committee get a better understanding of why each applicant is a good fit for their program.
Fall 2019 Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
Total number of full- and part-time applicants
1,064
Total number of full- and part-time acceptances
484
Overall acceptance rate
45.5%
Total number of full- and part-time first-year students enrolled
224
Number of full-time program applicants
852
Number of full-time program acceptances
397
Full-time acceptance rate
46.6%
Number of first-year full-time students enrolled
161
Number of part-time program applicants
212
Number of part-time program acceptances
99
Part-time acceptance rate
46.7%
Number of first-year part-time students enrolled
63
Fall 2019 GPA and LSAT Scores
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students
3.19-3.63
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students
150-154
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for full-time students
3.25-3.67
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for full-time students
152-155
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for part-time students
3.13-3.59
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for part-time students
149-154
Careers: Duquesne University
Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2018 administrations)
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar
PA
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers
95.7%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers
86.7%
Class of 2018 Graduates
Total graduates
154
Graduates employed at graduation
N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation
85.2%
Starting Salaries of 2018 Graduates Employed Full-time
25th percentile private sector starting salary
$50,000
Median private sector starting salary
$65,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary
$80,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information
74%
Median public service starting salary
$43,500
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2018)
Percent employed in academia
2.0%
Percent employed in business and industry
17.0%
Percent employed in government
11.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships
12.0%
Percent employed in law firms
57.0%
Percent employed in public interest
1.0%
Percent employed in an unknown field
0.0%
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge
2.0%
2018 Graduates Employment Location
Graduates employed in-state
72%
Graduates employed in foreign countries
0%
Number of states where graduates are employed
18
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
1.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA)
75.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
2.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD)
0.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)
11.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN)
1.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)
0.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)
1.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)
2.0%
Employment location unknown
7.0%
Career Services
(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)
Career services operations
Our highly professional staff has consistently succeeded – over a ten year period – in assisting more than 90% of our students to find employment within six months of graduation.
Job Type
Bar admission required or anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks)
82.0%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent)
5.0%
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)
4.0%
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)
