Northeastern University School of Law was founded in 1898 as the first law school in Boston. It was originally known as the Northeastern College of Law and was located in the Boylston Building, near Boston Common. The school was founded to provide legal education to those who otherwise could not afford it, and offered a two-year curriculum with courses in contract law, criminal law, and evidence. In 1909, the school moved to its current location on Huntington Avenue. The move marked an important milestone for Northeastern Law as it allowed for expansion of its curriculum and student body. Over the next few decades, the school continued to grow in size and scope, offering more specialized courses such as international law and business law. By 1967, the college had become a full-fledged university with a four-year program leading to a Juris Doctor degree. In 1969, Northeastern University established its School of Law Library which is now one of the largest academic libraries in New England. Today, Northeastern University School of Law is one of the top ranked public law schools in the nation according to U.S News & World Report’s 2019 rankings and is renowned for its commitment to experiential learning opportunities through its Cooperative Legal Education Program (CLEP). Through CLEP students are able to gain real world experience by working at actual legal settings such as courtrooms or law firms while still enrolled at Northeastern University School of Law. This innovative program has helped mold some of today’s most influential lawyers who have gone on to shape national policy and shape our justice system for generations to come.
Northeastern University School of Law is located in the state of Massachusetts. As one of the leading law programs, Northeastern University School of Law has a high average LSAT score of 155-163 when recruiting new students. As a return, the median starting salary for law graduates reaches $85,000 per year. See the following table for detailed admissions information and career profiles of Northeastern University School of Law.
Admissions: Northeastern University
Northeastern University School of Law is one of the top law schools in the country, boasting a high admissions rate and a diverse student body. The median LSAT score for Northeastern students is 158, which puts them in the top 10% of all test takers, while the median GPA is 3.53. Additionally, Northeastern’s acceptance rate is 39%. The school also has a diverse student body with over 25% of enrolled students coming from underrepresented minority groups. With its strong academic reputation and commitment to diversity, Northeastern University School of Law provides an excellent learning environment for aspiring lawyers.
Northeastern Law offers several dual degree programs as well as joint degree programs with other universities like Harvard and Boston College. These programs allow students to gain expertise in two areas at once, giving them a competitive edge when they enter the job market. Additionally, Northeastern also has an extensive network of alumni across the country who are willing to provide mentorship and career advice to current students. This network allows current students to benefit from their peers’ experiences and get ahead in their legal careers while still at school.
Fall 2019 Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
Total number of full- and part-time applicants
3,798
Total number of full- and part-time acceptances
1,280
Overall acceptance rate
33.7%
Total number of full- and part-time first-year students enrolled
214
Number of full-time program applicants
3,798
Number of full-time program acceptances
1,280
Full-time acceptance rate
33.7%
Number of first-year full-time students enrolled
214
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
3.2-3.63
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students
155-163
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for full-time students
3.2-3.63
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for full-time students
155-163
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for part-time students
N/A
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for part-time students
N/A
Careers: Northeastern 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
93.7%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers
89.0%
Class of 2018 Graduates
Total graduates
198
Graduates employed at graduation
N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation
94.1%
Starting Salaries of 2018 Graduates Employed Full-time
25th percentile private sector starting salary
$55,000
Median private sector starting salary
$85,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary
$160,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information
60%
Median public service starting salary
$47,000
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2018)
Percent employed in academia
3.0%
Percent employed in business and industry
26.0%
Percent employed in government
8.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships
13.0%
Percent employed in law firms
34.0%
Percent employed in public interest
16.0%
Percent employed in an unknown field
0.0%
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge
1.0%
2018 Graduates Employment Location
Graduates employed in-state
69%
Graduates employed in foreign countries
2%
Number of states where graduates are employed
21
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
76.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA)
4.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
0.5%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD)
2.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)
6.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN)
0.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)
3.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)
6.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)
0.5%
Employment location unknown
N/A
Career Services
(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)
Career services operations
Practical experience is the cornerstone of a Northeastern law degree. Students work closely with career advisers every year throughout law school and graduate with one full year of legal work experience – developing skills, experience, confidence and contacts that greatly enhance job prospects. In fact, almost 40% of our students obtain their first post-graduate job with a former co-op employer.
Job Type
Bar admission required or anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks)
83.0%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent)
9.0%
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)
5.0%
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)
