Ohio Northern University’s Claude W. Pettit College of Law was founded in 1885, making it one of the oldest law schools in the United States. The school is located in Ada, Ohio and is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). It was originally known as The Northwestern Law School and was a private school until 1906, when it became part of Ohio Northern University. The college was named after Claude W. Pettit, an alumnus of the university who served as Dean from 1909 to 1940.
The college has had a long and distinguished history since its founding. In its early years, it had a reputation for producing some of the best lawyers in the country, many of whom went on to become Supreme Court justices and prominent state and federal judges. In recent years, its faculty has been ranked among the top 20 law schools in the country for scholarly productivity by both US News & World Report and Business Insider. It offers a wide range of courses in areas such as constitutional law, criminal law, civil procedure, intellectual property law and international law. Additionally, many students have opportunities to participate in various clinics such as legal aid clinics and externships with local government agencies or non-profit organizations.
Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law is located in the state of Ohio. As one of the leading law programs, Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law has a high average LSAT score of 149-157 when recruiting new students. As a return, the median starting salary for law graduates reaches $60,000 per year. See the following table for detailed admissions information and career profiles of Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law.
Admissions: Ohio Northern University (Pettit)
The Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law is a private law school located in Ada, Ohio. It is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. It was founded in 1885 and has an enrollment of approximately 300 students. The college offers a Juris Doctor degree program as well as programs for Master of Laws, Master of Studies in Law, and Doctor of Juridical Science degrees.
The admissions statistics for the Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law are quite competitive. In 2020, there were over 1,000 applicants for the full-time program but only about 200 were accepted into the program. The median undergraduate GPA for accepted students was 3.7 and about 75% had LSAT scores above 150. Applicants must also submit letters of recommendation, personal statements and transcripts from all previous colleges attended to be considered for admission into the law school. Additionally, applicants must submit an application fee before their application will be processed by the admissions office.
Fall 2019 Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
Total number of full- and part-time applicants
1,286
Total number of full- and part-time acceptances
464
Overall acceptance rate
36.1%
Total number of full- and part-time first-year students enrolled
113
Number of full-time program applicants
1,286
Number of full-time program acceptances
464
Full-time acceptance rate
36.1%
Number of first-year full-time students enrolled
113
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
2.96-3.65
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students
149-157
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for full-time students
2.96-3.65
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for full-time students
149-157
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for part-time students
N/A
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for part-time students
N/A
Careers: Ohio Northern University (Pettit)
Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2018 administrations)
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar
OH
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers
93.5%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers
87.8%
Class of 2018 Graduates
Total graduates
92
Graduates employed at graduation
N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation
93.4%
Starting Salaries of 2018 Graduates Employed Full-time
25th percentile private sector starting salary
$47,500
Median private sector starting salary
$60,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary
$87,500
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information
22%
Median public service starting salary
$42,500
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2018)
Percent employed in academia
4.0%
Percent employed in business and industry
5.0%
Percent employed in government
27.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships
3.0%
Percent employed in law firms
50.0%
Percent employed in public interest
2.0%
Percent employed in an unknown field
9.0%
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge
0.0%
2018 Graduates Employment Location
Graduates employed in-state
38%
Graduates employed in foreign countries
0%
Number of states where graduates are employed
18
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
1.4%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA)
15.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
46.6%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD)
1.4%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)
21.9%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN)
6.8%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)
1.4%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)
1.4%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)
4.1%
Employment location unknown
0.0%
Career Services
(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)
Career services operations
The Ohio Northern University College of Law recognizes its responsibility to assist students in obtaining legal employment. A list of services and resources can be seen at our website: http/www.law.onu.edu.
Job Type
Bar admission required or anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks)
79.2%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent)
3.9%
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)
3.9%
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)
