Suffolk University School of Law was founded in 1906 as the first evening law school in the United States. It was founded by Gleason Archer, Sr., and was originally called the “Evening Law School.” Its original purpose was to provide legal education for individuals who could not attend law school during the day due to their work and family obligations. The school quickly gained recognition for its innovative approach to legal education and began to attract students from all walks of life. In 1937, it became Suffolk University School of Law, and in 1938 it received full accreditation from the American Bar Association (ABA). Over the years, Suffolk has continued to be a leader in legal education, offering innovative programs such as its Accelerated JD Program and its JD/MBA program. Today, Suffolk is one of the most respected law schools in New England, offering a wide range of courses and degree programs that enable students to become well-rounded lawyers who are prepared to practice law in today’s increasingly globalized world. The faculty and staff at Suffolk are dedicated to helping students reach their professional goals by providing them with an exceptional educational experience that emphasizes practical skills training, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities and ethical behavior.
Suffolk University School of Law is located in the state of Massachusetts. As one of the leading law programs, Suffolk University School of Law has a high average LSAT score of 154-159 when recruiting new students. As a return, the median starting salary for law graduates reaches $79,000 per year. See the following table for detailed admissions information and career profiles of Suffolk University School of Law.
Admissions: Suffolk University
Suffolk University School of Law is a highly competitive law school, with an acceptance rate of only 30%. Of the 3,000 applicants who applied for the class of 2021, only 900 were accepted. The median GPA for admitted students was 3.4 and the median LSAT score was 157. The student body is comprised of students from all over the world, representing a variety of backgrounds and experiences. In addition to academic qualifications, Suffolk looks for applicants who demonstrate leadership potential and commitment to service. The school seeks to create an environment that is rich in cultural diversity and encourages collaboration between students from different backgrounds. Suffolk also offers numerous scholarship opportunities for students in need, making it possible for many to pursue their legal education at this prestigious institution.
Fall 2019 Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
Total number of full- and part-time applicants
3,261
Total number of full- and part-time acceptances
1,696
Overall acceptance rate
52.0%
Total number of full- and part-time first-year students enrolled
531
Number of full-time program applicants
2,630
Number of full-time program acceptances
1,333
Full-time acceptance rate
50.7%
Number of first-year full-time students enrolled
339
Number of part-time program applicants
631
Number of part-time program acceptances
363
Part-time acceptance rate
57.5%
Number of first-year part-time students enrolled
192
Fall 2019 GPA and LSAT Scores
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students
3-3.5
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students
153-158
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for full-time students
3.3-3.5
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for full-time students
154-159
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for part-time students
2.9-3.5
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for part-time students
151-156
Careers: Suffolk 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
92.8%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers
89.0%
Class of 2018 Graduates
Total graduates
471
Graduates employed at graduation
N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation
89.7%
Starting Salaries of 2018 Graduates Employed Full-time
25th percentile private sector starting salary
$57,500
Median private sector starting salary
$79,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary
$130,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information
67%
Median public service starting salary
$47,800
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2018)
Percent employed in academia
3.0%
Percent employed in business and industry
28.0%
Percent employed in government
13.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships
11.0%
Percent employed in law firms
40.0%
Percent employed in public interest
3.0%
Percent employed in an unknown field
2.0%
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge
0.5%
2018 Graduates Employment Location
Graduates employed in-state
81%
Graduates employed in foreign countries
0%
Number of states where graduates are employed
22
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
88.3%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA)
4.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
1.7%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD)
0.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)
3.2%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN)
0.5%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)
0.2%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)
1.2%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)
0.7%
Employment location unknown
0.0%
Career Services
(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)
Career services operations
The Career Development Office is dedicated to students and alumni in their search for satisfying legal employment. The office provides self-assessment, resume and cover letter review, workshops to sharpen interviewing and negotiating skills and methods to explore job opportunities. We accomplish these shared goals through information sessions and individual attention.
Job Type
Bar admission required or anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks)
74.0%
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)
15.0%
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)
