Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law is the oldest public law school in Texas. It was founded in 1947 as the Houston College of Law and was the first law school in Houston. The school was originally established to provide an opportunity for African American attorneys to practice law in Texas. In 1951, the school’s name was changed to Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and it became part of Texas Southern University. Since then, it has become one of the most respected public law schools in the nation. The school has produced many distinguished graduates who have made significant contributions to their communities, including Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and United States Congresswoman Barbara Jordan. Over its long history, TMSL has continued to strive for excellence and is committed to providing quality legal education that prepares students for successful legal careers. In addition to its rich academic offerings, TMSL also offers a variety of student-run organizations that promote professional development and encourage networking opportunities. These organizations include a Moot Court team, a mentoring program, and a pro bono clinic which provides free legal services to those who cannot afford them.
Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law is located in the state of Texas. As one of the leading law programs, Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law has a high average LSAT score of 144-148 when recruiting new students. As a return, the median starting salary for law graduates reaches $55,000 per year. See the following table for detailed admissions information and career profiles of Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law.
Admissions: Texas Southern University (Marshall)
Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law has an acceptance rate of 52.1%, with 1,087 students enrolled in the Fall 2019 semester. The average GPA of incoming students is 3.09 and the average LSAT score is 144. The school offers both full-time and part-time programs, with over 80% of the student body enrolled in the full-time program. Furthermore, Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law provides a variety of resources to assist students in their studies, such as academic support services, career services, and access to a library with over 650,000 volumes. Additionally, the school offers student organizations that cover areas such as law journals, moot court teams, and pro bono activities. These resources provide ample opportunities for students to gain experience in their chosen field and network with other professionals in the legal industry.
Fall 2019 Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
Total number of full- and part-time applicants
2,003
Total number of full- and part-time acceptances
684
Overall acceptance rate
34.1%
Total number of full- and part-time first-year students enrolled
203
Number of full-time program applicants
2,003
Number of full-time program acceptances
684
Full-time acceptance rate
34.1%
Number of first-year full-time students enrolled
219
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
2.66-3.21
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students
144-148
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for full-time students
2.66-3.21
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for full-time students
144-148
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for part-time students
N/A
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for part-time students
N/A
Careers: Texas Southern University (Marshall)
Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2018 administrations)
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar
TX
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers
59.6%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers
84.4%
Class of 2018 Graduates
Total graduates
200
Graduates employed at graduation
N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation
83.3%
Starting Salaries of 2018 Graduates Employed Full-time
25th percentile private sector starting salary
$47,250
Median private sector starting salary
$55,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary
$70,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information
42%
Median public service starting salary
$55,000
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2018)
Percent employed in academia
3.0%
Percent employed in business and industry
24.0%
Percent employed in government
10.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships
1.0%
Percent employed in law firms
57.0%
Percent employed in public interest
1.0%
Percent employed in an unknown field
4.0%
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge
1.0%
2018 Graduates Employment Location
Graduates employed in-state
64%
Graduates employed in foreign countries
1%
Number of states where graduates are employed
15
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
0.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA)
5.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
2.7%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD)
0.9%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)
8.9%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN)
2.7%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)
61.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)
0.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)
1.8%
Employment location unknown
16.0%
Career Services
(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)
Career services operations
The Career Services Office is responsible for the organization and administration of on-campus interviews, off-camps recruitment programs, legal employment searches, career counseling and assistance in preparing resumes, cover letters and interviewing techniques. The office aims to expose students to a broad selection of exciting career opportunities in the legal community and private industry.
Job Type
Bar admission required or anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks)
80.0%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent)
7.0%
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)
3.0%
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)
