University of Dayton School of Law

By | January 6, 2023

The University of Dayton School of Law was founded in 1974 and is located in Dayton, Ohio. It is the only private law school in the state and one of only five ABA-accredited law schools in Ohio. The school was established to serve the local community by providing a professional legal education that would prepare students for successful careers in public service, business, and private practice.

Since its inception, the University of Dayton School of Law has grown to become one of the leading law schools in the Midwest. It offers an extensive curriculum with courses ranging from traditional legal studies to specialized areas such as environmental law and international human rights. The school also provides robust experiential learning opportunities through study abroad programs, internships, and clinics. In addition, it offers dual degree programs with other University of Dayton schools such as business and engineering.

University of Dayton School of Law

The University of Dayton School of Law is committed to providing a quality legal education at an affordable cost while emphasizing public service among its graduates. It has consistently ranked among the top third tier law schools according to US News & World Report’s annual rankings since 2003 and is accredited by both the American Bar Association (ABA) and the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). In addition, it has achieved several other milestones over its history including becoming a member institution of The National Association for Legal Career Professionals (NALP) in 2006 and launching an online Master’s in Legal Studies program for non-lawyers in 2008.

University of Dayton School of Law is located in the state of Ohio. As one of the leading law programs, University of Dayton School of Law has a high average LSAT score of 148-153 when recruiting new students. As a return, the median starting salary for law graduates reaches $58,900 per year. See the following table for detailed admissions information and career profiles of University of Dayton School of Law.

Admissions: University of Dayton

The University of Dayton School of Law is a highly competitive school with an acceptance rate of approximately 40 percent. The school currently has a total enrollment of around 500 students, and the majority are full-time students. The average GPA for incoming students is 3.4, and the median LSAT score is 152. In addition to academic qualifications, the admissions committee also takes into account work experience, community service, and extracurricular activities when making admission decisions. Furthermore, the school encourages applications from diverse backgrounds and offers scholarships to those who are economically disadvantaged. With its outstanding faculty, small class sizes, and extensive opportunities for hands-on learning experiences such as clinics and externships, the University of Dayton School of Law is an excellent choice for anyone considering law school.

Fall 2019 Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
Total number of full- and part-time applicants 2,097
Total number of full- and part-time acceptances 1,214
Overall acceptance rate 57.9%
Total number of full- and part-time first-year students enrolled 202
Number of full-time program applicants 2,097
Number of full-time program acceptances 1,214
Full-time acceptance rate 57.9%
Number of first-year full-time students enrolled 202
Number of part-time program applicants 0
Number of part-time program acceptances 0
Part-time acceptance rate N/A
Number of first-year part-time students enrolled 0
Fall 2019 GPA and LSAT Scores
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 2.87-3.4
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 148-153
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for full-time students 2.87-3.4
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for full-time students 148-153
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for part-time students N/A
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for part-time students N/A

Careers: University of Dayton

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 91.8%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 87.8%
Class of 2018 Graduates
Total graduates 126
Graduates employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 92.1%
Starting Salaries of 2018 Graduates Employed Full-time
25th percentile private sector starting salary $47,500
Median private sector starting salary $58,900
75th percentile private sector starting salary $65,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 81%
Median public service starting salary $45,000
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2018)
Percent employed in academia 3.0%
Percent employed in business and industry 13.0%
Percent employed in government 13.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 9.0%
Percent employed in law firms 58.0%
Percent employed in public interest 4.0%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge 0.0%
2018 Graduates Employment Location
Graduates employed in-state 62%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 0%
Number of states where graduates are employed 22
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 1.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 2.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 73.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 2.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 11.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 3.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 2.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 4.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 2.0%
Employment location unknown 0.0%
Career Services
(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)
Career services operations The Career Services Offices (CSO) is committed to assisting students in identifying and securing positions that match their interests. The CSO furnishes information about employers, employment opportunities, offers consultations for resume/cover-letter writing, sponsors on-campus interviews and resume collections, and facilitates off-campus interviews through participation in job fairs.
Job Type
Bar admission required or anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 87.0%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 10.0%
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) 1.0%