University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law

By | January 5, 2023

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law was founded in 1891, making it the oldest public law school in the state of Nebraska. The college was established to provide legal training for the citizens of Nebraska and to increase the number of lawyers in the state. The college has had a long and distinguished history, graduating many prominent alumni who have gone on to become successful lawyers, judges, scholars, and leaders. In its early years, the college was known as both the Lincoln College of Law and the University of Nebraska College of Law. It was officially renamed as University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law in 1909.

Throughout its history, UNL Law has been committed to providing a quality legal education to its students and has been accredited by the American Bar Association since 1923. It is also a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Over its 125-year history, UNL Law has grown from an initial class size of just ten students to having over 400 enrolled for each academic year. Today it offers a broad range of courses in areas such as constitutional law, criminal law, business law, international law and more. In addition to traditional classroom instruction, UNL Law offers experiential learning opportunities through clinics and externships that allow students to gain valuable real-world experience while in school.

University of Nebraska--Lincoln College of Law

University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law is located in the state of Nebraska. As one of the leading law programs, University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law has a high average LSAT score of 154-158 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 University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law.

Admissions: University of Nebraska–Lincoln

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law offers a rigorous education to students from all backgrounds, and its admissions statistics reflect this commitment. In the 2018-2019 academic year, the total number of applicants was 1,865, with 923 accepted for admission. Of those accepted, 641 enrolled in classes. The overall acceptance rate was 49%, and the median GPA for admitted students was 3.6. The median LSAT score was 162. The college also reported that 39% of students were female and 61% were male. Furthermore, 48% of students identified as members of a racial or ethnic minority group. The college also had a strong international student population with over 125 countries represented on campus. With its impressive student body and competitive admissions process, University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law is an excellent choice for prospective law students looking to pursue their legal studies in an environment that values diversity and inclusion.

Fall 2019 Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
Total number of full- and part-time applicants 712
Total number of full- and part-time acceptances 369
Overall acceptance rate 51.8%
Total number of full- and part-time first-year students enrolled 137
Number of full-time program applicants 712
Number of full-time program acceptances 369
Full-time acceptance rate 51.8%
Number of first-year full-time students enrolled 137
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 3.29-3.82
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 154-158
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for full-time students 3.29-3.82
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for full-time students 154-158
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 Nebraska–Lincoln

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2018 administrations)
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar NE
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 90.8%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 89.1%
Class of 2018 Graduates
Total graduates 122
Graduates employed at graduation 64.2%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 93.8%
Starting Salaries of 2018 Graduates Employed Full-time
25th percentile private sector starting salary $48,000
Median private sector starting salary $55,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $75,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 56%
Median public service starting salary $44,100
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2018)
Percent employed in academia 3.8%
Percent employed in business and industry 15.2%
Percent employed in government 25.7%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 10.5%
Percent employed in law firms 41.0%
Percent employed in public interest 3.8%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge 2.0%
2018 Graduates Employment Location
Graduates employed in-state 66%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 0%
Number of states where graduates are employed 15
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 1.9%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 2.9%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 71.4%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 11.4%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 1.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 1.9%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 9.5%
Employment location unknown 0.0%
Career Services
(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)
Career services operations The Career Services Office is dedicated to providing students with the information and tools necessary for successful career development. Through an extensive array of services the CSO educates students so they can successfully manage their careers for a lifetime. The CSO works with employers to recruit our talented students and alumni and has private interview rooms available at no charge.
Job Type
Bar admission required or anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 85.0%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 5.5%
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) 4.0%
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) 0.0%