Vanderbilt University Law School was founded in 1874, making it one of the oldest law schools in the United States. The school was founded by a group of prominent Nashville citizens, including future United States Supreme Court Justice Horace H. Lurton. The school initially consisted of two professors and a handful of students, but quickly grew to include more faculty and students. In 1875, the school moved from its original location to a new building on the Vanderbilt campus. Through the years, Vanderbilt Law School has continued to expand its curriculum and increase its enrollment. It now offers over 80 courses for its JD program and boasts an impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1. In addition to its JD program, Vanderbilt Law School also offers several joint degree programs with other departments at Vanderbilt University as well as study abroad programs in countries such as France and Italy. It also offers a variety of clinical programs where students can gain hands-on experience while working with local organizations on legal issues.
In recent years, Vanderbilt Law School has consistently ranked among the top 20 law schools in the country according to U.S News & World Report rankings and has been named one of “America’s Best Graduate Schools” by Princeton Review for many years running. This recognition is due in part to its rigorous academic standards and diverse student body that come from all over the United States as well as many international countries. Additionally, Vanderbilt Law School is known for providing its students with many opportunities for professional development through internships, clinics and externships with local firms or organizations throughout Nashville and beyond.
Vanderbilt University Law School is located in the state of Tennessee. As one of the leading law programs, Vanderbilt University Law School has a high average LSAT score of 164-169 when recruiting new students. As a return, the median starting salary for law graduates reaches $145,000 per year. See the following table for detailed admissions information and career profiles of Vanderbilt University Law School.
Vanderbilt University Law School is one of the most prestigious institutions in the country. This highly selective school has an acceptance rate of just 25%, making it one of the top law schools in the United States. The average GPA for accepted students is a 3.7, and the median LSAT score is 173, both of which are higher than most other law schools. In addition, Vanderbilt Law School boasts an impressive student-faculty ratio of 12:1, allowing students to benefit from individualized attention from professors and staff. Furthermore, Vanderbilt Law School offers a wide range of courses and academic programs that are designed to prepare students for their future legal careers. With its diverse faculty and rigorous curriculum, Vanderbilt University Law School provides an excellent legal education for its students and prepares them to become successful attorneys.
Fall 2019 Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
Total number of full- and part-time applicants
4,850
Total number of full- and part-time acceptances
1,181
Overall acceptance rate
24.4%
Total number of full- and part-time first-year students enrolled
195
Number of full-time program applicants
4,850
Number of full-time program acceptances
1,181
Full-time acceptance rate
24.4%
Number of first-year full-time students enrolled
195
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
3.5-3.86
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students
164-169
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for full-time students
3.5-3.86
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for full-time students
164-169
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for part-time students
N/A
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for part-time students
N/A
Careers: Vanderbilt University
Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2018 administrations)
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar
TN
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers
95.7%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers
82.9%
Class of 2018 Graduates
Total graduates
222
Graduates employed at graduation
96.8%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation
98.4%
Starting Salaries of 2018 Graduates Employed Full-time
25th percentile private sector starting salary
$112,500
Median private sector starting salary
$145,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary
$160,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information
74%
Median public service starting salary
$50,000
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2018)
Percent employed in academia
0.0%
Percent employed in business and industry
3.0%
Percent employed in government
6.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships
15.0%
Percent employed in law firms
74.0%
Percent employed in public interest
2.0%
Percent employed in an unknown field
0.0%
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge
10.6%
2018 Graduates Employment Location
Graduates employed in-state
19%
Graduates employed in foreign countries
2%
Number of states where graduates are employed
32
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
2.9%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA)
13.2%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
8.8%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD)
4.4%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)
28.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN)
22.6%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)
9.8%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)
5.9%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)
2.9%
Employment location unknown
0.0%
Career Services
(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)
Career services operations
The Career Services Office fosters a highly personalized working relationship between students and counselors and provides a number of job-seeking venues: On Campus Interviews representing hundreds of locations, Non-Visiting Resume Collection with over 600 opportunities, nearly 20 Job Fairs, and individual contacts with employers. Virtually all students are employed six months after graduation.
Job Type
Bar admission required or anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks)
97.0%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent)
2.0%
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)
0.0%
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)
