Wayne State University Law School was established in 1927 as Detroit City Law School, making it the oldest law school in Michigan. Located in the heart of Detroit, Wayne State Law School has a long history of providing quality legal education to students from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Through its commitment to diversity and social justice, Wayne State Law School has become one of the most respected law schools in the Midwest. In its early years, the school focused on meeting the needs of local attorneys, but over time it has evolved into a top-tier institution with a national reputation for excellence. The school offers an array of degree programs including JDs, LLMs, and dual degrees with other graduate programs at Wayne State University. The curriculum is designed to be both rigorous and practical so that graduates are well-prepared to practice law in whatever field they choose. To further ensure success for its students, Wayne State Law also provides a variety of student services including career counseling and academic support services. The faculty is composed of highly knowledgeable professionals from different backgrounds who are committed to providing quality legal education and supporting students throughout their legal careers. With its strong commitment to diversity and social justice, Wayne State University Law School is an ideal place for aspiring lawyers who want to make a difference in their communities.
Wayne State University Law School is located in the state of Michigan. As one of the leading law programs, Wayne State University Law School has a high average LSAT score of 153-159 when recruiting new students. As a return, the median starting salary for law graduates reaches $75,000 per year. See the following table for detailed admissions information and career profiles of Wayne State University Law School.
Admissions: Wayne State University
Wayne State University Law School is located in Detroit, Michigan. The school offers a variety of programs, including Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Laws (LLM) and Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degrees. In addition, the school also offers dual degree programs with other universities and colleges. The law school has a rich history that dates back to its founding in 1927.
The admissions statistics for Wayne State University Law School are quite impressive. For the 2021-2022 academic year, the median LSAT score was 155 and the median undergraduate GPA was 3.45. Additionally, the acceptance rate was 40%, meaning that out of all applicants who applied, only 40% were accepted into the program. This shows that there is a competitive admissions process at Wayne State University Law School as they select only the most qualified applicants to join their program. Furthermore, out of those accepted students, approximately 85% are from Michigan or other nearby states such as Ohio or Indiana. This indicates that Wayne State Law School values students from its home state and surrounding areas while also recognizing talented students from around the country who seek admission into their program.
Fall 2019 Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
Total number of full- and part-time applicants
1,510
Total number of full- and part-time acceptances
568
Overall acceptance rate
37.6%
Total number of full- and part-time first-year students enrolled
185
Number of full-time program applicants
1,364
Number of full-time program acceptances
537
Full-time acceptance rate
39.4%
Number of first-year full-time students enrolled
163
Number of part-time program applicants
146
Number of part-time program acceptances
31
Part-time acceptance rate
21.2%
Number of first-year part-time students enrolled
22
Fall 2019 GPA and LSAT Scores
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students
3.17-3.69
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students
153-159
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for full-time students
3.25-3.69
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for full-time students
153-159
25th-75th percentile undergraduate GPA for part-time students
3.11-3.7
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for part-time students
154-160
Careers: Wayne State University
Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2018 administrations)
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar
MI
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers
95.9%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers
82.0%
Class of 2018 Graduates
Total graduates
229
Graduates employed at graduation
N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation
87.5%
Starting Salaries of 2018 Graduates Employed Full-time
25th percentile private sector starting salary
$50,000
Median private sector starting salary
$75,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary
$100,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information
86%
Median public service starting salary
$48,000
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2018)
Percent employed in academia
1.6%
Percent employed in business and industry
13.1%
Percent employed in government
11.5%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships
2.1%
Percent employed in law firms
66.0%
Percent employed in public interest
5.8%
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
90%
Graduates employed in foreign countries
0%
Number of states where graduates are employed
10
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
0.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA)
0.5%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
89.5%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD)
0.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)
5.2%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN)
0.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)
1.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)
3.7%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)
0.0%
Employment location unknown
0.0%
Career Services
(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)
Career services operations
The Career Services Office offers comprehensive career planning and professional development assistance to students and alumni. Each of our counselors has a J.D. and has practiced law. The CSO conducts on-campus recruitment programs, hosts workshops, and offers individualized career counseling, mock interviews, and cover letter and resume review.
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)
4.0%
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)
9.0%
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)
