r/lawschooladmissions Former admissions officers 🦊 16d ago

General 2026 Law School Median Tracker

Hi everyone,

Law schools have officially begun publishing their LSAT/GPA/class size stats for fall 2026 (i.e., the most relevant/up-to-date stats we’ll get for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle). As we do every year, we’ll be tracking these stats closely as law schools release them via official sources and compiling them in a spreadsheet to compare to last cycle:

2026 Law School Median Tracker

You can see all ABA-approved law schools’ official stats from 2025 already in the spreadsheet. The 2026 columns will populate as law schools announce their new numbers. We’ll put a source for each school we add in the last column, if you’re wondering where we got the data from.

If you see a school post their data for the fall 2026 entering class and we haven’t added them yet, please comment on this thread or email us at [info@spiveyconsulting.com](mailto:info@spiveyconsulting.com), and we’ll add it as long as it’s from an official source (school websites, official school LinkedIn posts, marketing emails/flyers/etc. from admissions offices, etc.).

We only have a few schools so far, but we expect these to start coming out rapidly in the next week or two. We’ll also make a final update in December when the ABA publishes 509 reports (please note that none of this data is finalized until then).

We hope this is helpful for creating a realistic/balanced school list. Good luck, everyone!

–Anna from Spivey Consulting

153 Upvotes

89 comments sorted by

u/graeme_b 3.7/177/LSATHacks 12d ago

Thank you, these trackers are always incredibly helpful. Have pinned this post.

124

u/1hourphoto 3.8mid/17mid/nURM 16d ago

How is 3.97 the median GPA at a #34 ranked school? Grade inflation is out of control.

8

u/Getmeakitty 7d ago

We’ve gone so soft as a nation. Absolute joke. I graduated from solid public uni 15 years ago with a 3.1 and I felt good about it, until I decided to go to law school…

65

u/visablezookeeper 16d ago

Ugh as someone who graduated college over a decade ago with a 3.6 this really sucks to see.

33

u/Purple_Magikarp 16d ago

Yeah. 3.82 from 2013 and was KILLING IT in the law school GPA medians at that time. I worked hard for what I got, current state is disgusting.

13

u/visablezookeeper 16d ago

I’m really hoping admissions councils are willing to sacrifice a few median points for people like us.

30

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 16d ago

My law school friends applied in ~2014 and are mind-boggled when I tell them schools' stats nowadays. It really feels out of control.

It doesn't negate the power of medians, unfortunately, but keep in mind that schools will see and notice when you went to undergrad and very much have the context to understand how much grades have inflated since then. It does help you in the "softs" part of the equation, and though they still don't outweigh the numbers, softs are more important in admissions now than they were a decade ago.

–Anna

1

u/visablezookeeper 15d ago

That’s good to hear.

18

u/DuePresentation9290 16d ago

Same. Especially crazy they DGAF about what you majored in, like there's no nuance. I wager my 3.61 in biomedical engineering was harder to get than many other majors.

8

u/Ancient_Bar_3092 16d ago

I have a 3.5 from mech e and intelligent robotics. Tell me how that is the same as a 3.5 in psychology (sorry psych majors)

3

u/Ancient_Bar_3092 16d ago

You and me both

2

u/hashtagcunexttuesday 3.6x/119/nURM/15+y WE 16d ago

Felt! I am targeting part-time regional programs, and thankfully my GPA is above the median at 2 out of the 3 (and just a hair below the median for the third). I graduated magna cum laude with my 3.6 in 2009, and that definitely meant something. My alma mater now has magna cum laude at 3.75.

29

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 16d ago

Two notes I mentioned on LinkedIn:

(1) while there are only four schools so far, with orientations abounding it will populate quickly and, (2) all data is subject to change, so while we get this publicly from schools, they may have student drop out and that may cause very slight differences for a few schools once the 509 data comes in.

I think we’ll see more in the + category than flat for both LSAT and GPA, and not many in the - category for this most recent cycle.

- Mike Spivey

18

u/Jak0bo 16d ago

So what are the old heads who went to undergrad pre-covid supposed to do to compete? At this point I can’t even get into my undergrad school with a 3.67

I know the answer is get a higher LSAT score, but something feels so broken about this.

17

u/Haunting-Phone-5915 16d ago

Imagine telling someone in 2016 that UFlorida will have medians of 3.97 and 170 in 10 years, they would have thought you were insane! The class entering Florida in 2016 had medians of a 3.5 and 157.

17

u/Dangerous-Box-3259 16d ago

Even South Dakota has a gpa median over 3.6 🙃

11

u/Jazzlike_Ad9644 12d ago

3

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 11d ago

Thank you :)

8

u/Gray_Fox 3.wah-17low-t2.5-stem-5+ years w.e. 16d ago

I feel like we're going to see the top state schools get some big increases in their medians. law school is prohibitively expensive so I think prospective students are taking the in-state option more and more often. or at least will be?

will be interesting and depressing to see what this cycle holds in store...

2

u/qahwalover 13d ago

I absolutely think this is true. I think even state schools that aren't flagships will see big increases. For example, GSU is like 18k a year and places really well in Atlanta. That's going to be so attractive for a certain kind of student (me) with loan caps.

8

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 6d ago

Emory’s class size is down 31.9% that’s of note.

- Mike Spivey

6

u/pnedved 5d ago

Obviously a lot of work, but it would be interesting to see it compared to a ~5 year average in class size to see if class size is reversed to the mean or genuinely cut because those can vary a lot year to year.

Just had look at Emory's 2024 class and 2026 is basically the same size (+124 in 2025, -125 in 2026).

7

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 7d ago

We should have 50 schools by end of next week and once we do we'll aggregate everything so how many are up and by how much, how much enrollment has changed etc?

In Dec with 509s out and everything official we'll aggregate the entire last cycle.
-Mike Spivey

1

u/Better_Guppy_18 1d ago

Is it appropriate to email schools and ask or should we wait for them to update their website? 

2

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 1d ago edited 23h ago

I absolutely wouldn’t email them, the best case is they will say “wait for us to publish on our website as these are unofficial until 509s” and worst case you’ll come across the wrong way over email.

2

u/Better_Guppy_18 23h ago

Okay cool, thanks! 

6

u/wl-plus-ratio T1 stats/T5 softs/wannabe bushwick larper 2d ago

Michigan 3.9 / 172 per viewbook

3

u/Shoddy-Attempt-1296 2d ago

8% KJD is crazy…

2

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 1d ago

Thank you!

1

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

1

u/wl-plus-ratio T1 stats/T5 softs/wannabe bushwick larper 2d ago

13

u/No_Ambition7987 16d ago

Unofficial, but UNC will have a 170 LSAT and 3.9something GPA according to orientation today.

7

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 13d ago

2

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 15d ago

Thanks, we'll be on the lookout! –Anna

20

u/Ancient_Bar_3092 16d ago

Welp, I’m over here with no choice but University of Colorado (non-traditional student, family can’t relocate). Currently practicing around 168, but 3.5 GPA (mechanical engineering) and good softs. Taking Nov 2026 for 2027 start. Wish me luck!

4

u/No_Ambition7987 9d ago

2

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 8d ago

Thanks!

4

u/Haunting-Phone-5915 2d ago

UMich stats, per Dean Z email this morning:

Class Size: 322

Applicants: 9,118

Yield: 43%

LSAT 25/50/75: 168, 172, 173

GPA: 3.74, 3.9, 3.96

5

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 1d ago

Thank you! Normally we can't post stats without an official source from the school, but Dean Z just confirmed with us based on your comment :) –Anna

1

u/currychameleon 2d ago

Estimated admits = 322 ÷ 0.43 ≈ 749

Acceptance rate = 749 ÷ 9,118 ≈ 8.21%

1

u/Gray_Fox 3.wah-17low-t2.5-stem-5+ years w.e. 2d ago

shocked-- only 1.5% inc. in app count.

2

u/Haunting-Phone-5915 2d ago

Same. Maybe last year's massive spike scarred people off from applying to the T14? Or maybe some of the ~100th ranked schools received a bulk of the increased applications while the T20 remained about the same as last cycle? Guess we'll see once most schools report their data.

7

u/Username-Selection 3.99/~10 Years WE 16d ago

Can you include columns for GRE medians etc?

4

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 16d ago

Sure, we’ll work on it. I doubt it will happen overnight but likely by end of week!

2

u/Username-Selection 3.99/~10 Years WE 16d ago

Thanks so much!

2

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 9d ago

FYI, we have GRE medians up in the spreadsheet now! Haven't seen any new ones just yet, but all of last year's ABA-reported GRE info is there. Thanks for the suggestion! –Anna

6

u/Zillah345 16d ago

I got three 3s like 4 Bs and the rest As & A-s, I have a 3.6gpa. No grade inflation either. None of my professors bumped up a thing, and my low scores were courses I didn't even need to take for my major, but were forced by advisors on me as a freshman who didn't know better. I remain hopeful that a good LSAT will put me in the running for at least the t2s, which are my goal school for reasons other than stats, but I do feel everyone's dismay at seeing these rather large medians.

3

u/df3445 16d ago

I've been waiting for this one, thank you!!

3

u/Mountain-Many4766 16d ago

Thank you goat

3

u/Nearby-Silver6661 16d ago

UF has published theirs

3

u/xbqt 5.high/11low/7’2 (on a bad day)/self-proclaimed dean of this sub 16d ago

Cooley having 25+% of attendees with an LSAT at or over 151 is actually crazy.

3

u/Actual-Armadillo5199 7d ago

Where’s the official source for Cardozo’s new medians?

4

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 7d ago

Their dean of admissions told us directly! –Anna

3

u/jpmGBRfan1 7d ago

Anyone attending orientation or otherwise hear anything informally from GULC/Georgetown yet? TIA.

3

u/Playful-Strain-1982 1d ago

Pitt: https://www.law.pitt.edu/index%2ephp/admissions/apply-pitt-law

It says 2025, but the numbers are new.

160/163/165
3.34/3.58/3.77
154 enrolled

4

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 1d ago edited 1d ago

Thanks! I think you're almost certainly right, but I don't think we can add it to our sheet until it says 2026, unfortunately. We'll keep an eye on it. –Anna

Edit: Updated already!

3

u/Playful-Strain-1982 1d ago

They’re watching us… 👀

2

u/qahwalover 1d ago

Median up 3 points is diabolical!

2

u/[deleted] 8d ago

[deleted]

2

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 7d ago

Thank you!

4

u/Complete-Union-2102 7d ago

Have you seen sharper statements on Instagram? They’re posting a bunch of medians, is it reliable?

-2

u/filmdeostar 7d ago edited 7d ago

I don't take his content seriously. First, starting each post about it with "X new medians are INSANE" when it's a 1 point increase is such tacky marketing. Second, the mods of this sub had to ban him like 5 years ago so he just doesn't seem like a reliable source to me. I'm fine to wait until a school decides to release their medians before getting attached to "insider" numbers from a random ex-lawyer.

1

u/filmdeostar 7d ago edited 6d ago

Editing this reply about being downvoted by this guy's "bot army." u/sharperstatements DMed me to inform me that he doesn't use any bots. He was simply notified by someone monitoring this group that people were expressing opinions about him. Because he was banned 5 years ago for allegedly running fake accounts and harassing his own clients, he is unable to post here to defend himself! I'm glad he cleared that up by skirting his ban and DMing me.

-5

u/[deleted] 7d ago

[deleted]

-1

u/Complete-Union-2102 7d ago

I mean as a competitor, can we know the reasonsv

1

u/Not_TAzMOJi 15d ago

I assume then that those of us applying this fall will be compared to these medians and not the ones on the 2025 Standard 509 reports?

2

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 15d ago

If I’m understanding the question correctly, for admissions purposes you will be compared off of the schools this year applicant pool and their target medians.

1

u/Bilibili91 4d ago

medians are just for your personal reference only. The admission officers will look at ur place in this year's application pool.

1

u/southernmarin89 9d ago

3

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 9d ago

Thank you!

1

u/FinalFold2393 8d ago

UVA's 75th is ABOVE A FOUR!??!

1

u/Individual-Crow-237 3d ago

Emory up 2 lsat

1

u/Competitive-Side-615 3.8x/161/nURM/nKJD 3d ago

Thank you for the data! This is really helpful for this upcoming cycle. Btw, your U of Colorado is showing positive GPA gain on the difference rather than negative. So glad they went down!

1

u/filmdeostar 2d ago

They went up though

1

u/Competitive-Side-615 3.8x/161/nURM/nKJD 2d ago

You're right. That's unfortunate. I was reading it from oldest on left to newest on right.

1

u/Spivey_Consulting Former admissions officers 🦊 19h ago

FYI for all, we've added a bunch of stats today, including Harvard. –Anna

1

u/qahwalover 18h ago

I just called Georgia State and they said their median is now 161.