86 Law Schools are Public, of the 199 ABA-accredited Law Schools
There are 86 public law schools accredited by ABA (American Bar Association). The tuition & fees at public law schools is relatively affordable compared to private law schools.
For the academic year 2026-2027, the average tuition & fees at public law schools is $33,157 for state residents and $47,209 for out-of-state students. (The average tuition at private law schools is $61,794.)
University of Virginia School of Law ranked first among public law schools. Its LSAT score is 173 and the acceptance rate is 10.17%. University of Michigan Law School and University of Texas School of Law follow it in public law school rankings.
Top 25 Top Public Law Schools
The following table compares the top 25 Public Law Schools with important academic indicators.
The average acceptance rate of the schools is 18.78% and the yield is 33.36%. The acceptance rate of Top Public Law Schools is very low, compared to average rate of all law schools, 36.09%.
The average LSAT score submitted by enrolled students is 168 and the average GPA is 3.88 at Top Public Law Schools. Their LSAT scores are very high, compared to average LSAT score of all law schools, 160.
For the Top Public Law Schools, the average 2027 tuition & fees is $43,289 state residents and $59,027 for out-of-state students in public law schools. The average financial aid amount of them is $25,427 which is 43.08% of tuition & fees.
| Rank | School | Acceptance Rate | Yield | Application Fee | Tuition & Fees | LSAT Score | GPA | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Virginia School of LawPublicCharlottesville, VA | 10.17% | 44.09% | $85 | $84,900 | 173 | 3.99 | 982 |
| 2 | University of Michigan Law SchoolPublicAnn Arbor, MI | 8.57% | 42.73% | $75 | $83,422 | 171 | 3.88 | 1,032 |
| 3 | University of Texas School of LawPublicAustin, TX | 13.99% | 40.98% | $70 | $56,822 | 172 | 3.89 | 960 |
| 4 | Los Angeles School of LawPublicLos Angeles, CA | 12.05% | 30.99% | $75 | $76,992 | 171 | 3.95 | 1,376 |
| 5 | University of North Carolina School of LawPublicChapel Hill, NC | 11.19% | 45.48% | $75 | $57,854 | 168 | 3.89 | 543 |
| 6 | Texas A&M University School of LawPublicFort Worth, TX | 12.10% | 19.09% | $65 | $50,145 | 169 | 4.00 | 2,396 |
| 7 | Berkeley School of LawPublicBerkeley, CA | 14.84% | 35.73% | $75 | $84,476 | 170 | 3.92 | 1,128 |
| 8 | University of Georgia School of LawPublicAthens, GA | 12.72% | 31.16% | $50 | $41,646 | 169 | 3.92 | 1,000 |
| 9 | Levin College of LawPublicGainesville, FL | 16.52% | 35.51% | $30 | $42,396 | 169 | 3.91 | 781 |
| 10 | University of Minnesota Law SchoolPublicMinneapolis, MN | 26.70% | 24.75% | $60 | $67,710 | 171 | 3.88 | 707 |
| 11 | George Mason University School of LawPublicArlington, VA | 15.87% | 35.89% | $70 | $44,044 | 169 | 3.93 | 810 |
| 12 | Irvine School of LawPublicIrvine, CA | 14.92% | 33.87% | No Fee | $76,396 | 169 | 3.80 | 532 |
| 13 | Florida State University College of LawPublicTallahassee, FL | 15.97% | 35.33% | $30 | $46,009 | 166 | 3.93 | 1,419 |
| 14 | Michael E. Moritz College of LawPublicColumbus, OH | 24.62% | 28.01% | $60 | $52,648 | 168 | 3.91 | 611 |
| 15 | The University of Alabama School of LawPublicTuscaloosa, AL | 25.63% | 30.58% | $40 | $49,710 | 167 | 3.97 | 392 |
| 16 | S.J. Quinney College of LawPublicSalt Lake City, UT | 25.28% | 28.04% | $60 | $48,055 | 166 | 3.87 | 354 |
| 17 | University of Washington School of LawPublicSeattle, WA | 19.61% | 30.19% | $60 | $60,174 | 165 | 3.76 | 770 |
| 18 | University of Wisconsin Law SchoolPublicMadison, MI | 19.12% | 46.41% | $60 | $56,681 | 167 | 3.81 | 690 |
| 19 | Sandra Day O'Connor College of LawPublicPhoenix, AZ | 19.78% | 28.95% | Waived | $55,610 | 165 | 3.91 | 2,025 |
| 20 | University of Illinois College of LawPublicChampaign, IL | 32.93% | 26.38% | No Fee | $52,293 | 166 | 3.81 | 670 |
| 21 | University of Tennessee College of LawPublicKnoxville, TN | 24.77% | 25.79% | Waived | $39,496 | 164 | 3.89 | 510 |
| 22 | Beasley School of LawPublicPhiladelphia, PA | 24.38% | 31.27% | $65 | $51,878 | 165 | 3.76 | 895 |
| 23 | Marshall-Wythe School of LawPublicWilliamsburg, VA | 21.97% | 37.87% | $85 | $74,208 | 166 | 3.82 | 544 |
| 24 | Wayne State University Law SchoolPublicDetroit, MI | 24.81% | 40.00% | No Fee | $47,232 | 164 | 3.89 | 537 |
| 25 | Davis School of Law PublicDavis, CA | 21.06% | 24.88% | No Fee | $74,881 | 165 | 3.70 | 606 |
*The tuition & fees for the 2026-2027 academic year and Other admission date is for the 2025-2026.