2026 CLASS PROFILE AND ABA 509 DATA
North Carolina Law School Admissions: LSAT, GPA, Cost, and Jobs (2026)
The assumption that a flagship state school is an easy admit doesn't hold at UNC anymore. The median LSAT is 168, up 7 points since 2019, the median GPA a 3.9, and the acceptance rate has dropped to 11.2%. That's T14-adjacent selectivity at a public-school price.
The 2026 entering class
North Carolina Law School's 2026 entering class had a median LSAT of 170, up 2 from 168 in 2025. The median GPA was 3.90.
| Year | LSAT 25th | LSAT 50th | LSAT 75th | GPA 25th | GPA 50th | GPA 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 168 | 170 | 171 | 3.70 | 3.90 | 3.97 |
Source: the school's own 2026 class profile, as of September 26, 2026. These numbers can shift until the 2026 ABA 509 reports publish. Everything below this section is 2025 ABA 509 data.
What it takes to get in
These are the school's own reported 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile LSAT and GPA numbers from its ABA Standard 509 filing, the same disclosure every accredited law school has to file each year. The 50th percentile is the median: half the admitted class scored above it, half below.
| Year | LSAT 25th | LSAT 50th | LSAT 75th | GPA 25th | GPA 50th | GPA 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 165 | 168 | 169 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.0 |
| 2019 | 158 | 161 | 162 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.8 |
| 2015 | 160 | 161 | 164 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.7 |
The median LSAT is up 7 points since 2019 and the median GPA moved +0.3. The bar moved here.
Your odds
A 168 LSAT places you at UNC's median, inside the 165 to 169 middle 50%, and at 11.2% acceptance, that middle band is where most admits actually sit. Below 165 you're in the bottom quarter, where the odds get considerably tighter. Run your own numbers through the calculator before you spend a filing fee guessing.
See where you land: the LSAT Unplugged law school chances calculator. What is 1 LSAT point worth here? See the scholarship math.
What it costs
| Sticker tuition (2025) | $51,320/yr |
| Resident | $28,082/yr |
| Nonresident | $51,320/yr |
| 3-year sticker total | $153,960 |
| Pays full sticker | 5.1% |
| Gets some grant | 94.9% |
94.9% of the class gets some grant money and only 5.1% pays full sticker, so a score above the 169 75th percentile is the strongest position for merit aid.
What you get out (Class of 2024)
| Class year reported | 2024 |
| FT/LT employed, 10 months out | 97.1% |
| Biglaw (101+ lawyer firms) | 34.8% |
| Federal clerkships | 5.7% |
| Government + public interest | 21.9% |
| Bar pass rate | 92% |
97.1% of the 2024 class had a full-time, long-term job within 10 months, with 34.8% in biglaw and 5.7% in federal clerkships, and the resident tuition rate of $28,082 a year makes the debt math work well here.
Schools like North Carolina
These 6 are the closest match by median LSAT, then median GPA, out of all 196 schools in the 509 master (as of 2026). Use them as your realistic comparison set, not the list of "reach" schools everyone starts with.
FAQ
What LSAT score do you need for UNC?
The median LSAT for UNC's 2025 class is 168, up 7 points from 161 in 2019. The 25th percentile is 165 and the 75th is 169.
What GPA do you need for UNC?
The median GPA is 3.9. The 25th percentile is 3.8 and the 75th is 4.0.
What is UNC's acceptance rate?
11.2% for the 2025 cycle, based on 387 offers out of 3,459 applications.
How much does UNC cost with and without aid?
Non-resident sticker tuition is $51,320 a year against $28,082 for residents. 94.9% of the class gets a grant, and only 5.1% pays full price. 3-year non-resident sticker runs $153,960 before living costs.
What jobs do UNC graduates get?
97.1% of the 2024 graduating class had a full-time, long-term job within 10 months. 34.8% went to biglaw and 5.7% landed a federal clerkship, strong outcomes for a public law school.
Is UNC worth it at sticker?
Yes, and it's a better deal than most schools with these outcomes. A 97.1% placement rate with over a third of the class in biglaw covers even the non-resident sticker comfortably, and residents pay far less to start. Almost no one actually pays full price here, with 94.9% of the class getting some grant.
Source: ABA Standard 509 Information Reports, 2015 to 2025, via LSAT Unplugged's 509 master. Verify against the school's filing before relying on it. Last updated 2026-09-30.
