2026 CLASS PROFILE AND ABA 509 DATA
San Diego Law School Admissions: LSAT, GPA, Cost, and Jobs (2026)
Compared to most regional private schools, San Diego runs tighter admissions: a 23.5% acceptance rate on a 163 median LSAT and a 3.8 median GPA. Tuition is $66,950 a year, but 98.4% of the 2024 class had a full-time, long-term job 10 months out, a placement rate few peer schools match.
The 2026 entering class
San Diego Law School's 2026 entering class had a median LSAT of 166, up 3 from 163 in 2025. The median GPA was 3.84.
| Year | LSAT 25th | LSAT 50th | LSAT 75th | GPA 25th | GPA 50th | GPA 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 163 | 166 | 168 | 3.61 | 3.84 | 3.93 |
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 | 160 | 163 | 165 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.9 |
| 2019 | 155 | 159 | 161 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.7 |
| 2015 | 156 | 159 | 161 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
The median LSAT is up 4 points since 2019 and the median GPA moved +0.2. The bar moved here.
What you get out (Class of 2024)
| Class year reported | 2024 |
| FT/LT employed, 10 months out | 98.4% |
| Biglaw (101+ lawyer firms) | 22.1% |
| Federal clerkships | 1.2% |
| Government + public interest | 17.3% |
| Bar pass rate | 78.8% |
98.4% of the 2024 class landed a full-time, long-term job within 10 months and 22.1% went to firms of 101 lawyers or larger, so the $200,850 three-year sticker figure gets serviced fast for most of this class.
What it costs
| Sticker tuition (2025) | $66,950/yr |
| 3-year sticker total | $200,850 |
| Pays full sticker | 8.9% |
| Gets some grant | 91.1% |
91.1% of the class received a grant, and a score at or above the 165 75th percentile is the strongest position for merit aid, since only 8.9% pay full sticker.
Your odds
At 163 on the LSAT and a 3.8 GPA, you're right at San Diego's median, with a quarter of admits scoring 165 or better. Drop to 160 or below and you're in the bottom quarter, where a 23.5% acceptance rate turns unforgiving fast. 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.
Schools like San Diego
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 San Diego Law School?
The median LSAT for San Diego's 2025 class is 163. The 25th percentile is 160 and the 75th is 165.
What GPA do you need for San Diego Law School?
The median GPA is 3.8. The 25th percentile is 3.6 and the 75th is 3.9.
What is San Diego Law School's acceptance rate?
23.5% for the 2025 cycle, based on 997 offers out of 4,241 applications.
How much does San Diego Law School cost with and without aid?
Sticker tuition is $66,950 a year, or $200,850 over 3 years before living costs. 91.1% of the class receives a grant, so only 8.9% pays that full price.
What jobs do San Diego Law School graduates get?
98.4% of the 2024 graduating class had a full-time, long-term job within 10 months. 22.1% went to firms with 101 or more lawyers, and 1.2% landed a federal clerkship.
Is San Diego Law School worth it at sticker?
For most admitted students, yes. A 98.4% placement rate and a 22.1% biglaw share mean the $200,850 tuition bill gets serviced quickly for the bulk of the class. It's worth comparing against any competing offer with a bigger grant before committing at full price.
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.
