ABA 509 DATA, 2025
Southwestern Law School Admissions: LSAT, GPA, Cost, and Jobs (2025)
$189,480. That's Southwestern's 3-year sticker price, on a median LSAT of 157 and a median GPA of 3.5. The school accepts 36.5% of applicants, but only 76.9% of the 2024 class had a full-time, long-term job 10 months out.
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 | 154 | 157 | 160 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.7 |
| 2019 | 151 | 153 | 155 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.6 |
| 2015 | 149 | 152 | 154 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.4 |
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 | 76.9% |
| Biglaw (101+ lawyer firms) | 10% |
| Federal clerkships | 0% |
| Government + public interest | 13.8% |
| Bar pass rate | 64% |
76.9% of the 2024 class landed a full-time, long-term job within 10 months, and with only 10.0% in biglaw and a 64% bar pass rate, the $189,480 sticker needs a specific plan to make sense.
What it costs
| Sticker tuition (2025) | $63,160/yr |
| 3-year sticker total | $189,480 |
| Pays full sticker | 28.2% |
| Gets some grant | 71.8% |
71.8% of the class received a grant, and a score at or above the 160 75th percentile is the strongest position for merit aid, since 28.2% still pay full sticker.
Your odds
At 157 on the LSAT and a 3.5 GPA, you're right at Southwestern's median, with a quarter of admits scoring 160 or better. Fall to 154 or below and you're in the bottom quarter, where a 36.5% acceptance rate gets tighter 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 Southwestern
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 Southwestern Law School?
The median LSAT for Southwestern's 2025 class is 157. The 25th percentile is 154 and the 75th is 160.
What GPA do you need for Southwestern Law School?
The median GPA is 3.5. The 25th percentile is 3.2 and the 75th is 3.7.
What is Southwestern Law School's acceptance rate?
36.5% for the 2025 cycle, based on 1,307 offers out of 3,584 applications.
How much does Southwestern Law School cost with and without aid?
Sticker tuition is $63,160 a year, or $189,480 over 3 years before living costs. 71.8% of the class receives a grant, and 28.2% pay full price.
What jobs do Southwestern Law School graduates get?
76.9% of the 2024 graduating class had a full-time, long-term job within 10 months. 10.0% went to firms with 101 or more lawyers, and the bar pass rate for that class was 64%.
Is Southwestern Law School worth it at sticker?
A harder case than the numbers first suggest. A 76.9% placement rate and a 64% bar pass rate mean a real chunk of the class doesn't land the outcome the $189,480 sticker is supposed to buy. A grant that cuts the bill matters more here than at schools with stronger placement numbers.
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.
