ABA 509 DATA BY STATE, 2025
Law Schools in Colorado: LSAT, GPA, Cost, and Jobs (2025)
"Should I even bother applying to Denver if I can get into Colorado?" A student asked me that last month. Colorado has 2 ABA-accredited schools, a 162 median-of-medians LSAT, and the University of Colorado is both the cheaper option at $44,002 and the stronger placement bet at 91.7% FT/LT.
Every ABA law school in Colorado
Ranked by median LSAT, highest first. Every school's own page has the full 25th/50th/75th breakdown, cost, and job outcomes.
| School | LSAT 50th | GPA 50th | Accept. rate | Sticker/yr | FT/LT jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 164 | 3.8 | 27.6% | $44,002 | 91.7% |
| Denver | 160 | 3.7 | 41.3% | $63,390 | 84.1% |
See what 1 extra LSAT point is worth in grants at each school above.
Reading the Colorado market
Colorado's 2 law schools don't leave much mystery about which one is the stronger admissions target. The University of Colorado posts a 164 median LSAT, a 3.8 median GPA, and a 27.6% acceptance rate. Denver runs looser on every number, a 160 median LSAT, a 3.7 median GPA, and a 41.3% acceptance rate, nearly 14 points higher than Colorado's.
Cost follows the same pattern, and it's not close. Colorado charges $44,002 a year, while Denver runs $63,390, a gap of over $19,000 annually and close to $58,000 over 3 years. Colorado also discounts more of its class, 86.9% against Denver's 78.4%, so the public school pulls ahead on price from nearly every angle a student could look at it.
Placement tells the same story a third time. Colorado posts a 91.7% full-time, long-term rate, while Denver comes in at 84.1%, a real gap of over 7 points. That's not a small difference, and it lines up with the admissions and cost numbers instead of contradicting them.
So is it worth applying in-state in Colorado? If your numbers put you in range of the flagship, yes, easily, it's cheaper and it places better. Denver still clears 84% placement, which isn't a bad outcome on its own, but it's asking students to pay more for a weaker result across the board. Anyone choosing between the 2 should run their actual numbers through the calculator before assuming Denver is the automatic backup.
FAQ
How many ABA-accredited law schools are in Colorado?
Colorado has 2 ABA-accredited law schools: the University of Colorado and the University of Denver.
What's the easiest law school to get into in Colorado?
Denver has the lower median LSAT of the 2 at 160, against a 3.7 median GPA and a 41.3% acceptance rate.
What's the cheapest law school in Colorado?
The University of Colorado is cheaper at $44,002 a year, versus $63,390 at Denver, a difference of more than $19,000 a year.
Which Colorado law school has the best job placement?
The University of Colorado posts the stronger full-time, long-term placement rate at 91.7%, ahead of Denver's 84.1%.
Is it worth going to law school in Colorado if I don't plan to practice there?
The University of Colorado's combination of lower cost and stronger placement makes it a defensible choice even outside the state. Denver's numbers are weaker on both fronts, so it's a tougher case to make if you're not set on staying local, unless a specific offer changes the math.
Source: ABA Standard 509 Information Reports, 2015 to 2025, via LSAT Unplugged's 509 master. Verify against each school's own filing before relying on it. Last updated 2026-10-06.
