ABA 509 DATA BY STATE, 2025

Law Schools in North Carolina: LSAT, GPA, Cost, and Jobs (2025)

A former student turned down a Duke admit to take a full ride at North Carolina Central, and the numbers back up why that wasn't crazy. NC Central charges $36,116 a year against Duke's $80,100, while North Carolina's 6 ABA-accredited schools together post a median LSAT of 161 and a GPA of 3.6. The catch: NC Central's placement rate, 70%, is the lowest of the 6.

Median LSAT (of medians)

161.0

across 6 ABA school(s)

Median GPA (of medians)

3.6

Cheapest sticker

North Carolina Central

$36,116/yr

Best FT/LT jobs rate

Duke

98.9%

Biggest grant share

Campbell

98.9% get a grant

Every ABA law school in North Carolina

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
Duke	171	3.9	12.9%	$80,100	98.9%
North Carolina	168	3.9	11.2%	$51,320	97.1%
Wake Forest	166	3.8	24.6%	$57,920	97.4%
Campbell	156	3.5	50.7%	$51,840	81.6%
Elon	154	3.4	53.2%	$45,333	95%
North Carolina Central	151	3.3	39.1%	$36,116	70%

See what 1 extra LSAT point is worth in grants at each school above.

Reading the North Carolina market

North Carolina's 6 ABA-accredited law schools span from national T14 territory down to a honestly accessible admit rate. Duke leads at a 171 median LSAT and a 12.9% acceptance rate, with UNC close behind at 168 and 11.2%, both schools that compete nationally. Wake Forest sits a tier below at 166 with a 24.6% acceptance rate, still a strong regional school. Campbell and Elon cluster in the mid-150s with acceptance rates over 50%, and NC Central sits at the bottom, a 151 median LSAT and a 39.1% acceptance rate. Cost doesn't track neatly with selectivity here. Duke, the most selective school, also charges the most at $80,100, while UNC, nearly as competitive, charges just $51,320, a public-school price for a private-tier education. NC Central is the cheapest option at $36,116, and Campbell's discount rate runs nearly to 100%, at 98.9%, so almost nobody there pays full sticker. Duke posted the strongest outcomes in the state, 98.9% full-time, long-term placement for its 2024 class, with UNC close behind at 97.1% and Wake Forest at 97.4%. Elon held up well too at 95.0%. NC Central is the outlier: a 70.0% placement rate, the lowest in the state by a wide margin, even though its tuition is also the lowest. Is North Carolina worth applying to if you're leaving after graduation? For Duke, UNC, and Wake Forest, yes, the placement numbers and reputations both travel. NC Central's low cost is real, but a 70% placement rate is a genuine risk to weigh against that savings, not a detail to gloss over because the tuition number looks appealing.

FAQ

How many ABA-accredited law schools are in North Carolina?

6: Duke, UNC, Wake Forest, Campbell, Elon, and North Carolina Central.

What's the easiest law school to get into in North Carolina?

North Carolina Central has the lowest median LSAT in the state at 151. By acceptance rate, Elon is the more permissive admit at 53.2%, the highest in the state. Easiest still means clearing a real bar.

What's the cheapest law school in North Carolina?

North Carolina Central, at $36,116 a year in sticker tuition, about 70% of UNC's price and roughly 45% of Duke's.

Which North Carolina law school has the best job placement?

Duke, at 98.9% full-time, long-term placement for its 2024 class, just ahead of Wake Forest's 97.4% and UNC's 97.1%.

Is it worth going to law school in North Carolina if I don't plan to practice there?

For Duke, UNC, and Wake Forest, the placement rates and reputations hold up outside the state easily. North Carolina Central's low tuition is honestly attractive, but its 70% placement rate is a real risk to weigh against that savings before you enroll.

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 2026-10-05.