ABA 509 DATA BY STATE, 2025

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

I say this in almost every video about picking a law school: the sticker price means nothing until you know the discount rate. Michigan proves it, with 5 ABA-accredited schools, a median LSAT of 162, a median GPA of 3.7, and tuition swinging from $42,632 at Wayne State to $79,108 at the University of Michigan. Cooley's placement rate, 75%, is the number that should actually worry you.

Median LSAT (of medians)

162

across 5 ABA school(s)

Median GPA (of medians)

3.7

Cheapest sticker

Wayne State

$42,632/yr

Best FT/LT jobs rate

Michigan

96.6%

Biggest grant share

Michigan State

100% get a grant

Every ABA law school in Michigan

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
Michigan	171	3.9	8.6%	$79,108	96.6%
Wayne State	164	3.9	24.8%	$42,632	95.7%
Michigan State	162	3.7	26%	$48,222	87.3%
Detroit Mercy	156	3.5	41.4%	N/A on file	90.5%
Cooley	147	3.1	52.9%	N/A on file	75%

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

Reading the Michigan market

Michigan's 5 ABA-accredited schools split into 3 clear tiers. The University of Michigan sits well above the rest, a 171 median LSAT, a 3.9 GPA, and an 8.6% acceptance rate, an elite, highly selective profile. Wayne State and Michigan State form a solid middle, medians of 164 and 162 with acceptance rates in the mid-20s. Detroit Mercy and Cooley sit at the bottom, medians of 156 and 147, and both accept over 40% of applicants. Tuition data is reported for 3 of the 5 schools. Wayne State is the cheapest at $42,632 a year, and Michigan State runs $48,222, where every admitted student (100%) gets some grant off that sticker price. Michigan charges $79,108, nearly double Wayne State's price, though 91.1% of its class gets some form of discount off that number. Detroit Mercy and Cooley don't have published tuition figures in this data, so treat their real cost as unconfirmed until you get an actual offer letter. On outcomes, Michigan posted the strongest number in the state, 96.6% full-time, long-term placement for its 2024 class. Wayne State came close at 95.7%, an impressive result given its tuition is roughly half of Michigan's. Michigan State landed at 87.3%, Detroit Mercy at 90.5%, and Cooley trailed the field at 75.0%, the one number in this state that should give an applicant real pause. Is Michigan worth applying to if you're leaving after graduation? For the top 3 schools, yes: Michigan's placement rate and Wayne State's value both travel well outside the state. Cooley is the exception. A 75% placement rate paired with unreported tuition is a combination worth verifying directly before you commit money to it.

FAQ

How many ABA-accredited law schools are in Michigan?

5: University of Michigan, Wayne State, Michigan State, Detroit Mercy, and Cooley.

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

Cooley, with a 147 median LSAT and a 52.9% acceptance rate. Easiest here still means real competition, not a guarantee.

What's the cheapest law school in Michigan?

Wayne State, at $42,632 a year in sticker tuition. Detroit Mercy and Cooley don't have reported tuition figures in this data, so confirm their actual cost directly before assuming either is cheaper.

Which Michigan law school has the best job placement?

University of Michigan, at 96.6% full-time, long-term placement for its 2024 class, just ahead of Wayne State's 95.7%.

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

For Michigan, Wayne State, and Michigan State, the placement numbers hold up outside the state and the debt math is reasonable. Cooley's 75% placement rate is the outlier worth scrutinizing before you enroll anywhere with weaker outcomes.

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.