ABA 509 DATA BY STATE, 2025

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

I tell students weighing New Jersey's 2 ABA-accredited law schools the same thing every time: sticker price isn't the real number. Rutgers charges $47,863 a year against Seton Hall's $69,660, a real gap, but the admissions bars sit close together, a 158 median LSAT at Rutgers and 161 at Seton Hall, both around a 3.7 GPA.

Median LSAT (of medians)

159.5

across 2 ABA school(s)

Median GPA (of medians)

3.7

Cheapest sticker

Rutgers

$47,863/yr

Best FT/LT jobs rate

Seton Hall

92.4%

Biggest grant share

Seton Hall

88.4% get a grant

Every ABA law school in New Jersey

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
Seton Hall	161	3.7	34.3%	$69,660	92.4%
Rutgers	158	3.7	33.5%	$47,863	91.5%

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

Reading the New Jersey market

New Jersey has 2 ABA-accredited law schools, and their admissions profiles sit closer together than their price tags do. Seton Hall posts a 161 median LSAT and a 34.3% acceptance rate; Rutgers posts a 158 and a slightly tighter 33.5%. Both carry a 3.7 median GPA. The combined median LSAT across the state lands at 159.5, so a student in the high 150s to low 160s is competitive at either school. Cost is where the two diverge. Seton Hall charges $69,660 a year, well above Rutgers's $47,863, a gap of nearly $22,000. Both schools discount heavily, 88.4% at Seton Hall and 86.4% at Rutgers, so most students at either school pay well under sticker, but even after discounts the base gap tends to carry through. On placement, Seton Hall edges out Rutgers, 92.4% full-time, long-term employment for its 2024 class against Rutgers's 91.5%. Less than a point separates them, which makes the placement numbers close to a wash between the two. Is New Jersey worth applying to if you don't plan to practice there? With placement rates this close and a nearly $22,000 tuition gap, Rutgers is the sharper value unless Seton Hall's private-school name and New York proximity specifically matter to your career plans. Both schools place their graduates at a similar clip, so let the cost difference, not the brand, do most of the deciding.

FAQ

How many ABA-accredited law schools are in New Jersey?

2: Seton Hall University School of Law and Rutgers Law School.

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

Rutgers, with a 158 median LSAT, slightly lower than Seton Hall's 161. The acceptance rates at both schools sit close together in the mid-30s.

What's the cheapest law school in New Jersey?

Rutgers, at $47,863 a year in sticker tuition, nearly $22,000 less than Seton Hall's $69,660.

Which New Jersey law school has the best job placement?

Seton Hall, at 92.4% full-time, long-term placement for its 2024 class, just ahead of Rutgers's 91.5%.

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

The placement rates at both schools are nearly identical, so the real decision comes down to cost and brand. Rutgers is the sharper financial bet unless Seton Hall's private-school name or New York proximity specifically fits your plans.

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.