ABA 509 DATA BY STATE, 2025
Law Schools in South Carolina: LSAT, GPA, Cost, and Jobs (2025)
$38,100. That's what South Carolina's cheapest law school costs a year, and it comes from the stronger of the state's 2 ABA schools. South Carolina and Charleston split the state's median LSAT down the middle at 158, but the gap between them, 162 versus 154, is the whole story here.
Every ABA law school in South 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 162 | 3.7 | 29.9% | $38,100 | 91.6% |
| Charleston | 154 | 3.5 | 50.2% | $48,600 | 82% |
See what 1 extra LSAT point is worth in grants at each school above.
Reading the South Carolina market
South Carolina's 2 law schools split cleanly into a top choice and a fallback. The University of South Carolina posts a 162 median LSAT, a 3.7 GPA, and a 29.9% acceptance rate. Charleston School of Law sits well below that, at a 154 median LSAT, a 3.5 GPA, and a 50.2% acceptance rate. An 8-point LSAT gap between 2 schools in the same state is a wide split, wider than you'll see in most states with only 2 options.
The cost picture makes the choice even more lopsided. South Carolina charges $38,100 a year, the cheapest sticker of the two, while Charleston charges $48,600, over $10,000 more every year for the school with the softer admissions bar. Charleston does discount harder, 94.8% by share against South Carolina's 90%, so a strong applicant can close some of that gap with a grant, but the baseline math still favors the flagship school.
Job outcomes follow the same pattern. South Carolina places 91.6% of its graduates in full-time, long-term jobs within 10 months, the best FT/LT number in the state. Charleston trails at 82%, a real 9.6-point gap in overall placement.
South Carolina is worth applying to in-state if your numbers clear the flagship's bar, cheaper tuition and the strongest outcomes in the state make that an easy call. Charleston only makes sense if South Carolina rejects you or if a big enough grant brings its $48,600 sticker down below what you'd pay elsewhere. Either way, run both offers through the calculator before you decide, an 82% placement rate at a higher price is a hard sell against a 91.6% rate at a lower one.
FAQ
How many ABA-accredited law schools are in South Carolina?
South Carolina has 2 ABA-accredited law schools: the University of South Carolina and Charleston School of Law.
What's the easiest law school to get into in South Carolina?
Charleston School of Law, with a 154 median LSAT and a 50.2% acceptance rate, the softer numbers of South Carolina's 2 schools. Easiest still means a real score, not a guarantee.
What's the cheapest law school in South Carolina?
The University of South Carolina, at $38,100 a year in sticker tuition, over $10,000 less than Charleston.
Which South Carolina law school has the best job placement?
The University of South Carolina, at 91.6% full-time, long-term employment within 10 months of graduation, well ahead of Charleston's 82%.
Is it worth going to law school in South Carolina if I don't plan to practice there?
It depends which school. South Carolina's 91.6% FT/LT rate and lower tuition make it a reasonable bet even outside the state. Charleston's numbers are softer on both cost and outcomes, so that one only makes sense with a grant strong enough to change 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.
