The 14 best law schools in the Northeast
NYU School of Law/Facebook
NYU’s law school is the third best in the Northeast.
Business Insider recently released its ranking of the 50 best law schools in America, which highlights the top institutions that prepare students to land highly coveted jobs in the legal world.
But apart from job prospects, location can play an important role in deciding which school to attend, too. Some people don’t want to uproot too far from a community where they’re established, while others may want to get their JD near a specific industry epicenter — like the finance world of New York or the tech scene out West.
Pulling from our overall law school ranking, we’ve compiled a list of the best schools in the Northeast, as defined by the US Census Bureau. Our methodology draws data from the American Bar Association and focuses on the percentage of graduates who land full-time, long-term, highly coveted jobs, which includes positions at big law firms that pay well — those with over 251 employees — and federal clerkships. Read more about our methodology here.
Half of the schools on the list are located in New York, but the top spot goes to the University of Pennsylvania, which also topped the main list.
Read on to find out the 14 best school law schools located in the Northeast.
Additional reporting by Kaitlyn Yarborough.
14. Cardozo Law School
Location: New York, New York
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 16%
Bar passage rate: 86%
Median LSAT score: 159
Over 51% of students at Cardozo School of Law are women, making it the second highest percentage on the list behind Boston University (55%). According to U.S. News & World Report, it’s also in the top 10 schools for both dispute resolution and intellectual property law.
13. St. John’s University
Location: Queens, New York
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 14%
Bar passage rate: 85%
Median LSAT score: 158
Located a short subway ride from Manhattan, 81% of St. John’s University School of Law graduates take jobs in New York state. St. John’s boasts a total of nine academic centers aimed at helping students pursue areas of interest and refine their skills. JD candidates interested in studying abroad have the option to take courses in Rome, Paris, or Glasgow.
12. Temple University
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 14%
Bar passage rate: 84%
Median LSAT score: 160
As soon as JD candidates start at Temple University, they are immediately introduced to a number of experiential learning programs. Its practicum pairs students with a member of the faculty and a practicing attorney to work with clients at local organizations. Temple’s trial advocacy program is also ranked the second-best in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report.
11. Brooklyn Law School
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 18%
Bar passage rate: 85%
Median LSAT score: 155
Brooklyn Law School tries to make earning a law degree as accessible and flexible as possible. It offers a 2-3-4 program, which allows JD candidates to complete their degree in two to four years based on their preferences and needs. Prior to the 2015-2016 academic year, the school cut tuition by 15 percent.
10. Seton Hall University
Location: Newark, New Jersey
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 7%
Bar passage rate: 83%
Median LSAT score: 157
The only private law school in New Jersey, Seton Hall offers instruction in the areas of health, intellectual property, public interest and public policy, and social justice. About 80% of graduates secured full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar exam passage.
9. Fordham University
Location: New York, New York
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 31%
Bar passage rate: 86%
Median LSAT score: 163
Following its motto of “in the service of others,” Fordham University’s school of law places an emphasis on pro bono work, and the class of 2015 racked up nearly 130,000 hours of public interest work during their time in school. This hands-on experience pays off: 67% of graduates secured full-time, long-term jobs where they put their law degree to use.
8. Boston College
Location: Newton, Massachusetts
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 34%
Bar passage rate: 91%
Median LSAT score: 162
The private law school has a dynamic environmental law program that offers a dual degree with Tufts University to earn an MA in urban planning and environment. In 2015, 77% of Boston College Law graduates secured jobs requiring bar passage.
7. Boston University
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 27%
Bar passage rate: 93%
Median LSAT score: 163
Boston University boasts one of the highest percentages of women on the list, with female students making up 55% of the class of 2015. BU Law features diversity in its classes as well, offering more than 200 courses that cover almost every type of law, from construction to patents to food, drugs, and cosmetics.
6. Yale University
Location: New Haven, Connecticut
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 66%
Bar passage rate: 92%
Median LSAT score: 173
Students admitted to Yale Law were among the best-performers on the LSAT, with a median score of 173 — tied for the top spot with Harvard. Thirty-four percent of graduates of the Ivy League school landed federal clerkships, the most of any school on our list. Its 81% of graduates that landed full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar passage was the lowest in the top 10.
5. Cornell University
Location: Ithaca, New York
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 62%
Bar passage rate: 92%
Median LSAT score: 167
Annual tuition for Cornell Law School is just shy of $60,000, among the highest on our list. But it pays off: 90% of graduates secured full-time, long-term jobs that required passing the bar. The school is recognized for its opportunities for pro bono work through programs like the Cornell Law School Public Service Challenge. Last year, students completed 1,165 hours of pro bono work.
4. Columbia University
Location: New York, New York
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 77%
Bar passage rate: 92%
Median LSAT score: 171
Columbia Law School may be the most expensive school on our list — annual tuition runs $62,700 — but the price tag goes a long way toward securing a great job: 77% of graduates secure full-time, highly coveted jobs at big law firms or in federal clerkships. The school also welcomes diversity: 47% of students are women and 33% are minorities.
3. New York University
Location: New York, New York
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 65%
Bar passage rate: 96%
Median LSAT score: 169
Located in NYC’s Greenwich Village, NYU School of Law was founded in 1835 and has gained a stellar reputation for its curriculum, especially its international law and tax law programs. The school has 10 student-run publications, and 87% of graduates secured full-time jobs requiring bar passage.
2. Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 68%
Bar passage rate: 95%
Median LSAT score: 173
With 68% of students accepting highly coveted jobs right out of school, a law degree from Harvard proves well worth the investment. But it’s not easy to come by: the median LSAT score of accepted students is 173, tied with Yale as the highest on our list. Harvard Law also boasts several prominent alumni, including President Barack Obama, former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Percent of graduates with highly coveted positions: 75%
Bar passage rate: 98%
Median LSAT score: 169
Graduates of the University of Pennsylvania’s law school, the No. 1 school for 2016, have no trouble landing top jobs: 75% of grads secure federal clerkships or positions at big law firms, and a full 90% end up in full-time jobs that require passing the bar. These graduates follow in the footsteps of several notable Penn Law alumni, including Oracle co-CEO Safra Catz and former US Supreme Court Justice Owen Roberts.
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