As a lawyer in Illinois headquartered in Chicago, I am often asked by people interested in the legal profession how to become a lawyer and what you have to do to get into law school. The next question that is often asked is whether they should go.
This article will answer common questions about getting into law school, including the grades and test scores that are needed. We’ll also cover the experience of pursuing a legal career, securing a job as an attorney, and whether becoming a lawyer is a wise choice. While some answers depend on your individual situation, others are cut and dried.
Thinking About Being an Attorney?
Admission Requirements for Accredited Law Schools in the United States
Admission requirements vary significantly from school to school. Top tier law schools only admit elite students. But let’s be honest, not every lawyer was an elite student who graduated first in their class.
Moreover, top scores and GPAs are not necessarily a guarantee of success in the legal profession. But keep in mind, it is how law schools filter their applicants. You have to sharpen your applications to meet the criteria law schools frequently use to measure applicants.
The application process may differ slightly from school to school, however, there are several core requirements for admission to an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school in the United States.
How to Qualify for Law School
Here is what you will need to do to qualify for law school:
- Complete a Bachelor’s Degree
- Complete the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT exam)
- Obtain several letters of recommendation
- Prepare a personal statement
- Apply to a law school and pay the fees
How Easy or Hard is it to Qualify for Law School?
This process sounds easy enough, but it takes time, perseverance and resolve to pursue further education beyond a Bachelor’s degree. The process can feel like a marathon, designed to test your endurance. Sometimes the application process seems like a filter constructed to weed out candidates who are not serious about becoming lawyers.
Complete Your Undergraduate Studies with Good Grades
You have to first complete your undergraduate studies with a respectable GPA. Then study and take the LSAT exam. Hopefully, your LSAT score is above average. Then complete your personal statement and secure several letters of recommendation. Finally, you need to complete the necessary applications, pay the fees, and provide all the needed materials.
And Good Test Scores
Law schools will review your GPA, LSAT scores, letters of recommendation, work history, personal background, goals, undergraduate field of study, and take into account the college or university you attended.
The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) offers products and services to support law school candidates and institutions, promote diversity among prelaw students, improve law student outcomes, and assist legal professionals in their careers.
What GPA is Required to Attend Law School?
There is not a “required” GPA, but as you can imagine, the higher your GPA, the better. You do not need straight A’s, but having an above average GPA will help your chances of getting accepted to the school of your choice to continue your education.
Your GPA is one of several factors that law schools evaluate during the admissions process. Schools also look at work experience, LSAT scores, undergraduate studies, where you earned your undergraduate degree, personal statements, recommendations and more.
GPA and LSAT
If your LSAT scores are lower than you would like, having a high GPA may help offset a lower than desired test score. The highest ranked law schools report an average GPA of 3.93 for newly admitted students. Whereas, lower tier law schools have an average GPA as low as 2.8.
As you can imagine, admission to law school is very competitive. Admission requirements vary from school to school, but you will likely need at least a 3.21 GPA for the top 50 nationally ranked law schools. Again, there is not a “required” GPA, but having at least a 3.0 GPA will increase your odds of admission.
What LSAT Scores are Required to Get a Law Degree?
Accredited law schools require applicants to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). The test is graded on a scale of 120-180.
The LSAT has five parts:
- two parts covering logical reasoning,
- one part covering analytical reasoning,
- one part covering reading comprehension and
- a writing portion.
If you are taking the LSAT, you should consider practicing using available sample tests, online courses, or additional resources to study. Don’t assume you can show up and score well without preparation. Even if you are one of those fortunate people who can always ace tests, why would you risk it? Moreover, if you are a good test taker, imagine how much higher you could score with just a little study time.
If you’re disappointed in your score, you can retake the exam. Admission requirements vary by school. Remember, law school admission isn’t based on just one factor. A high LSAT score improves your chances, but it’s just one factor. Others include your undergraduate degree, university, GPA, work experience, and more.
National Average LSAT Scores
The average LSAT score is about 156. If your score is below the national average it will be more difficult to get accepted to study law. A score of 160 or higher will open the door to a number of highly ranked law schools.
The average LSAT scores for the top 50 law schools range from 161 to 173, based on school reports. This means they have admitted students with lower scores. If your score isn’t as high as you’d like, consider retaking the exam.
How Much Does It Cost to Go to Law School?
In recent years, the value of a law degree has been questioned, particularly when weighing the rising tuition costs against the average starting salaries for new lawyers. This consideration could be crucial in deciding whether you truly want to pursue a career in law.
Average Yearly Cost of US Law Schools in 2023
- Average cost for public law school for an in-state resident: $30,554
- Average cost for public law school for a nonresident: $43,950
- Average cost at a private law school: $55,963
This means, according to the American Bar Association, the average student will spend between $91,662 and $167,889 for tuition over three years. This does not include living expenses.
As expensive as this may seem, the top tier elite schools come with an even higher price tag. Attending a top law school has its advantages, but on average it will cost you more.
The cost of law school also depends on a number of variables including the cost of housing, whether the school offers scholarships, and whether the school is public or private. The difference between a public and private school is dramatic, especially if you qualify for in-state tuition.
Top US Law Schools Tuition
Here’s an example of tuition costs at some of America’s top schools for 2024:
- Columbia Law School $83,860
- New York University School of Law $79,954
- University of Chicago Law School $79,539
- Yale Law School $74,044
- Stanford Law School $74,475
- University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School $74,688
- Harvard Law School $73,600
What is the Average Lawyer Salary After Graduation?
Lawyers, like other professionals, tend to make more as they gain job experience and lawyer salaries in the United States reflect this. Most lawyers will begin their career at a firm, working under the direction of a more experienced attorney.
Lawyers who work as prosecutors, public defenders, or for other governmental agencies often do the same. As a lawyer gains more experience and demonstrates expertise in a specific area of law, their salary tends to rise commensurate with that expertise.
Factors that Affect Your Salary and Job Outlook
When searching for a job, keep in mind that several factors will affect your salary after graduation, including:
- Where you went to school
- What city or state you plan to work in
- If you were in the top half or bottom half of your graduating class
- The type of law you are practicing
- If you want a job at a big firm or small firm
- If you work for a private firm or public organization
In 2022, the median annual wage for lawyers was about $135,740. The best-paid 25 percent with the highest salary made an average $208,980 that year, while the lowest-paid 25 percent made an average salary of $94,440.
Starting Salary for Lawyers Just Out of Law School
The lowest 10 percent, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, earned an average salary of about $69,760 per year in 2023. Realistically, young lawyers just out of school and starting their career should expect earnings on the low end of the lawyer salary spectrum. It’s no different for lawyers than for other young professionals in their first job out of school.
Geography and Legal Sector
Another factor to consider when figuring out what you might expect as a lawyer salary is your geography and sector of law. It matters where you are practicing law and in what sector you are working. Lawyers who work on criminal cases will have a different salary than lawyers who practice real estate law, for example.
Larger cities like Chicago, IL, tend to have higher starting salaries and bigger law firms tend to have a higher starting average salary for recent graduates. Similar jobs in different locals can have completely different salaries.
Best Paying Jobs for Lawyers
Lawyers have the potential to make a good living after graduation and passing the bar exam. As you consider whether or not you want a career as an attorney, you will also want to consider the legal services job market where you’d like to live and work. There are number of factors that influence lawyer salaries.
Where You Went to Law School
Admission to the top 25 law schools is highly competitive because a degree from one of these schools generally translates into a higher starting salary after graduation. Especially if you are recruited for a job at a large law firm that has a national or international footprint.
What City or State You Plan to Work In
Where you live and work certainly influences how much you can expect to earn when you practice law. Bigger cities have a bigger legal job market and tend to have higher paying positions. Here are the states with the highest salaries for attorneys looking to find jobs:
- District of Columbia — $192,530
- California — $171,550
- New York — $167,110
- Massachusetts — $165,610
- Connecticut — $153,640
The Type of Law You Are Practicing
As lawyers gain experience, they tend to develop an area of concentration or specialization. Here is a list of practice areas where a lawyer earns the most.
- Patent attorney: $180,000
- Intellectual property (IP) lawyer: $162,000
- Trial lawyer: $134,000
- Tax attorney: $122,000
- Corporate lawyer: $115,000
- Employment lawyer: $87,000
- Real Estate attorney: $86,000
- Divorce lawyer: $84,000
- Immigration attorney: $84,000
- Estate attorney: $83,000
- Public Defender: $63,000
The Size of the Law Firm You Work For
Larger firms, known as “Biglaw,” typically offer higher starting salaries. They have the means to hire top legal talent and employ many people. These firms often compete for graduates from prestigious law schools who have performed exceptionally well. As a result, they offer lawyer salaries at the higher end of the pay scale.
Some bigger firms start new lawyers at salaries in excess of $200,000 per year. The tradeoff for this kind of income is probably quality of life. Young lawyers in their first year and beyond are expected to earn their generous lawyer salaries by working long hours. And lawyers work long hours.
Top Locations for a Legal Career
It’s no surprise that the largest legal markets are in major cities across the country, such as The Kryder Law Group’s location in Chicago, IL. These cities host many national law firms, as well as hundreds of medium and small firms, resulting in more available legal job listings.
Larger legal markets provide a broader range of practice areas for a new lawyer to choose from and a broader list of firms within the legal community. According to the latest legal trends report from US Bureau of Labor Statistics, here is a list of the top legal markets in the United States based on the number of jobs available and where you may consider starting your career after completing your education.
- New York
- Washington, D.C.
- Chicago, IL
- Los Angeles
- Boston
- San Francisco
- Atlanta
- Philadelphia
- Houston
- Dallas
The type of law you want to ultimately practice may influence where you end up when you start your career as a lawyer, so keep this in mind when setting up your job alerts. Practicing Maritime law in landlocked Dallas, Texas may not be practical. However, doing legal work for the oil and gas industry probably fits. San Francisco and Los Angeles may have more jobs where you can practice law for tech companies and Washington, DC, may have more jobs for legal support related to lobbying.
December 8th, 2024
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