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The number of LSATs administered each testing year is reported by LSAC and currently runs in the hundreds of thousands see the linked source (see the linked source). That count reflects tests taken, not unique test-takers, because some candidates sit the exam more than once. Volume rises and falls with the law-school application cycle.
By Ali Unar, JD candidate at Georgetown Law and founder of Lovare Institut. Last updated August 2026. Figures on this page were verified in August 2026 or point readers to the current source.
The number of LSATs administered each testing year runs in the hundreds of thousands and is reported by LSAC in its published volume summaries see the linked source (see the linked source). LSAC counts tests administered rather than unique individuals, so the figure slightly overstates the number of distinct people, because some candidates retake the exam.
Yearly LSAT volume rises and falls with the law-school application cycle, climbing in years when more people apply to law school and easing when applications cool see the linked source (see the linked source). Economic conditions and graduate hiring markets influence these swings, which is why volume is not a fixed number.
LSAT volume matters because a larger applicant pool raises competition for seats and can nudge school medians upward in high-volume cycles. When more strong scores enter the pool, target-school medians can climb each school's median LSAT (see its 509 report). Watching volume trends helps you judge how competitive an upcoming cycle may be.
A good LSAT score is one at or above your target schools' medians. Above the low-150s national average is competitive for many programs, while the T14 expect high 160s to 170s each school's median LSAT (see its 509 report). In higher-volume cycles, aiming a bit above a school's median gives you more cushion.
The average LSAT score is in the low 150s on the 120 to 180 scale the low-to-mid 150s (LSAC does not publish a single headline average; the median falls near 152 on the percentile tables). This average is drawn from the full pool of tests administered each year, so it shifts slightly as the size and composition of the test-taking population change.
The LSAT is scored by converting your raw number of correct answers into a 120 to 180 scaled score through a per-form equating curve, with no penalty for wrong answers. Equating means the score is not affected by how many people test in a given year, only by your own performance on the scored sections.
Verified August 2026.
August 21, 2026
August 21, 2026