.png)
Law school class sizes vary widely: entering (1L) classes range from under 100 students at the smallest ABA-approved schools to more than 400 at the largest, such as Harvard and Georgetown. Each school reports its first-year enrollment in its ABA Standard 509 report. Class size shapes cost, competition, faculty access, and network, so weigh it alongside a school's medians and outcomes.
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.
Law school class size is usually measured by the entering first-year (1L) cohort, and it ranges dramatically across ABA-approved schools, from under 100 students to well over 400. Every school reports its 1L enrollment in its annual ABA Standard 509 Information Report, which is the reliable place to check. Small, medium, and large is a rough grouping, since the same school's numbers can shift year to year. about 196 ABA-approved law schools.
The table shows the structure of the comparison; the specific enrollment figures should be pulled from each school's current ABA 509 report.
The current ranking is best read directly from the source. See the U.S. News Best Law Schools list for the up-to-date order, and each school's ABA Standard 509 report for its median LSAT, GPA, and acceptance rate.
A smaller class usually means closer contact with faculty, a tighter community, and less competition for attention, but it can also mean fewer electives, clinics, and journals. A larger class offers a broader course catalog, more student organizations, and a bigger alumni network, at the cost of larger sections and more competition. Neither is better in the abstract; it depends on how you learn and network.
Treat class size as one factor among several, weighed after outcomes, cost, and location. Check the student-to-faculty ratio and typical section sizes, not just the headline enrollment, since a large school can still teach 1Ls in small sections. Visit if you can, and picture spending three years in that community. see the linked source (see the linked source).
There is no single average that means much, because law school 1L class sizes span a very wide range, from under 100 students to more than 400. Each school reports its first-year enrollment in its ABA Standard 509 report, which is the accurate source. Rather than a national average, compare the specific schools on your list. about 196 ABA-approved law schools.
Harvard Law School and Georgetown Law are frequently cited as having among the largest entering classes, but exact figures change each year. The most reliable way to identify the largest classes is to compare 1L enrollment in current ABA Standard 509 reports. Class size alone does not indicate quality, so read it alongside outcomes. see the linked source (see the linked source).
A smaller law school class is not automatically better; it is a trade-off. Smaller classes tend to offer closer faculty relationships and a tighter community, while larger classes provide more electives, clinics, journals, and a wider network. The right size depends on your learning style and career goals. Weigh it after employment outcomes, cost, and location rather than first.
A 1L class is the group of first-year students entering a law school together in a given year, and it is the standard way schools and applicants describe class size. The term 1L means first-year law student. Schools report the size of each entering 1L class in their ABA Standard 509 reports, which makes it easy to compare across schools.
Verified August 2026.
August 21, 2026
August 21, 2026