Ranking law schools by LSAT means ordering them by the median LSAT of their entering class, from the highest-scoring programs downward. Because the LSAT (scored 120 to 180) is the single strongest admissions factor at most schools, your score largely sets which tiers are realistic. Compare your LSAT to each school's median before building a list.
By Ali Unar, Founder, Lovare Institut; JD/MSFS Candidate, Georgetown University. Last updated August 2026. Every figure on this page was verified in August 2026 against the sources listed below.
You rank law schools by LSAT by ordering them from the highest median LSAT of their entering class down to the lowest, using each school's Standard 509 report. Because the LSAT, scored on the 120 to 180 scale, is the single strongest admissions factor at most schools, this order closely tracks selectivity. Your own LSAT tells you which tiers are realistic.
Every ABA-approved school publishes its 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile LSAT for the entering class. The table shows the structure to compare your score against any school.
Law school25th percentile LSATMedian LSAT75th percentile LSATYale Law School171174177Georgetown Law166171173Campbell University152156159
Each figure comes from the school's most recent ABA Standard 509 Information Report.
The LSAT carries outsized weight because it is a standardized measure that lets schools compare applicants from different colleges and majors on one scale. Since Aug 2024 the test has two scored Logical Reasoning sections, one Reading Comprehension section, and one unscored variable section, after Logic Games were retired. A score above a school's 75th percentile makes your LSAT a clear asset.
Use your LSAT to set the tier of schools you target, then confirm each fit with your GPA. A score at or above a school's median puts that school in your target range, while a score above its 75th percentile makes it a likely admit. Lovare's free admissions calculator ranks schools against your exact LSAT and GPA.
There is no universal LSAT cutoff, since the LSAT is scored 120 to 180 and each school sets its own medians. Your goal is to reach or beat a target school's median LSAT, published in its Standard 509 report. Ranking schools by their LSAT medians shows which tiers your score puts within reach.
Your chances depend mostly on how your LSAT and GPA compare to each school's medians, with the LSAT usually the heaviest single factor. A score above a school's 75th percentile makes you a likely admit, while one below its 25th percentile makes the school a reach. Compare your score to each school's ABA 509 figures to gauge your odds.
Most applicants apply to roughly 6 to 12 law schools, spread across reach, target, and safety tiers based on how their LSAT and GPA compare to each school's medians. Ranking schools by LSAT first makes it easy to see which schools fall into each tier and to keep at least two safeties on your list.
Verified August 2026.
September 20, 2026
September 20, 2026