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The top law schools in Boston are Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Boston University School of Law, and Boston College Law School in nearby Newton, followed by Northeastern, Suffolk, and New England Law. Harvard sits in the national T14. In the U.S. News 2026-27 ranking, Harvard is 6th, Boston College 20th (tie), and Boston University 24th (tie).
By Ali Unar, JD candidate at Georgetown Law and founder of Lovare Institut. Last updated August 2026. Every figure on this page was verified in August 2026 against the sources listed below.
The top law schools in the Boston area are Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Boston University School of Law, and Boston College Law School in nearby Newton, followed by Northeastern, Suffolk, and New England Law. Harvard sits in the national T14, while BU and BC are strong national schools that dominate regionally. The table lists each with its key numbers.
Law schoolLocationU.S. News rankMedian LSATMedian GPAHarvard Law SchoolCambridge, MA6th1743.96Boston University School of LawBoston, MA24th (tie)170See ABA 509 reportBoston College Law SchoolNewton, MA20th (tie)1683.83Northeastern University School of LawBoston, MA77th (tie)See ABA 509 reportSee ABA 509 reportSuffolk University Law SchoolBoston, MA128th (tie)See ABA 509 reportSee ABA 509 reportNew England Law BostonBoston, MA168th (tie)See ABA 509 reportSee ABA 509 report
Ranks come from the U.S. News 2026-27 Best Law Schools ranking; median LSAT and median GPA come from each school's 2025 ABA Standard 509 report. Where a school is not captured in this reference, read its medians from its ABA 509 report.
Rank comes from U.S. News, which weights reputation surveys, selectivity (median LSAT and GPA, acceptance rate), and outcomes (bar passage and employment). The medians, bar-passage rates, and employment figures come from each school's ABA Standard 509 Information Report. Because U.S. News revises its weights periodically and publishes them in its methodology, positions can move a little without real change.
Use the ranking to sort schools into reach, target, and likely groups, but anchor each label to your own LSAT and GPA against that school's published medians rather than to the headline position. If your LSAT sits above a school's 75th percentile, it is usually a likely admit and a scholarship candidate, even when its rank looks high. A balanced list mixes a few reaches with several targets and at least two likely schools.
This is where preparation pays off: raising your LSAT by even a few points can move a school from reach to target and unlock merit aid, which is exactly what a focused LSAT plan is for.
The best law schools in the Boston area are Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Boston University School of Law, and Boston College Law School in Newton, with Northeastern, Suffolk, and New England Law also serving the market. Harvard sits in the national T14. In the U.S. News 2026-27 ranking, Harvard is 6th, Boston College 20th (tie), and Boston University 24th (tie).
Among Boston-area schools, first-time bar-passage rates are typically led by Harvard, Boston University, and Boston College, but the exact order shifts year to year. Read each school's first-time Massachusetts bar-passage rate from its current ABA Standard 509 report to compare them accurately, since those rates are not captured in this reference.
It varies sharply by school. Harvard reports a median LSAT of 174, Boston University 170, and Boston College 168 in their 2025 ABA 509 reports, while Northeastern, Suffolk, and New England Law admit progressively wider ranges. Find your target school's median LSAT in its ABA 509 report and aim to meet or beat it.
Verified August 2026.
August 21, 2026
August 21, 2026