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'Washington University' most precisely means Washington University in St. Louis, whose School of Law is ranked 13th (tie) in the U.S. News 2026-27 edition, in the national top 20. Do not confuse it with the University of Washington in Seattle or George Washington University in Washington, DC, which are separate schools with their own rankings.
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.
'Washington University' most precisely means Washington University in St. Louis, a private research university in Missouri whose School of Law is a national top-tier program. It is a different school from the University of Washington in Seattle and from George Washington University in Washington, DC. The vital statistics below describe Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.
MetricValue (2026 cycle)U.S. News rank13th (tie)Median LSAT175Median GPASee the school's ABA 509 reportAcceptance rate18.96%First-time bar passageSee the school's ABA 509 reportEmployment (JD-required, 10 months)See the school's ABA 509 report
The rank comes from the U.S. News 2026-27 Best Law Schools ranking; the median LSAT of 175 and 18.96% acceptance rate come from Washington University School of Law's 2025 ABA Standard 509 report; its median GPA, first-time bar passage, and 10-month employment are published in that report and the school's ABA required disclosures.
Applicants considering Washington University School of Law often compare it with Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Emory, and Georgetown, schools in a similar national band. In the U.S. News 2026-27 ranking, Vanderbilt is 12th, Georgetown 18th (tie), Notre Dame 20th (tie), and Emory 40th (tie); Vanderbilt reports a median LSAT of 170 and median GPA of 3.91, Notre Dame 170 and 3.89, and Georgetown 171 and 3.93, in their 2025 ABA 509 reports.
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.
As a national top-tier school, Washington University School of Law is a reach for applicants below its medians and a target for those at or above them. Compare your LSAT and GPA to its published 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles, then build a balanced list. WashU is known for competitive merit scholarships, so a strong LSAT can meaningfully lower your cost.
The name points to Washington University in St. Louis, whose School of Law is a national top-tier program. It should not be confused with the University of Washington in Seattle or George Washington University in Washington, DC, each a separate law school with its own ranking. WashU's current national position is 13th (tie) in the U.S. News 2026-27 ranking.
Because Washington University, the University of Washington, and George Washington University are different schools, their bar-passage rates are not one comparable figure. Each reports a first-time bar-passage rate in its own ABA Standard 509 report, and the relevant one depends on which school you mean; those rates are not captured in this reference.
For Washington University in St. Louis, a national top-tier school, plan on an LSAT toward the high end of the 120 to 180 scale. There is no hard cutoff, but being at or above its median LSAT of 175, published with percentiles in its 2025 ABA 509 report, makes you competitive for admission and scholarships.
No. Washington University in St. Louis is a private university in Missouri, while the University of Washington is a public university in Seattle; George Washington University in Washington, DC is a third, separate school. In the U.S. News 2026-27 list, Washington University in St. Louis is 13th (tie), the University of Washington 52nd (tie), and George Washington University 26th (tie).
Verified August 2026.
August 21, 2026
August 21, 2026