Law Schools in Utah + LSAT Prep (2026 Guide)

Utah has two ABA accredited law schools, Brigham Young University and the University of Utah, and both sit high on the scale. Their median LSAT scores span just 166 to 170 in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures, so this small state for legal education expects a strong LSAT even at its more accessible option.

By Ali Unar, Georgetown Law, Founder of Lovare Institut.

Ali Unar is a Georgetown Law student and the founder of Lovare Institut, an admissions and LSAT-prep practice built on primary-source law school data.

Verified August 2026

What law schools are in Utah?

Utah is a small state for legal education with just two ABA accredited law schools, both attached to major universities. Brigham Young University runs the J. Reuben Clark Law School in Provo, and the University of Utah runs the S.J. Quinney College of Law in Salt Lake City. Because the state has only two schools and both post high medians, your in-state choice in Utah is a choice between two selective programs rather than a long ladder of options. The table below lays out the numbers that separate them.

School Median LSAT Acceptance rate Full-time tuition Brigham Young University (Clark) 170 22.8% $15,992 University of Utah (Quinney) 166 25.3% $34,721

Each figure in this Utah table, the median LSAT, the acceptance rate, and the full-time tuition, comes from that school's 2025 ABA Standard 509 disclosure for the fall 2025 entering class. Two things stand out. Brigham Young University pairs the higher median LSAT of 170 with strikingly low full-time tuition of $15,992, the lower of the two prices in the state. The University of Utah sits at a 166 median with tuition of $34,721 and a marginally higher acceptance rate of 25.3%. Unlike many states, Utah does not have an accessible lower-tier school: both of its options are selective, so the state as a whole sets a high bar.

The structure of having only two law schools shapes the entire Utah decision. In a state with many programs, applicants sort themselves across a wide range of medians and prices, but in Utah the two schools sit only four LSAT points apart and both are strong. That means a Utah applicant whose numbers fall below 166 does not have an obvious in-state safety school and should think seriously about programs across state lines, while an applicant at or above 166 has two genuinely good in-state options. Reading the two 2025 ABA 509 disclosures side by side is the fastest way to understand your realistic Utah choice.

Utah is also unusual among two-school states in how favorable its prices are. Many states with only a couple of law schools pair one affordable public program with an expensive private one, but in Utah the more selective school, Brigham Young University, is also the cheaper of the two at $15,992 in full-time tuition, and even the University of Utah at $34,721 is moderate by national standards for a school with a 166 median. For a strong scorer, that combination of high medians and comparatively low tuition makes Utah an attractive in-state proposition. The catch is entirely at the front end: you have to clear a high LSAT bar to get in, since neither Utah school offers an accessible median.

What LSAT and GPA do you need for law school in Utah?

In Utah the median LSAT scores in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures run from 166 to 170, one of the highest and tightest in-state bands in the country. Brigham Young University sits at the top with a median of 170, and the University of Utah is the more accessible of the two at a median of 166. Because both anchors are high, Utah asks more of applicants than most two-school states do.

A score at or above 170 makes you competitive at Brigham Young University, the most selective option in the state, and comfortably clears the University of Utah as well. A score around 166 to 169 is right in the University of Utah's range and keeps you in the conversation at Brigham Young University, particularly with a strong file. A score below 166 is where Utah gets harder: neither in-state school posts an accessible median, so a Utah applicant in the low 160s or below should treat both schools as reaches and build a list that includes out-of-state options. That is not a reason to give up on Utah, but it is an honest reading of a state whose two schools both sit near the top of the scale.

Because both Utah medians sit so high, the LSAT is unusually decisive here, and retaking the exam is often the single most valuable move a Utah applicant can make. Moving a score from the low 160s into the 166 to 170 band is the difference between having no realistic in-state option and having two, and it can also strengthen scholarship leverage at schools whose tuition is already low. Since law schools generally consider your highest LSAT, a Utah applicant who is close to the University of Utah's 166 median should think hard about a retake before concluding the in-state schools are out of reach.

On grade point average, the 2025 ABA 509 figures in this guide report each school's median LSAT and the spread between its 25th percentile GPA and its median GPA, but this guide does not list a specific median GPA number for the Utah schools, so I will not state one. What the GPA spread tells you is how much room each school leaves below its GPA median for applicants whose numbers do not line up evenly, which is the splitter question the next section takes up directly for Utah. Given the high medians, the LSAT is the variable that most determines a Utah applicant's in-state chances, so it deserves the bulk of your preparation.

Which Utah law schools are splitter friendly?

A splitter is an applicant with a high LSAT and a lower GPA, and a splitter friendly school is one that shows a willingness to reach below its GPA median for a strong LSAT. The clearest signal in the 2025 ABA 509 data is the spread between a school's 25th percentile GPA and its median GPA, because a wider spread means more room below the median. In Utah, the two schools split on this measure.

The University of Utah shows a GPA 25th-to-median spread of 0.25 in its 2025 ABA 509 disclosure, which flags it as splitter friendly: a Utah applicant with a strong LSAT but a GPA below the school's median is exactly the profile the University of Utah has shown it will consider. Brigham Young University is not flagged as splitter friendly here, so its GPA spread is narrower and a splitter should treat Brigham Young University as a reach where the LSAT and GPA need to line up more tightly. The practical read for Utah: if your LSAT is strong but your GPA lags, the University of Utah is the in-state school that leaves visible room, while Brigham Young University is the tighter target.

The mirror image, the reverse splitter with a high GPA and a lower LSAT, is not what these spreads flag. The 2025 ABA 509 spreads used here speak to LSAT strength offsetting GPA in Utah, so a reverse splitter should still work to lift the LSAT and treat a strong transcript as support rather than the lead, particularly given that both Utah schools set high LSAT medians.

What is the legal job market like in Utah?

Utah's dominant legal market is Salt Lake City, the state capital and its largest metro, which concentrates state government, the courts, and the bulk of the state's law firms and corporate legal departments. Provo, home to Brigham Young University and the center of the Silicon Slopes technology corridor, and Ogden to the north round out the major population centers. Where each Utah school places its graduates tells you how strongly it feeds the local market, and the ABA Class of 2024 employment data gives a clear in-state retention read for both schools.

By the ABA Class of 2024 employment data, the University of Utah keeps 79% of its class in Utah, the higher of the two, which fits its Salt Lake City location at the center of the state's legal economy. Brigham Young University keeps 56% of its class in Utah by the same data, a strong majority but a notably lower share, reflecting its national religious network that draws graduates to markets outside the state. If your goal is a Utah career, both schools feed the state heavily, but the University of Utah's 79% retention is the stronger in-state signal. This guide does not include salary figures for Utah, so none are stated here.

The gap between 79% and 56% is worth reading carefully. A University of Utah class stays overwhelmingly in Utah, concentrated in Salt Lake City's firms, agencies, and courts, which makes it the natural choice for someone set on practicing in the state. Brigham Young University's 56% still means most graduates stay in Utah, but a larger minority leaves, often through the national networks the university is known for. Because Utah currently administers the Uniform Bar Exam according to the NCBE, a qualifying score earned in state can support mobility to other UBE jurisdictions, which is part of the backdrop to why some graduates move on.

The practical lesson for a Utah applicant is to match the school to the goal. If your plan is a Utah career rooted in Salt Lake City, the University of Utah's 79% in-state figure from the ABA Class of 2024 employment data is the clearest signal that its graduates build careers at home. If you value a broader national or regional network and are comfortable that a larger share of the class disperses, Brigham Young University's profile fits, and its low $15,992 tuition in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures makes that flexibility inexpensive. Either way, both Utah schools keep a majority of graduates in the state, so neither choice locks you out of the Utah market.

Does Utah use the NextGen bar exam?

Utah has adopted the NextGen bar exam, according to the NCBE, and its first NextGen administration is scheduled for July 2028. Until that switch, Utah remains a current Uniform Bar Exam jurisdiction, so candidates sitting in the state now take the UBE.

The timing matters for anyone starting law school in the next few years. Per the NCBE, the legacy UBE and the Multistate Bar Exam end after the February 2028 administration, and Utah's first NextGen sitting follows in July 2028. A student entering a Utah law school in fall 2025 and graduating in spring 2028 would therefore be among the first cohorts to test under NextGen in Utah. If you expect to sit for the Utah bar in or after July 2028, plan your preparation around the NextGen format rather than the legacy exam, because the state will have transitioned by then. NextGen is the NCBE's redesigned bar examination, and Utah's 2028 date puts it on the same national timeline as most other jurisdictions, so the main thing to track is which side of the February 2028 line your graduation falls on.

Where can you take the LSAT in Utah?

LSAT test centers are available in Utah's major metros, which include Salt Lake City, Provo, and Ogden, the largest population and university centers in the state. Between the Salt Lake and Utah Valley areas, most Utah candidates have a test location within a manageable drive along the Wasatch Front.

Specific test centers, their addresses, and their available dates change every cycle, and remote proctored testing shifts the picture further, so this guide will not invent a fixed list. For the current Utah test-center options and open dates, check the official LSAC list at lsac.org when you register, since that is the only source that stays current across cycles. Because the LSAT is also offered in a remote proctored format, a Utah candidate outside the Wasatch Front metros can usually test from home if the setup meets LSAC's technical requirements. Registering early gives Utah candidates the widest choice of nearby seats before popular Salt Lake City and Provo dates fill.

Which Utah universities feed law school?

Utah's flagship university is the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, and it is among the most common in-state pipelines into law school, both for its own College of Law and for programs elsewhere. Brigham Young University in Provo is the other large university that sends a steady stream of pre-law applicants each year, many of them into its own law school and many to schools across the country.

Beyond those two, Utah State University, Utah Valley University, Weber State University, and Southern Utah University all serve as common pre-law feeders in Utah, drawing on strong undergraduate programs in political science, history, and business. This is general background on where Utah pre-law students tend to come from, and this guide does not attribute a specific placement statistic to any of these universities, because none was provided in the source data. Because Utah has only two law schools and both are selective, many Utah undergraduates also apply out of state, so a strong Utah pre-law student should treat the two in-state schools as the anchor of a broader list.

Frequently asked questions about law school in Utah

How many law schools are in Utah?

Utah has two ABA accredited law schools: Brigham Young University, home to the J. Reuben Clark Law School in Provo, and the University of Utah, home to the S.J. Quinney College of Law in Salt Lake City. That makes Utah a small state for legal education, and unusually, both schools post high LSAT medians. Both appear in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures used throughout this Utah guide, and there are no other ABA accredited law schools in the state.

What is the easiest law school to get into in Utah?

Neither Utah school is easy in absolute terms, but by the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures the University of Utah is the more accessible of the two, with a 166 median LSAT and a 25.3% acceptance rate, compared with Brigham Young University's 170 median and 22.8% acceptance rate. Utah has no accessible lower-tier option, so even the more open in-state door still expects a strong LSAT from applicants.

What is the best law school in Utah?

By the numbers in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures, Brigham Young University is the most selective law school in Utah, with the state's highest median LSAT of 170 and a 22.8% acceptance rate, and it also carries the lower full-time tuition at $15,992. The University of Utah follows at a 166 median with $34,721 tuition. Selectivity is only one measure of best, but on the ABA figures Brigham Young University leads Utah on both admissions and price.

What LSAT score do you need for law school in Utah?

In Utah the median LSAT scores in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures run from 166 to 170. A score around 166 or higher is in range for the University of Utah, while a 170 or higher is competitive at Brigham Young University. Because both Utah schools sit high on the scale, an applicant scoring below 166 has no obvious in-state safety and should treat both as reaches while adding out-of-state options.

How much does law school cost in Utah?

Full-time tuition in Utah is relatively low by national standards in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures. Brigham Young University lists full-time tuition of $15,992, the lower of the two, and the University of Utah lists $34,721. Those figures are tuition only and do not include living costs or fees. For a Utah applicant weighing price, Brigham Young University is the lower sticker cost, and both schools are cheaper than many private options in other states.

Does Utah use the NextGen bar exam?

Utah has adopted the NextGen bar exam, according to the NCBE, with its first administration scheduled for July 2028. Until then, Utah remains a Uniform Bar Exam jurisdiction. The legacy UBE and the Multistate Bar Exam end after the February 2028 administration, so Utah graduates sitting for the bar in or after July 2028 should prepare for the NextGen format rather than the legacy exam.

Can you take the bar in Utah with an out-of-state degree?

Yes. A JD from any ABA accredited law school, in any state, generally qualifies you to sit for the Utah bar, so you do not have to attend Brigham Young University or the University of Utah to practice in the state. Utah currently administers the Uniform Bar Exam, according to the NCBE, and transitions to NextGen in July 2028. Confirm current admission requirements with the Utah State Bar before you apply.

Which Utah law school has the best bar passage?

This Utah guide's source figures do not include a school-by-school bar passage rate, so I will not state one. Bar passage results are reported in each school's ABA Standard 509 disclosure and in the Utah State Bar releases, which are the right places to compare Brigham Young University and the University of Utah on that measure. Use those primary sources rather than an estimate for Utah.

Are there part-time or evening law programs in Utah?

The tuition figures in this Utah guide are full-time figures from the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures, and this guide does not confirm part-time or evening tracks at either Brigham Young University or the University of Utah. Program formats change, so if an evening or part-time schedule is essential to you, verify the current offering directly with each Utah school before applying rather than assuming one exists. The full-time numbers are the reliable comparison this guide supports.

Where can you take the LSAT in Utah?

LSAT test centers operate in Utah's largest metros, including Salt Lake City, Provo, and Ogden along the Wasatch Front. Exact centers and dates change every cycle and remote testing is also offered, so this guide points you to the official LSAC test-center list at lsac.org for the current Utah options rather than listing addresses that may be out of date. Registering early gives Utah candidates the best choice of nearby seats.

Which Utah law schools are splitter friendly?

One of Utah's two law schools reads as splitter friendly in the 2025 ABA 509 data. The University of Utah shows a GPA 25th-to-median spread of 0.25, wide enough that a strong LSAT can offset a GPA below its median. Brigham Young University is not flagged, so its spread is narrower and its numbers line up more tightly. A Utah applicant with a strong LSAT and a softer GPA has the University of Utah as the more forgiving in-state option.

Do you have to go to law school in Utah to practice there?

No. You can earn a JD at any ABA accredited law school and then sit for the Utah bar, so attending Brigham Young University or the University of Utah is not required to practice in the state. That said, the ABA Class of 2024 employment data shows the University of Utah keeps 79% of its class in Utah and Brigham Young University keeps 56%, so both in-state schools feed the local market heavily, especially in Salt Lake City.

How do Brigham Young University and the University of Utah compare?

On the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures, Brigham Young University is more selective and cheaper, with a 170 median LSAT, a 22.8% acceptance rate, and $15,992 full-time tuition. The University of Utah sits at a 166 median, a 25.3% acceptance rate, and $34,721 tuition, but it is the more splitter friendly of the two and keeps more graduates in Utah, at 79% versus 56% by the ABA Class of 2024 employment data.

Should a Utah applicant consider law schools in other states?

Often yes, and the numbers explain why. Because Utah has only two ABA law schools and both post high medians of 166 and 170 in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures, an applicant scoring below the mid 160s has no accessible in-state option and will usually need out-of-state programs to build a balanced list. The two Utah schools should anchor the list for a strong scorer, but a thin, high-bar in-state field makes looking regionally a sensible move.

Why is Utah considered a high-bar state for law school admissions?

Utah is high-bar because both of its ABA law schools post strong medians in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures: Brigham Young University at 170 and the University of Utah at 166. Most two-school states include at least one accessible option in the 150s, but Utah does not, so the whole state sets a higher LSAT threshold. A Utah applicant needs a mid-160s score or better to be competitive at either in-state school.

Sources

Median LSAT, acceptance rate, and full-time tuition for each school: American Bar Association Standard 509 disclosures, https://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/

NextGen bar exam and Uniform Bar Exam status for Utah: National Conference of Bar Examiners, https://www.ncbex.org

LSAT test-center locations and dates: Law School Admission Council, https://www.lsac.org

Ready to see exactly where your numbers land against Brigham Young University and the University of Utah? Get your free Utah law school profile evaluation and get a clear read on your in-state options.