Law Schools in Washington + LSAT Prep (2026 Guide)

Washington has three ABA-accredited law schools, and their median LSATs span 155 to 165 according to each school's 2025 ABA Standard 509 disclosure. That range means law schools in Washington open to applicants from the mid-150s through the mid-160s, so a Washington applicant's target list depends on where in that band their LSAT falls.

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. Every admissions figure on this page comes from each Washington school's 2025 ABA Standard 509 disclosure for the fall 2025 entering class, with bar-exam status from the NCBE.

The three law schools in Washington are the University of Washington, Seattle University, and Gonzaga University, and they line up cleanly by selectivity and setting. The University of Washington is the public flagship, with a 165 median LSAT, a 19.6% acceptance rate, and the lowest tuition of the three at $45,927 in its 2025 ABA 509 disclosure. Seattle University is a private school in the same city, at a 159 median and a 38.9% acceptance rate. Gonzaga University, in Spokane on the eastern side of the state, is the most accessible at a 155 median and a 51.1% acceptance rate. Washington is also unusual on the bar-exam front: according to the NCBE, it has already moved to the NextGen bar exam, administering its first NextGen test in July 2026, which puts Washington ahead of the national transition timeline.

What law schools are in Washington?

Washington has three ABA-accredited law schools: the University of Washington, Seattle University, and Gonzaga University. The table below lists each Washington school's median LSAT, acceptance rate, and full-time tuition from its 2025 ABA Standard 509 disclosure for the fall 2025 entering class.

SchoolMedian LSATAcceptance rateFull-time tuitionUniversity of Washington16519.6%$45,927Seattle University15938.9%$62,558Gonzaga University15551.1%$57,962

Source: each figure in the table above is drawn from that Washington school's 2025 ABA Standard 509 disclosure for the fall 2025 entering class. Median LSATs, acceptance rates, and full-time tuition are reported by each school in that annual filing.

Read across the table and the structure of legal education in Washington is clear. The University of Washington is the selective, affordable public flagship, pairing the highest 165 median with the lowest $45,927 tuition, an appealing combination that reflects its status as a state school. Seattle University and Gonzaga University are the private options, with 159 and 155 medians and higher tuitions of $62,558 and $57,962. Notably, in Washington the most accessible school is not the least expensive. Gonzaga University admits the highest share of applicants at 51.1% but still charges $57,962, more than the University of Washington, all per the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures. For a Washington applicant, that means the public flagship is both the hardest to get into and the best value on tuition, while the two private schools are more accessible but carry private-school prices.

Grouping the three law schools in Washington helps clarify the choice. The University of Washington sits in a tier of its own as the selective public flagship at a 165 median and 19.6% acceptance rate. Seattle University occupies the middle at a 159 median and 38.9% acceptance rate, a private school anchored in the state's largest legal market. Gonzaga University is the accessible tier at a 155 median and 51.1% acceptance rate, based in Spokane and serving eastern Washington and the wider Inland Northwest. Because the three span a full ten LSAT points, Washington offers a genuine ladder of options within the state, which is not something every state this size provides.

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

Across law schools in Washington, median LSATs run 155 to 165, per the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures. In practice, a mid-150s score puts Gonzaga University in reach, a score near 159 makes Seattle University competitive, and the mid-160s is the range the University of Washington expects.

Here is how a given score realistically plays across Washington. The University of Washington sits at a 165 median in its 2025 ABA 509 disclosure, so a score in the mid-160s is where an applicant becomes competitive at the flagship. Seattle University, at a 159 median, is competitive for an applicant scoring in the high 150s to around 160, and Gonzaga University, with a 155 median and a 51.1% acceptance rate, is the Washington school squarely in range for an applicant scoring in the mid-150s. A score at or above a school's median makes you competitive there; a lower score points naturally toward the more accessible Washington schools, so a mid-150s scorer still has clear options in Washington, particularly at Gonzaga University and, with the right file, at Seattle University.

To put numbers to it, a 162 LSAT clears the medians of both Seattle University and Gonzaga University and sits within reach of the University of Washington, so that single score makes all three law schools in Washington live targets. A 158 clears Gonzaga's median and sits just under Seattle University's, and a 155 is Gonzaga's median and the clearest entry point into legal education in Washington for a mid-150s scorer. Each of those reads follows from the 2025 ABA 509 medians for Washington.

Because Washington's three schools span ten LSAT points, from Gonzaga University's 155 to the University of Washington's 165, an LSAT gain carries outsized value here: moving from the mid-150s into the low 160s can lift an applicant from Gonzaga's band into competitiveness at Seattle University and within reach of the University of Washington. That is a wider payoff than in a state whose schools cluster tightly together, and it is why disciplined LSAT preparation is the single highest-leverage investment a Washington applicant can make, given the ranges in the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures.

On the GPA side, Washington is distinctive: all three of its law schools read as splitter friendly, which the next section details, so the state is unusually forgiving of a lower GPA when the LSAT is strong. This roll-up centers on each school's median LSAT from its 2025 ABA 509 disclosure; for exact GPA medians at any Washington school, confirm the figure in that school's own 2025 ABA 509 disclosure.

Which Washington law schools are splitter friendly?

All three law schools in Washington read as splitter friendly, based on Lovare's read of the 2025 ABA 509 spreads. A splitter pairs a high LSAT with a lower GPA, and a splitter-friendly school forgives that lower GPA when the LSAT is high, so Washington is a notably welcoming state for high-LSAT, lower-GPA applicants.

The degree of forgiveness varies by school. Seattle University shows the widest GPA 25th-to-median spread at 0.38 in Lovare's read of the 2025 ABA 509 spreads, making it the most splitter-friendly law school in Washington: it reaches furthest below its GPA median for applicants whose LSAT carries the file. Gonzaga University is next, with a 0.31 GPA spread, also reaching well below its median for strong-LSAT applicants. The University of Washington is splitter friendly too but more moderately so, with a narrower 0.16 GPA spread, meaning the flagship forgives a lower GPA to a smaller degree than the two private Washington schools.

For an applicant, that spread ranking is a practical roadmap in Washington. If your LSAT is your strength and your GPA is your weakness, Seattle University and Gonzaga University are the two most accommodating law schools in Washington for your profile, while the University of Washington will still consider a splitter but expects the GPA to sit closer to its bands. None of the three Washington schools is flagged as reverse-splitter friendly in this read, so an applicant whose GPA is strong but whose LSAT lags should focus on raising the LSAT, since a high LSAT is the number that unlocks the most doors across Washington.

What is the legal job market like in Washington?

The dominant legal market in Washington is Seattle, the state's largest city, and all three Washington law schools keep a majority of their graduates in state. Seattle University keeps 79% of its class in Washington, the University of Washington keeps 71%, and Gonzaga University keeps 55%, according to ABA Class of 2024 employment data.

Those retention figures describe how rooted each Washington school is in the state. Seattle University, based in Seattle, keeps the largest share in Washington at 79% per the ABA Class of 2024 employment data, which fits a private school anchored in the state's biggest legal market; if your goal is to practice in Seattle, that concentration is a strength. The University of Washington keeps 71% in state, a strong majority consistent with a public flagship that also sends some graduates into regional and national markets. Gonzaga University keeps 55% in Washington, the lowest of the three, which reflects its location in Spokane near the state's eastern edge and the wider Inland Northwest, so a somewhat larger share of Gonzaga graduates builds careers outside Washington than at the two Seattle-based schools.

For an applicant, the retention spread is a useful planning signal in Washington. The two Seattle schools, Seattle University at 79% and the University of Washington at 71%, are the surest routes into the Seattle legal market that dominates the state, while Gonzaga University's 55% in-state figure, per the ABA Class of 2024 employment data, reflects a program whose reach extends across the state line into the Inland Northwest. None of that speaks to quality; it maps geography. An applicant set on Seattle should weigh the two Seattle-based schools' higher in-state concentration, while an applicant drawn to eastern Washington or the wider region may find Gonzaga University's footprint a natural fit.

This page does not publish salary figures for Washington graduates, because those are not part of the primary data behind this roll-up. What the retention data supports is a clear read: all three law schools in Washington feed heavily into the state's legal market, and especially into Seattle, with Seattle University and the University of Washington the most in-state-concentrated of the three. An applicant who wants to build a Washington career is well served by any of the three, and best positioned by the two Seattle schools if the goal is specifically the Seattle market. For an applicant targeting Spokane or eastern Washington instead, Gonzaga University's location makes it the natural in-state base, even though it keeps a somewhat smaller majority in Washington than the two Seattle schools do.

Does Washington use the NextGen bar exam?

Yes, and Washington is ahead of most of the country on this. According to the NCBE, Washington has adopted the NextGen bar exam and administered its first NextGen test in July 2026. Washington is a former UBE state and no longer administers the legacy Uniform Bar Examination.

This makes Washington an early adopter rather than a state waiting for a future switchover. Nationally, the legacy Uniform Bar Examination and the Multistate Bar Examination end after the February 2028 administration, but Washington has already completed its transition, giving its first NextGen exam in July 2026 per the NCBE. For an applicant entering a Washington law school now, the practical consequence is that you should prepare for the NextGen format from the start, because that is the exam Washington now administers, not the legacy test that other states are phasing out through early 2028.

Because Washington is a former UBE state that has moved to NextGen, an applicant planning to carry a score between jurisdictions should confirm current transfer and portability rules directly with the Washington State Bar and the relevant destination jurisdiction, since score-transfer arrangements are still settling as states adopt NextGen on different timelines. The dependable facts from the NCBE are these: Washington has adopted NextGen, it administered its first NextGen exam in July 2026, and it no longer uses the legacy UBE. Plan your Washington bar preparation around the NextGen exam.

Where can you take the LSAT in Washington?

LSAT test centers are available across Washington's largest metros, including Seattle, Spokane, and Tacoma. Because the specific centers and their availability change each testing cycle, the reliable move is to check LSAC's official test-center list at lsac.org rather than relying on a fixed address here.

The LSAT is also offered in a remotely proctored, at-home format alongside in-person test centers, which widens access for applicants in Washington who do not live near one of the larger metros. Whether you test in person in Seattle, Spokane, or Tacoma, or remotely from anywhere in Washington, confirm the current dates, formats, and seat availability directly on LSAC's official list for your registration cycle, since Washington's specific center roster is set by LSAC and updated each cycle.

Which Washington universities feed law school?

Washington's flagship and major universities are the most common pre-law feeders into law schools in Washington and beyond. The University of Washington and Washington State University are the largest, and each sends a steady stream of undergraduates into law study.

Beyond those two, Washington's other public and private institutions, including Western Washington University, Central Washington University, and Gonzaga University at the undergraduate level, all support pre-law students who go on to apply to the law schools in Washington and nationally. This is general context rather than a placement statistic: this page does not attribute a specific number of admits from any single Washington undergraduate program, because that figure is not part of the primary data behind this roll-up. The takeaway is that a strong undergraduate record from any accredited university, combined with a competitive LSAT in the mid-150s to mid-160s band, is what positions an applicant for the three Washington law schools in the table above. Because Washington offers a public flagship, a Seattle private school, and an accessible Spokane program, a single strong application file can be aimed at three genuinely different targets within the state.

Frequently asked questions about law school in Washington

How many law schools are in Washington?

Washington has three ABA-accredited law schools: the University of Washington, Seattle University, and Gonzaga University. Their median LSATs run from 155 to 165 across the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures, giving Washington a selective public flagship, a Seattle private school, and an accessible Spokane program, so the state offers a genuine ladder of options across a ten-point LSAT range.

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

By acceptance rate, Gonzaga University is the most accessible law school in Washington, admitting 51.1% of applicants with a 155 median LSAT, per its 2025 ABA 509 disclosure. Seattle University is next at 38.9% with a 159 median. Gonzaga is the Washington school most likely to take applicants scoring in the mid-150s, particularly strong-LSAT splitters.

What is the best law school in Washington?

By the admissions numbers, the University of Washington is the strongest law school in Washington, with the highest 165 median LSAT, the lowest 19.6% acceptance rate, and, as a public school, the lowest tuition at $45,927, all in its 2025 ABA 509 disclosure. Seattle University and Gonzaga University are solid options, but the flagship leads on selectivity and value in Washington.

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

It depends on the Washington school. Medians run from 155 at Gonzaga University to 165 at the University of Washington, per the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures. A mid-150s score reaches Gonzaga, a score near 159 makes Seattle University competitive, and the mid-160s is the range the University of Washington expects in Washington.

What LSAT score do you need for the University of Washington?

The University of Washington reports a 165 median LSAT and a 19.6% acceptance rate in its 2025 ABA 509 disclosure, so a score in the mid-160s makes you competitive at this Washington school. It is splitter friendly but only moderately, with a 0.16 GPA 25th-to-median spread in Lovare's read of the 2025 ABA 509 spreads, so the flagship expects a GPA reasonably close to its bands alongside a strong LSAT.

Is Gonzaga University a good law school?

Gonzaga University is one of Washington's three ABA-accredited law schools, with a 155 median LSAT, a 51.1% acceptance rate, and $57,962 in full-time tuition per its 2025 ABA 509 disclosure. Based in Spokane, it is the most accessible law school in Washington and keeps 55% of graduates in state per the ABA Class of 2024 employment data, serving eastern Washington and the Inland Northwest.

What is the cheapest law school in Washington?

The University of Washington is the most affordable law school in Washington at $45,927 in full-time tuition, per its 2025 ABA 509 disclosure, a public-school price well below Gonzaga University's $57,962 and Seattle University's $62,558. Uniquely in Washington, the cheapest school is also the most selective, so value and selectivity align at the flagship.

How much does law school cost in Washington?

Full-time tuition at law schools in Washington ranges from $45,927 at the University of Washington to $62,558 at Seattle University, with Gonzaga University at $57,962, per the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures. The public University of Washington is the most affordable, and unusually the most accessible school, Gonzaga, is not the cheapest in Washington.

Does Washington use the NextGen bar exam?

Yes. Washington has adopted the NextGen bar exam and administered its first NextGen test in July 2026, according to the NCBE, which makes it an early adopter. Washington is a former UBE state and no longer administers the legacy Uniform Bar Examination, so applicants entering a Washington law school now should prepare for the NextGen format.

Does Washington still use the UBE?

No. Washington is a former UBE state that has moved to the NextGen bar exam, having administered its first NextGen test in July 2026, according to the NCBE. While the legacy Uniform Bar Examination and Multistate Bar Examination end nationally after February 2028, Washington has already completed that transition ahead of schedule.

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

Yes. Washington admits graduates of any ABA-accredited law school to sit for its bar, so you do not have to attend a Washington school to become a Washington lawyer. Because Washington now administers the NextGen exam and is a former UBE state, per the NCBE, confirm current score-transfer and admission rules directly with the Washington State Bar.

Which Washington law school has the best bar passage?

This Washington roll-up is built on median LSAT, acceptance rate, and tuition from the 2025 ABA 509 disclosures and does not include school-level first-time bar passage rates, so naming a single leader here would mean inventing a figure. To compare bar passage across Washington schools, read each school's current ABA bar-passage report, which publishes first-time and ultimate pass rates for that Washington program.

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

The primary data behind this roll-up covers median LSAT, acceptance rate, and tuition for law schools in Washington and does not break out part-time or evening enrollment, so this page will not claim a specific part-time offering. If you need an evening or part-time track in Washington, confirm current program formats in each school's own 2025 ABA 509 disclosure and admissions pages.

Where are the LSAT test centers in Washington?

LSAT test centers operate in Washington's largest metros, including Seattle, Spokane, and Tacoma, and the LSAT is also offered in a remote at-home format. Because Washington's specific center roster and dates change each cycle, check LSAC's official test-center list at lsac.org for current availability rather than relying on a fixed address here.

Which Washington law schools are best for splitters?

All three are splitter friendly in Washington. Seattle University has the widest GPA 25th-to-median spread at 0.38, Gonzaga University follows at 0.31, and the University of Washington is more moderate at 0.16, per Lovare's read of the 2025 ABA 509 spreads. So a high-LSAT, lower-GPA applicant has three welcoming options in Washington, led by Seattle University.

Which Washington law school keeps the most graduates in-state?

Seattle University keeps the largest share in Washington at 79% of its class, according to ABA Class of 2024 employment data, followed by the University of Washington at 71% and Gonzaga University at 55%. All three keep a majority in state, with the two Seattle-based schools the most concentrated in Washington's dominant Seattle market.

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

No. You can practice in Washington with a JD from any ABA-accredited law school once you are admitted to the Washington bar, which now uses the NextGen exam, per the NCBE. Confirm current admission and any score-transfer rules with the Washington State Bar, since Washington is a former UBE state that adopted NextGen ahead of the national timeline.

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from primary disclosures, listed here so readers can verify each one directly for Washington.

ABA Required Disclosures portal, 2025 ABA Standard 509 Information Reports for each Washington law school: https://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/

National Conference of Bar Examiners, NextGen bar exam adoption and jurisdiction status: https://www.ncbex.org/

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