University of San Diego law school ranking, acceptance rate, tuition and more

The University of San Diego law school is located in San Diego, California and is one of the prestigious law schools in the state. It makes the list of the most affordable ABA approved law schools in California. It was established in 1954, got ABA approval in 1961 and has held same since.

USD law school run the following law programs:

• Juris Doctor (JD) – Fulltime/part-Time
• LLM
• MS in Legal Studies (MSLS)
• Paralegal Studies

Is University of San Diego a good law school?

Yes, USD law school is among the good law schools in California and nationwide based on many statistics. The school meets the high standards required for getting ABA approval and has over the years produced a sizable number of high-ranking alumni in diverse private and public sectors, including:

• Ron D. Parraguirre – Chief Justice for the Supreme Court of Nevada
• Robert Kardashian – lawyer for O. J. Simpson and father of reality show personalities the Kardashians
• Mark Brnovich – former Arizona Attorney General
• Shelley Berkley – Former member of U.S. House of Representatives

The University of San Diego law school has an average California Bar pass rate of 76.3% and an employment rate of 67% based on the Class of 2018 ABA-required disclosures provided by USD law school. These statistics and many more make USD law school a good school for anyone wanting to pursue a law degree.

University of San Diego law school ranking

University of San Diego law school ranks 9th among the best law schools in California and 64th on the list of top 150 law schools in US 2022 according to U.S. News.

University of San Diego law school acceptance rate

The University of San Diego acceptance rate is 7.4% from admission statistics of the 2022-2023 class profile. Out of the 3,449 applications received, 254 were enrolled in the JD program.

Admission to law schools in U.S is competitive, and the situation is no different at USD law school, considering the number of applications received each year and the number of available spots to be filled.

University of San Diego law school admission requirements

To gain admission, applicants are expected to meet certain requirements and include various information and documents in their application to help the admission committee determine the applicant’s suitability for the program.

Among the factors considered by the admission committee are:

• Academic scores
• Community or professional service;
• awards and distinctions;
• personal recommendations;
• maturity and character;
• geographical background;
• undergraduate major;
• demonstrated motivation,
• discipline, and leadership ability;
• demonstrated success in completing a demanding educational program or activity;
• demonstrated success in overcoming hardship,
• discrimination,
• a social or economic disadvantage, or physical disability;
• demonstrated evidence of future promise
• capacity to contribute to the legal profession and society.

Below, we discuss the USD law school admission requirements.

USD law school academic requirement – JD program

USD law school requires the following as part of the application package submitted by applicants:

1.  Official transcripts
2. LSAT Scores
3. Personal statement
4. Letters of recommendation
5. Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Registration

What LSAT score do I need for University of San Diego?

While USD law schools has not cut off point stated for LSAT, guidance must be taken from the LSAT scores of enrolled students. From the 2022-2023 class profile, the median LSAT score was 161 while the 25th Percentile score was 157. Applicants must aim to match these or do better to improve their chances.

How hard is it to get into University of San Diego law school?

With an acceptance rate of 7.4%, getting into USD law school is relatively hard. This is because there are about 250 available spaces in its entering class and each year, the law school receives over 3500 applications.

However, with the right academic and personal profile, getting admission would be quite easy. The school considers more than academics when admitting students into the JD program which may be an area where your strength lies and will be a boost to your application.

University of San Diego law school tuition

The tuition fee per academic year for the USD JD program full time stands at $60,380 for both in-state and out-of-state students while part-time students pay $44,630.

Tuition fee is just one part of the total cost of attendance, which factors fees including other fees, books, accommodation, food, transportation among others. Refer to the table below for the cost of attendance.

University of San Diego School of Law LLM Programs

USD law school offer LLM programs to graduates possessing a JD or LLB. There are a variety of options to choose from depending on whether you’re a US graduate or international graduate.

For US graduates, the available options include:

• LLM in Business and Corporate Law
• LLM in International Law
• LLM in Taxation
• General LLM with Concentration (as approved)

For International Law School graduates, the program on offer is LLM in Comparative Law with available concentrations in:

• Business and Corporate Law,
• Criminal Law,
• Environmental and Energy Law,
• Intellectual Property,
• International Law and Taxation

University of San Diego law school LLM Tuition and Fees