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Methodology & Data Sources

How we compile and present law school data — with full transparency.

Our Philosophy

ILRG provides raw, unfiltered data from official sources so you can make informed decisions based on what matters to you — not what matters to us or to advertisers.

We believe no single ranking is "truth." Different applicants have different priorities: some value employment outcomes, others prioritize cost, location, or diversity. Our tools let you explore tradeoffs rather than accept a pre-packaged ranking.

Data Sources

ABA 509 Data

Admissions, bar passage, and employment rate data comes from the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar , specifically the ABA Standard 509 Required Disclosures. The ABA requires all accredited law schools to publicly disclose this information annually.

Our current report uses the 2025 ABA 509 data (released December 2025), which reflects:

  • Admissions data for students enrolling in fall 2025
  • Bar passage rates for winter/summer 2024 examinations
  • Employment rates for the Class of 2023

Salary Data

Starting salary figures reflect self-reported earnings for the Class of 2023, collected approximately 10 months after graduation and publicly disclosed by the law schools.

What We Report

Admissions Statistics

"GPA Low" / "GPA Median" / "GPA High" — The 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile undergraduate GPAs among students who enrolled as full-time 1Ls.

"LSAT Low" / "LSAT Median" / "LSAT High" — The 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile LSAT scores among students who enrolled as full-time 1Ls.

"Accept Rate" — Percentage of applicants granted admission (not enrollment rate, which is a subset).

"S:F Ratio" — Student-to-faculty ratio, indicating class size relative to teaching staff.

Employment Outcomes

"Empl. Bar Req." — Percentage of graduates in full-time, long-term, bar-required positions 10 months after graduation.

"Empl. Rate" — Overall employment rate 10 months after graduation.

"Fed. Clerk" — Percentage of graduates who received federal judicial clerkships—highly competitive positions that often lead to top law firm positions.

Bar Passage

"State" — The state where the most graduates sat for the bar exam.

"State Bar" — First-time bar passage rate in that jurisdiction.

"State Overall" — Statewide bar passage rate for comparison, since bar difficulty varies significantly by state.

Cost & Financial Data

Tuition figures include both in-state and out-of-state rates where applicable. Room and board estimates are provided where available.

Demographics

"Min. Fac." / "Min. Stu." — Percentage of minority faculty and students. "Minority" includes Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, multiracial, non-resident alien, or unknown race.

What We Don't Do

  • We don't create a single "ranking number." Instead, we let you sort by any metric that matters to you.
  • We don't weight or combine metrics into a proprietary score (unless you choose to use our DIY Rankings tool with your own weights).
  • We don't accept payments from law schools to influence how they appear in our data.
  • We don't sell advertising or have affiliate relationships with test prep companies.

Conflict of Interest Statement

ILRG has been an independent legal information publisher since 1995. We accept no payments from law schools, advertisers, or affiliate programs. We do not sell user data. Our only revenue comes from legal forms — a completely separate business line with no connection to our rankings.

Data Limitations & Disclaimers

While we strive for accuracy, users should be aware:

  • Self-reported data: Schools self-report to the ABA. While audited, errors can occur.
  • Timing: Employment data reflects outcomes 10 months after graduation; job markets change.
  • Bar passage comparisons: Comparing bar passage across states requires caution — some state bars are significantly harder than others.
  • Missing data: Some schools have incomplete data for certain fields, shown as "N/A."

ILRG is not providing legal or financial advice. Data may contain errors or reporting inconsistencies. Users should verify key facts directly with law schools before making enrollment decisions.

Historical Data

Our previously published reports are available for comparison:

Questions or Corrections?

If you find an error in our data or have questions about our methodology, please contact us. We take data accuracy seriously and will investigate and correct any confirmed errors.

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