What LSAT Score Do You Need? A Data-Driven Guide for 2026

PrepEngine Academy · Data from ABA 509 disclosures (2024–2025 reporting cycle)

There are 196 ABA-accredited law schools in the US, and their median LSAT scores range from 139 to 175. The average median across all schools is 160, but that number masks enormous variation. A 5-point difference on the LSAT can move you from the fringes of the top 50 to solidly inside the T14.

The current LSAT format has 2 Logical Reasoning sections and 1 Reading Comprehension section — no Logic Games. Here is what the data says about what each score range actually opens up.

LSAT Score Distribution Across All Law Schools

How many schools fall into each LSAT tier, based on their median admitted LSAT score:

170+

165-169

160-164

155-159

Below 155

Tier Breakdown

LSAT 170+

T14 Elite

22 schools · Ranks #1–#114

Every T14 school is in play. Full-ride scholarships at lower-ranked schools are common. These scores put you in the running for Yale, Stanford, Harvard, and the rest of the top 14.

Examples: Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Stanford Law School, University of Chicago Law School, University of Pennsylvania (Carey)

LSAT 165-169

Top 20-30

26 schools · Ranks #20–#161

Strong shot at T20–T30 schools. Competitive for T14 with a high GPA. Merit scholarships are likely at schools ranked 30+.

Examples: University of Georgia, University of Southern California (Gould), University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University, Texas A&M University

LSAT 160-164

Solid Regional / Top 50

43 schools · Ranks #36–#114

Competitive at most schools ranked 30–80. Many strong regional programs become realistic targets. Scholarship money is possible but not guaranteed.

Examples: University of Iowa, Indiana University - Bloomington (Maurer), Baylor University, University of Kansas, University of Colorado - Boulder

LSAT 155-159

Competitive Regional

56 schools · Ranks #12–#178

Opens the door to many regional schools. You will likely need to weigh scholarship offers carefully against employment outcomes.

Examples: University of California - Berkeley, University of California - Davis, University of Kentucky, Marquette University, Pennsylvania State University Dickinson Law

LSAT Below 155

Accessible

49 schools · Ranks #42–#178

Limits options to schools with higher acceptance rates. A retake strategy may yield a better outcome if you have room to improve.

Examples: University of California - Irvine, University of South Dakota (Knudson), Loyola University New Orleans, Pace University (Haub), University of Akron

All 196 Schools by LSAT Median

Search by school name or sort by any column. Links go to individual school profiles with full stats.

School	Rank	LSAT Median	LSAT Range	GPA	Accept %
Washington University in St. Louis	#22	175	165–176	3.96	19.0%
Harvard Law School	#1	174	171–176	3.96	9.2%
Yale Law School	#2	174	171–177	3.96	4.1%
University of Chicago Law School	#4	174	171–176	3.97	9.7%
Stanford Law School	#2	173	171–176	3.96	6.1%
University of Pennsylvania (Carey)	#5	173	167–174	3.95	8.1%
University of Virginia	#5	173	168–175	3.99	10.2%
Columbia Law School	#8	173	169–175	3.92	11.8%
Northwestern University (Pritzker)	#9	173	167–175	3.96	12.3%
Cornell University	#14	173	168–175	3.92	18.2%
New York University	#9	172	169–174	3.92	13.4%
University of Texas - Austin	#16	172	166–173	3.89	14.0%
Duke University	#5	171	169–172	3.91	12.9%
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	#9	171	168–173	3.88	8.6%
University of California - Los Angeles	#13	171	166–172	3.95	12.0%
Georgetown University	#14	171	166–173	3.93	15.8%
University of Minnesota	#16	171	166–173	3.88	26.7%
Vanderbilt	#19	170	167–171	3.91	13.3%
University of Notre Dame	#20	170	166–171	3.89	16.1%
Boston University	#24	170	164–171	3.88	12.1%
Brigham Young University (Clark)	#28	170	168–172	3.95	22.8%
University of Arkansas--Fayetteville	#114	170	167–172	3.92	14.8%
University of Georgia	#20	169	159–171	3.92	12.7%
University of Southern California (Gould)	#20	169	165–170	3.91	11.2%
Texas A&M University	#26	169	161–170	4.0	12.1%
George Mason University	#28	169	162–171	3.93	15.9%
University of Florida (Levin)	#28	169	165–170	3.91	16.5%
University of the Pacific (McGeorge)	#159	169	166–170	3.8	14.9%
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill	#20	168	165–169	3.89	11.2%
Ohio State University (Moritz)	#26	168	163–169	3.91	24.6%
Boston College	#28	168	162–169	3.83	8.5%
Fordham University	#33	168	165–170	3.79	16.2%
George Washington University	#41	168	162–170	3.86	27.2%
University of Alabama	#33	167	161–168	3.97	25.6%
Washington and Lee University	#33	167	161–168	3.75	22.7%
University of Wisconsin - Madison	#36	167	161–169	3.81	19.1%
Southern Methodist University (Dedman)	#42	167	163–168	3.81	24.6%
Wake Forest University	#25	166	163–168	3.79	24.6%
University of Utah (Quinney)	#28	166	162–168	3.87	25.3%
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champagne	#36	166	160–168	3.81	32.9%
William & Mary Law School	#36	166	161–167	3.82	22.0%
Emory University	#42	166	162–168	3.82	30.1%
Florida State University	#48	166	158–167	3.93	16.0%
Arizona State University (O'Connor)	#36	165	158–167	3.91	19.8%
University of Washington	#48	165	162–167	3.76	19.6%
Temple University (Beasley)	#54	165	162–168	3.76	24.4%
Yeshiva University (Cardozo)	#66	165	162–167	3.78	29.6%
University of Illinois - Chicago	#161	165	160–167	3.7	16.0%
University of Iowa	#36	164	161–165	3.78	44.3%
Indiana University - Bloomington (Maurer)	#42	164	158–166	3.91	35.8%
Baylor University	#46	164	159–165	3.77	20.6%
University of Colorado - Boulder	#48	164	161–167	3.81	27.6%
Villanova University	#48	164	159–166	3.8	25.9%
Pepperdine University (Caruso)	#52	164	161–167	3.85	23.4%
University of Tennessee - Knoxville	#52	164	160–166	3.89	24.8%
University of Maryland (Carey)	#55	164	156–166	3.72	26.1%
Wayne State University	#55	164	157–166	3.89	24.8%
University of Richmond	#66	164	159–167	3.81	39.6%
Northeastern University	#68	164	161–166	3.77	24.2%
St. John's University	#68	164	156–166	3.81	23.1%
University of Miami	#82	164	160–165	3.79	24.6%
University of Arizona (Rogers)	#55	163	162–165	3.78	27.9%
Loyola Marymount University	#61	163	160–165	3.74	26.1%
University of Houston Law Center	#68	163	160–165	3.79	23.0%
University of San Diego	#68	163	160–165	3.84	23.5%
Chapman University (Fowler)	#108	163	156–164	3.7	20.5%
University of Kansas	#46	162	158–164	3.85	39.1%
University of Connecticut	#55	162	160–164	3.78	20.1%
University of Oklahoma	#55	162	159–164	3.73	33.4%
University of South Carolina	#66	162	160–164	3.67	29.9%
Case Western Reserve University	#89	162	156–164	3.76	34.8%
American University (Washington)	#98	162	157–163	3.63	33.3%
Michigan State University	#108	162	158–164	3.73	26.0%
University of California - Hastings	#60	161	158–163	3.71	27.5%
Seton Hall University	#61	161	158–164	3.71	34.3%
University of Missouri	#61	161	156–162	3.72	42.0%
Florida International University	#68	161	159–162	3.8	18.8%
Loyola University Chicago	#78	161	159–163	3.7	28.2%
Tulane University	#78	161	159–164	3.67	40.0%
Lewis & Clark College	#82	161	158–166	3.59	54.7%
Belmont University	#91	161	158–163	3.84	37.6%
Catholic University of America	#94	161	158–163	3.68	32.4%
Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago-Kent)	#108	161	156–164	3.72	38.6%
Brooklyn Law School	#114	161	158–163	3.59	44.0%
Drexel University (Kline)	#75	160	154–162	3.76	29.6%
Georgia State University	#75	160	158–163	3.64	30.6%
University of Nevada - Las Vegas	#78	160	156–162	3.76	30.8%
University of Nebraska - Lincoln	#82	160	156–162	3.81	40.2%
University of Oregon	#82	160	157–162	3.62	55.0%
University of Denver (Sturm)	#89	160	156–162	3.66	41.3%
University of Pittsburgh	#91	160	158–163	3.54	34.9%
University of Kentucky	#61	159	156–162	3.72	40.8%
Pennsylvania State University Dickinson Law	#75	159	157–161	3.71	43.0%
University of Cincinnati	#78	159	156–161	3.8	32.7%
Texas Tech University	#82	159	157–160	3.69	25.6%
Stetson University	#98	159	157–162	3.63	36.4%
University of St. Thomas	#98	159	155–162	3.72	57.6%
Seattle University	#114	159	155–162	3.6	38.9%
Santa Clara University	#158	159	157–162	3.5	52.6%
University of California - Berkeley	#12	158	155–162	3.62	26.2%
Marquette University	#68	158	156–160	3.7	22.1%
Rutgers University	#103	158	155–161	3.66	33.5%
Regent University	#108	158	153–161	3.68	44.3%
Albany Law School	#117	158	154–161	3.54	37.5%
Syracuse University	#120	158	154–160	3.6	34.6%
University of Maine	#120	158	154–162	3.7	37.3%
University of Hawaii--Manoa (Richardson)	#127	158	155–161	3.71	26.6%
DePaul University	#134	158	154–160	3.61	34.8%
Louisiana State University--Baton Rouge (Hebert)	#91	157	155–160	3.74	38.6%
Duquesne University	#94	157	155–160	3.62	43.2%
Saint Louis University	#94	157	154–161	3.61	56.4%
University of New Mexico	#94	157	154–161	3.56	41.4%
Mercer University (George)	#103	157	155–160	3.62	37.8%
University at Buffalo--SUNY	#108	157	155–161	3.71	42.4%
University of Dayton	#108	157	154–160	3.6	30.7%
University of Mississippi	#120	157	155–160	3.68	42.0%
University of Tulsa	#120	157	155–160	3.45	56.6%
New York Law School	#127	157	154–160	3.63	39.7%
Hofstra University (Deane)	#130	157	154–160	3.65	40.6%
University of Louisville (Brandeis)	#136	157	154–161	3.67	63.4%
Southwestern Law School	#145	157	154–160	3.51	36.5%
University of California - Davis	#55	156	153–160	3.52	54.4%
Drake University	#82	156	153–159	3.67	54.8%
Samford University (Cumberland)	#103	156	154–160	3.63	49.0%
University of Montana	#103	156	153–159	3.64	51.4%
University of Missouri--Kansas City	#117	156	154–159	3.65	45.9%
University of Wyoming	#120	156	153–160	3.55	35.8%
Howard University	#130	156	153–160	3.63	24.1%
Campbell University	#134	156	152–159	3.51	50.7%
University of Detroit Mercy	#136	156	154–159	3.52	41.4%
Jacksonville University	#178	156	154–159	3.48	35.1%
Indiana University--Indianapolis (McKinney)	#98	155	152–159	3.58	55.9%
University of New Hampshire	#98	155	151–159	3.5	52.0%
Cleveland State University (Cleveland-Marshall)	#103	155	152–158	3.5	34.4%
West Virginia University	#117	155	151–159	3.65	40.3%
Gonzaga University	#120	155	153–158	3.55	51.1%
Washburn University	#120	155	151–159	3.68	46.5%
Suffolk University	#130	155	152–159	3.58	61.9%
University of Baltimore	#140	155	152–158	3.45	49.5%
University of Memphis (Humphreys)	#140	155	152–159	3.53	41.1%
Quinnipiac University	#143	155	153–158	3.65	43.1%
CUNY	#150	155	152–161	3.54	28.6%
South Texas College of Law Houston	#150	155	153–158	3.41	33.7%
Ave Maria School of Law	#161	155	152–158	3.36	46.9%
University of San Francisco	#165	155	152–157	3.47	42.4%
California Western School of Law	#178	155	152–158	3.5	46.9%
Nova Southeastern University (Broad)	#178	155	152–158	3.52	47.3%
Loyola University New Orleans	#130	154	151–157	3.47	50.9%
Pace University (Haub)	#136	154	151–157	3.54	44.1%
University of Akron	#136	154	151–157	3.51	58.5%
Liberty University	#140	154	151–158	3.54	58.8%
Elon University	#148	154	151–158	3.4	53.2%
Northern Kentucky University (Chase)	#150	154	152–157	3.41	58.7%
Willamette University College of Law	#155	154	151–157	3.48	61.4%
Mitchell Hamline School of Law	#164	154	151–158	3.29	51.4%
Charleston School of Law	#178	154	152–157	3.51	50.2%
University of California - Irvine	#42	153	150–156	3.4	52.6%
University of Arkansas - Little Rock (Bowen)	#143	153	150–158	3.41	54.9%
University of Idaho	#145	153	149–157	3.54	66.8%
University of Toledo	#148	153	150–156	3.53	52.5%
Creighton University	#153	153	150–156	3.51	64.5%
St. Mary's University	#153	153	151–156	3.49	26.0%
New England Law Boston	#159	153	149–157	3.37	61.3%
Lincoln Memorial University	#165	153	150–156	3.44	52.2%
Touro College (Fuchsberg)	#168	153	151–156	3.35	45.6%
University of North Texas - Dallas	#172	153	151–156	3.41	24.2%
Western New England University	#178	153	149–156	3.27	51.9%
University of South Dakota (Knudson)	#127	152	149–156	3.47	62.5%
University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth	#161	152	149–155	3.36	52.2%
Mississippi College	#168	152	148–155	3.37	59.8%
Vermont Law School	#168	152	148–157	3.25	58.5%
St. Thomas University	#172	152	150–156	3.42	60.2%
Atlanta's John Marshall Law School	#176	152	150–155	3.13	32.6%
Florida A&M University	#178	152	149–155	3.48	34.7%
University of Puerto Rico	#178	152	146–156	3.77	39.7%
Western State College of Law at Westcliff University	#178	152	150–156	3.36	43.7%
Widener University - Delaware	#178	152	149–154	3.33	59.7%
Oklahoma City University	#153	151	149–155	3.56	51.6%
University of North Dakota	#168	151	148–155	3.48	63.1%
Capital University	#178	151	148–157	3.44	65.9%
North Carolina Central University	#178	151	149–154	3.31	39.1%
University of the District of Columbia (Clarke)	#178	151	148–153	3.28	37.0%
Northern Illinois University	#157	150	148–154	3.41	44.3%
Widener University - Pennsylvania (Commonwealth)	#159	150	147–153	3.33	60.4%
Roger Williams University	#172	150	147–154	3.43	61.3%
Faulkner University (Jones)	#176	150	148–154	3.33	53.9%
Barry University	#178	150	148–152	3.23	55.9%
Texas Southern University (Marshall)	#178	150	148–152	3.33	33.1%
Ohio Northern University (Pettit)	#153	149	146–151	3.34	32.0%
Southern Illinois University - Carbondale	#172	149	146–155	3.38	56.2%
Wilmington University School of Law	#178	149	146–152	3.13	52.0%
Southern University Law Center	#178	147	145–150	3.15	56.5%
Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School	#178	147	145–151	3.09	52.9%
Appalachian School of Law	#178	146	145–151	3.2	60.9%
Inter-American University	#178	144	140–148	3.39	50.9%
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico	#178	139	136–143	3.33	61.5%

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on where you want to go. The median LSAT across all 196 ABA-accredited schools is 159. A 160+ opens the door to most top-50 schools. A 170+ makes you competitive at every T14 school. Below 150, your options narrow significantly.

A 160 is above the national median and makes you competitive at roughly 80+ ABA-accredited schools, including many strong regional programs. It is not typically enough for T14 schools without an exceptionally strong GPA and application.

The LSAT is scored on a scale of 120 to 180. The average score is around 150–151. The current LSAT format has 2 Logical Reasoning sections and 1 Reading Comprehension section (no Logic Games).

Yes, but your options will be limited to schools with higher acceptance rates and lower median scores. A stronger GPA, compelling personal statement, and relevant experience can help offset a lower LSAT. That said, improving your LSAT score is usually the single highest-leverage thing you can do for your application.

You can take the LSAT up to 3 times in a single testing year, 5 times in a 5-year period, and 7 times total in your lifetime. Most schools consider your highest score, though some may note multiple attempts.

It depends on the school. Scoring at or above a school's 75th percentile LSAT significantly increases your scholarship chances. For example, a 170 at a school with a 162 median makes you a strong scholarship candidate. Check individual school profiles for grant percentages.

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