University of San Diego School of Law

University of San Diego School of Law

North America Schools

The University of San Diego School of Law is a private law school located in San Diego, California. It is the only law school in the city and one of three ABA-accredited law schools in the state. The school was established in 1954 and has since become one of the top law schools in the country. It offers a wide range of academic programs, including a J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D., as well as joint degrees with other departments at USD, such as Business Administration, International Relations, and Public Administration. The faculty are highly distinguished scholars who are leaders in their respective fields and committed to providing students with an excellent legal education that prepares them for success in their careers. USD School of Law also has an extensive network of alumni who serve as mentors for current students or employers for graduates seeking employment after graduation.

This page focuses on national rankings, acceptance rates, program costs, and merit-based scholarships of University of San Diego School of Law, an accredited law program in the United States. Should you be interested in official name and common abbreviation of University of San Diego School of Law, please follow this link: https://www.abbreviationfinder.org/acronyms/usd_university-of-san-diego.html

Parent school: University of San Diego
Established: 1954
School type: Private
Dean: Robert Schapiro
Location: San Diego, California, US
Enrollment: 1,007 (Full- and part-time)
Faculty: 94 (Full- and part-time)
USNWR ranking: 64th (2022)

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Ranking: University of San Diego

The University of San Diego School of Law is ranked highly amongst other law schools in the United States. According to U.S. News & World Report, USD Law is ranked 52nd overall in 2020 among all American law schools. This ranking places USD Law in the top 20 percent of all American law schools and makes it one of the most respected law schools in the nation. Additionally, USD Law has been consistently ranked highly for its intellectual property program and is currently ranked 12th nationally for this specialty area. In addition to these impressive rankings, the school has also been recognized as a top-tier school by several other publications including The Princeton Review and Forbes magazine. Furthermore, USD Law has earned an A+ rating from preLaw Magazine for its commitment to providing an excellent legal education to its students and an outstanding faculty that are dedicated to teaching and research. These accolades demonstrate that University of San Diego School of Law is a top-tier institution offering quality legal education and resources for its students.

Top Law Schools of 2020
Score 49
Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) 2.8
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) 2.9
25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students 3.1-3.55
25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students 158-162
Overall acceptance rate 35.4%
Student/faculty ratio 13.5
Graduates employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 98.0%
School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers 77.3%
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 65.7%

Tuition & Scholarships: University of San Diego

The University of San Diego School of Law offers a variety of tuition and scholarship options to fit the needs of all students. Tuition for the 2021-2022 academic year is $49,865 for full-time students and $41,902 for part-time students. The school also offers a number of merit-based scholarships, including the Dean’s Scholarship, Alumni Scholarships and Law School Scholarships. These scholarships can range from partial tuition to full tuition depending on the student’s qualifications and financial situation. Additionally, USD also offers need-based grants to help cover the cost of tuition for those who demonstrate financial need. In addition to these types of aid, USD also offers loan programs through federal and private lenders that can help cover any remaining tuition costs after other sources have been exhausted. Lastly, USD has a number of work study programs that allow students to gain valuable experience while earning money to help cover their education costs.

Financial Aid Office Information
Financial aid application deadline 03/01
Financial aid director Carl Eging
Financial aid telephone (619) 260-4570
2019-2020 Expenses
Tuition Full-time: $39,204 per year, part-time: $27,843 per year
Room and board $11,560
Books $982
Miscellaneous expenses $6,694
Is the tuition the same for first-, second-, and third-year students? Yes
Does the university offer housing restricted to law students? No
Does the university offer graduate student housing for which law students are eligible? Yes
Does the university offer a public-interest scholarship program to current J.D. students? Yes
2019 Grants
Percentage of full-time students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 23.5%
Percentage of part-time students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 14.8%
Percentage of full-time students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 15.8%
Percentage of part-time students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 10.0%
Percentage of full-time students receiving grants of full tuition 2.9%
Percentage of part-time students receiving grants of full tuition 1.7%
Percentage of full-time students receiving grants of more than full tuition 3.8%
Percentage of part-time students receiving grants of more than full tuition 1.3%
25th percentile grant amount of aid per full-time recipient $16,000
Median grant amount of aid per full-time recipient (50th percentile) $18,000
75th percentile grant amount of aid per full-time recipient $27,000
25th percentile grant amount of aid per part-time recipient $7,000
Median grant amount of aid per part-time recipient (50th percentile) $14,000
75th percentile grant amount of aid per part-time recipient $20,000
Indebtedness
Average indebtedness of 2019 graduates who incurred law school debt $105,208
Proportion who borrowed 87.0%
Does the school offer a loan repayment assistance program for 2019 J.D. graduates? Yes

University of San Diego School of Law