List of law schools in the United States


Law schools in this list are categorized by whether they are currently active, proposed, or closed; within each section they are listed in alphabetical order by state, then name. Most of these law schools grant the Juris Doctor degree, which is the typical first professional degree in law in the United States.
Law schools are nationally accredited by the American Bar Association, and graduates of these schools may generally sit for the bar exam in any state. There are 204 ABA accredited law schools, divided between 203 with full accreditation and one with provisional accreditation.. Whittier Law School, Arizona Summit Law School and Concordia University School of Law are the most recent law school closures. The latter two having discontinued their legal programs in 2019, while the former closed in the summer of 2020.
The ABA revoked the accreditation of Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2019.
In addition, individual state legislatures or bar examiners, like the State Bar of California, may maintain a separate accreditation system which is open to non-ABA accredited schools. The California State Bar also accredits law schools, which the California Committee of Bar Examiners recognizes. Also, the CBE allows registered "Unaccredited" schools to operate and students of those schools are eligible to take the California Bar Examination upon graduation.
No correspondence or online law schools are accredited by the ABA or by state bar examiners. However, twelve correspondence and online law schools, although not accredited, are registered by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California. This means that the graduates of these distance learning law schools can sit for the California Bar Examination and, under varying circumstances, the bar exams in many other states.

Non-profit schools

State SchoolTypeAccreditation/approvalFoundedAccreditedCampus-
Alabama Birmingham School of LawPrivateAlabama1915State accreditationUrban-
Alabama Cumberland School of Law, Samford UniversityPrivateFull ABA18471949Urban-
Alabama Miles Law SchoolPrivateAlabama1974State accreditationUrban-
Alabama Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, Faulkner UniversityPrivateFull ABA19282006Urban-
Alabama University of Alabama School of LawPublicFull ABA18721926Urban -
Arizona Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State UniversityPublicFull ABA19641969Urban-
Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, University of ArizonaPublicFull ABA19151930Urban-
Arkansas University of Arkansas School of LawPublicFull ABA19241926College Town-
Arkansas William H. Bowen School of Law, University of Arkansas at Little RockPublicFull ABA19751969Urban-
California Abraham Lincoln University School of Law PrivateUnaccredited1996Unaccredited-
California American Heritage University School of Law PrivateUnaccredited2003Unaccredited-
California American International School of Law PrivateUnaccredited2009Unaccredited-
California California Desert Trial Academy College of LawPrivateUnaccredited2012Unaccredited-
California Cal Northern School of LawPrivateCalifornia1992State accreditation Small/medium city-
California California School of Law PrivateUnaccredited2004Unaccredited-
California California Southern University PrivateUnaccredited1978Unaccredited-
California California Western School of LawPrivateFull ABA19241962Urban-
California Chapman University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19951998Suburban-
California Pacific West College of LawPrivateUnaccredited1993UnaccreditedSuburban-
California Empire College School of LawPrivateCalifornia1972State accreditation Suburban-
California Glendale University College of LawPrivateCalifornia1967State accreditation Suburban-
California Golden Gate University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19011956Urban-
California International Pacific School of Law PrivateUnaccreditedUnknownUnaccredited-
California Irvine University College of LawPrivateUnaccredited1993Unaccredited-
California John F. Kennedy University College of LawPrivateCalifornia1963State accreditationUrban-
California Larry H. Layton School of LawPrivateUnaccredited1994UnaccreditedRural-
California Laurence Drivon School of Law, Humphreys CollegePrivateCalifornia1951State accreditation-
California Lincoln Law School of SacramentoPrivateCalifornia1969State accreditationUrban-
California Lincoln Law School of San JosePrivateCalifornia1919State accreditationUrban-
California Loyola Law School, Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivateFull ABA19201935Urban-
California McGeorge School of Law, University of the PacificPrivateFull ABA19241969Urban-
California McMillan Academy of LawPrivateUnaccredited2008Unaccredited-
California Monterey College of LawPrivateCalifornia1972State accreditation-
California Northwestern California University School of Law PrivateUnaccredited1982Unaccredited-
California Oak Brook College of Law PrivateUnaccredited1995Unaccredited-
California Pacific Coast University School of LawPrivateCalifornia1927State accreditation Urban-
California Pacific West College of LawPrivateUnaccredited1992UnaccreditedSuburban-
California Peoples College of LawPrivateUnaccredited1974UnaccreditedUrban-
California Pepperdine University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19711972Suburban-
California Pinnacles School of LawPrivateUnaccreditedUnaccredited-
California San Francisco Law SchoolPrivateCalifornia1909State accreditationUrban-
California San Joaquin College of LawPrivateCalifornia1969State accreditation-
California Santa Barbara College of LawPrivateCalifornia1969State accreditationUrban / Suburban-
California St. Francis School of Law PrivateUnaccredited2011Unaccredited-
California Santa Clara University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19121937Suburban-
California Southern California Institute of LawPrivateCalifornia1986State accreditation Urban / Suburban-
California Southwestern University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19111970Urban-
California Stanford Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA18931923Suburban-
California Thomas Jefferson School of LawPrivateCalifornia1969ABA
State accreditation
Urban-
California Trinity Law School, Trinity International UniversityPrivateCalifornia1980State accreditationSuburban-
California University of California, Berkeley School of Law PublicFull ABA18941923Urban-
California University of California, Davis School of Law PublicFull ABA19651968Suburban-
California Western State College of LawPrivateFull ABA19662005
--
California University of California, Hastings College of the LawPublicFull ABA18781939Urban-
California University of California, Irvine School of LawPublicFull ABA20092011Suburban-
California University of California, Los Angeles School of LawPublicFull ABA19491950Urban-
California University of Honolulu School of Law PrivateUnaccredited----
California University of La Verne College of LawPrivateFull ABA19702012Suburban-
California University of San Diego School of LawPrivateFull ABA19541961Urban-
California University of San Francisco School of LawPrivateFull ABA19121935Urban-
California University of San Luis Obispo School of LawPrivateUnaccredited1993Suburban-
California University of Silicon Valley Law SchoolPrivateUnaccredited2003Urban-
California Gould School of Law, University of Southern CaliforniaPrivateFull ABA18961924Urban-
California,
University of West Los Angeles School of LawPrivateCalifornia1962Suburban-
California Ventura College of LawPrivateCalifornia1969Suburban-
California Western Sierra Law SchoolPrivateUnaccredited1979Urban-
California Taft Law School, William Howard Taft University PrivateUnaccredited1984-
Colorado University of Colorado School of LawPublicFull ABA18921923Urban-
Colorado Sturm College of Law, University of DenverPrivateFull ABA18921923Urban-
Connecticut Quinnipiac University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19771992Suburban-
Connecticut University of Connecticut School of LawPublicFull ABA19211933Urban-
Connecticut Yale Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA18431923Urban-
Delaware Delaware Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA19711975Urban-
District of ColumbiaColumbus School of Law, The Catholic University of AmericaPrivateFull ABA18971925Urban-
District of ColumbiaDavid A. Clarke School of Law, University of the District of ColumbiaPublicFull ABA19721991Urban-
District of ColumbiaThe George Washington University Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA18651923Urban-
District of ColumbiaGeorgetown University Law CenterPrivateFull ABA18701924Urban-
District of ColumbiaHoward University School of LawPrivateFull ABA18691931Urban-
District of ColumbiaWashington College of Law, American UniversityPrivateFull ABA18961940Urban-
Florida Dwayne O. Andreas School of LawPrivateFull ABA19992002Suburban-
Florida Florida A&M University College of LawPublicFull ABA20002004Urban-
Florida Florida International University College of LawPublicFull ABA20002004Urban-
Florida Florida State University College of LawPublicFull ABA19661968Urban-
Florida University of Florida Levin College of LawPublicFull ABA19091925Suburban-
Florida Shepard Broad Law Center, Nova Southeastern UniversityPrivateFull ABA19741975Suburban-
Florida St. Thomas University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19841988Urban-
Florida Diamond Graduate Law School LLM Online ProgramPrivateFull ABA1998N/A-
Florida Stetson University College of LawPrivateFull ABA19001930Suburban-
Florida University of Miami School of LawPrivateFull ABA19261941Suburban-
Florida Ave Maria School of LawPrivateFull ABA20002002Suburban-
Florida Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA19721975
Georgia Emory University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19161923Suburban-
Georgia Georgia State University College of LawPublicFull ABA19821984Urban-
Georgia University of Georgia School of LawPublicFull ABA18591930College Town-
Georgia Walter F. George School of Law, Mercer UniversityPrivateFull ABA18731925Urban-
Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law, University of HawaiiPublicFull ABA19681974Urban-
Idaho, University of Idaho College of LawPublicFull ABA19091925Rural-
Illinois Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of TechnologyPrivateFull ABA18881936Urban-
Illinois DePaul University College of LawPrivateFull ABA18971925Urban-
Illinois University of Illinois College of LawPublicFull ABA18971923Urban-
Illinois UIC John Marshall Law SchoolPublicFull ABA18991951Urban-
Illinois Loyola University Chicago School of LawPrivateFull ABA19091925Urban-
Illinois Northern Illinois University College of LawPublicFull ABA19751978College Town -
Illinois Northwestern University School of LawPrivateFull ABA18591923Urban-
Illinois Southern Illinois University School of LawPublicFull ABA19731974College Town-
Illinois University of Chicago Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA19021923Urban-
Indiana Maurer School of Law, Indiana University BloomingtonPublicFull ABA18421923Small City-
Indiana Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of LawPublicFull ABA18951944Urban-
Indiana Notre Dame Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA18691925Suburban-
Iowa Drake University Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA18651923Urban-
Iowa University of Iowa College of LawPublicFull ABA18651923Urban-
Kansas University of Kansas School of LawPublicFull ABA18931923College Town, Urban-
Kansas Washburn University School of LawPublicFull ABA19031923Urban-
Kentucky Salmon P. Chase College of Law, Northern Kentucky UniversityPublicFull ABA18931954Suburban-
Kentucky Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, University of LouisvillePublicFull ABA18461931Urban-
Kentucky University of Kentucky College of LawPublicFull ABA19081925Urban-
Louisiana Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State UniversityPublicFull ABA19061926Urban-
Louisiana Loyola University New Orleans College of LawPrivateFull ABA19141931Urban-
Louisiana Southern University Law CenterPublicFull ABA19461953Urban-
Louisiana Tulane University School of LawPrivateFull ABA18471925Urban-
Maine University of Maine School of LawPublicFull ABA19611962Urban-
Maryland University of Baltimore School of LawPublicFull ABA19251972Urban-
Maryland University of Maryland School of LawPublicFull ABA18231930Urban-
Massachusetts Boston College Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA19291932Suburban-
Massachusetts Boston University School of LawPrivateFull ABA18721925Urban-
Massachusetts Harvard Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA18171923Urban-
Massachusetts Massachusetts School of LawPrivateMassachusetts, Connecticut1988State accredited Suburban-
Massachusetts New England School of LawPrivateFull ABA19081969Urban-
Massachusetts Northeastern University School of LawPrivateFull ABA18981969Urban-
Massachusetts Suffolk University Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA19061953Urban-
Massachusetts University of Massachusetts School of LawPublicFull ABA19822012Suburban-
Massachusetts Western New England University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19191974Suburban-
Michigan Michigan State University College of LawPrivateFull ABA18911941Suburban-
Michigan Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA19721975Urban-
Michigan University of Detroit Mercy School of LawPrivateFull ABA19121933Urban-
Michigan University of Michigan Law SchoolPublicFull ABA18591923Urban-
Michigan Wayne State University Law SchoolPublicFull ABA19271937Urban-
Minnesota University of Minnesota Law SchoolPublicFull ABA18881923Urban-
Minnesota University of St. Thomas School of LawPrivateFull ABA19992003Urban-
Minnesota Mitchell Hamline School of LawPrivateFull ABA19002015Urban-
Mississippi Mississippi College School of LawPrivateFull ABA19301980Urban-
Mississippi University of Mississippi School of LawPublicFull ABA18541930Rural -
Missouri Saint Louis University School of LawPrivateFull ABA18431924Urban-
Missouri University of Missouri School of LawPublicFull ABA18721923Urban, College Town-
Missouri University of Missouri – Kansas City School of LawPublicFull ABA18951936Urban-
Missouri Washington University School of LawPrivateFull ABA18671923Urban-
Montana University of Montana School of LawPublicFull ABA19111923College Town-
Nebraska Creighton University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19041924Urban-
Nebraska University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of LawPublicFull ABA18881923Urban-
Nevada William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las VegasPublicFull ABA19972000Urban-
New Hampshire University of New Hampshire School of LawPublicFull ABA19731974Urban-
New Jersey Rutgers Law School, Rutgers UniversityPublicFull ABA1926 1950Urban-
New Jersey Rutgers Law School, Rutgers UniversityPublicFull ABA1908 1941Urban-
New Jersey Seton Hall University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19511951Urban-
New Mexico University of New Mexico School of LawPublicFull ABA19471948Urban-
New York Albany Law School, Union UniversityPrivateFull ABA18511930Urban-
New York Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva UniversityPrivateFull ABA19761978Urban-
New York Brooklyn Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA19011937Urban-
New York University at Buffalo Law School, SUNYPublicFull ABA18871936Urban-
New York Columbia Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA18581923Urban-
New York Cornell Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA18871923Rural -
New York City University of New York School of LawPublicFull ABA19831985Urban-
New York Fordham University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19051936Urban-
New York Hofstra University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19701971Suburban-
New York Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law CenterPrivateFull ABA19801983Suburban-
New York New York Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA18911954Urban-
New York New York University School of LawPrivateFull ABA18351930Urban-
New York Pace University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19761978Suburban-
New York St. John's University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19251937Urban-
New York Syracuse University College of LawPrivateFull ABA18951923Urban-
North Carolina Duke University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19041931Urban-
North Carolina Elon University School of LawPrivateFull ABA20062008Urban-
North Carolina North Carolina Central University School of LawPublicFull ABA19401950Urban-
North Carolina Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, Campbell UniversityPrivateFull ABA19761979Urban-
North Carolina University of North Carolina School of LawPublicFull ABA18451923College Town-
North Carolina Wake Forest University School of LawPrivateFull ABA18941936Urban-
North Dakota University of North Dakota School of LawPublicFull ABA18991923Urban-
Ohio Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State UniversityPublicFull ABA18971957Urban-
Ohio Michael E. Moritz College of Law, Ohio State UniversityPublicFull ABA18911923Urban-
Ohio University of Cincinnati College of LawPublicFull ABA18331923Urban-
Ohio Case Western Reserve University School of LawPrivateFull ABA18921923Urban-
Ohio Capital University Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA19031950Urban-
Ohio University of Dayton School of LawPrivateFull ABA19741975Urban-
Ohio University of Toledo College of LawPublicFull ABA19061939Urban-
Ohio Ohio Northern University, Pettit College of LawPrivateFull ABA18851948Rural-
Ohio University of Akron School of LawPublicFull ABA19211961Urban-
Oklahoma Oklahoma City University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19071960Urban-
Oklahoma University of Oklahoma College of LawPublicFull ABA19091923Suburban-
Oklahoma University of Tulsa College of LawPrivateFull ABA19231950Urban-
Oregon, University of Oregon School of LawPublicFull ABA18841923Urban-
Oregon Willamette University College of LawPrivateFull ABA18831938Urban-
Oregon Lewis & Clark Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA19151970Urban-
Pennsylvania Drexel University School of LawPrivateFull ABA20062008Urban-
Pennsylvania Duquesne University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19111960Urban-
Pennsylvania Beasley School of Law, Temple UniversityPublicFull ABA18951933Urban-
Pennsylvania Dickinson School of Law, Penn State UniversityPublicFull ABA18341931Rural-
Pennsylvania Penn State Law, Penn State UniversityPublicFull ABA18341931College Town -
Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA18501923Urban-
Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh School of LawPublicFull ABA18951923Urban-
Pennsylvania Villanova University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19531954Suburban-
Pennsylvania Widener University Commonwealth Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA19891988Urban-
Puerto Rico Interamerican University of Puerto Rico School of LawPrivateFull ABA19611969-
Puerto Rico Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of LawPrivateFull ABA19481967-
Puerto Rico University of Puerto Rico School of LawPublicFull ABA19131945-
Rhode Island Roger Williams University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19921995Suburban-
South Carolina University of South Carolina School of LawPublicFull ABA18671925Urban-
South Dakota University of South Dakota School of LawPublicFull ABA19011923Urban-
Tennessee Belmont University College of LawPrivateFull ABA20112013Urban-
Tennessee Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, University of MemphisPublicFull ABA19621965Urban-
Tennessee Duncan School of Law, Lincoln Memorial UniversityPrivateFull ABA20092014Urban-
Tennessee Nashville School of LawPrivateTennessee1911State accredited Urban-
Tennessee University of Tennessee College of LawPublicFull ABA18901925Urban-
Tennessee Vanderbilt University Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA18741925Urban-
Texas Baylor Law School, Baylor UniversityPrivateFull ABA18451931Urban -
Texas Dedman School of Law, Southern Methodist UniversityPrivateFull ABA19111927Urban-
Texas Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern UniversityPublicFull ABA19471949Urban-
Texas University of Houston Law CenterPublicFull ABA19471950Urban-
Texas South Texas College of LawPrivateFull ABA19231959Urban-
Texas Texas Tech University School of LawPublicFull ABA19671969Urban-
Texas University of Texas School of LawPublicFull ABA18831923Urban-
Texas Texas A&M University School of LawPublicFull ABA19921994Urban-
Texas St. Mary's University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19271948Urban-
Utah J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young UniversityPrivateFull ABA19731974Suburban-
Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, University of UtahPublicFull ABA19131927Urban-
Vermont Vermont Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA19721975Rural-
Virginia Appalachian School of LawPrivateFull ABA19942001Rural-
Virginia Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason UniversityPublicFull ABA19721980Urban/Suburban-
Virginia Liberty University School of LawPrivateFull ABA20042006Suburban-
Virginia Regent University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19861989Suburban-
Virginia Washington and Lee University School of LawPrivateFull ABA18491923Rural-
Virginia Marshall-Wythe School of Law, The College of William and MaryPublicFull ABA17791932Rural / Suburban-
Virginia University of Richmond School of LawPrivateFull ABA18701928Urban-
Virginia University of Virginia School of LawPublicFull ABA18261923Small city -
Virginia The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and SchoolPublicFull ABA19421958-
Washington Gonzaga University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19121951Urban-
Washington Seattle University School of LawPrivateFull ABA19721994Urban-
Washington University of Washington School of LawPublicFull ABA18891924Urban-
West Virginia West Virginia University College of LawPublicFull ABA18781923Urban-
Wisconsin Marquette University Law SchoolPrivateFull ABA18921925Urban-
Wisconsin University of Wisconsin Law SchoolPublicFull ABA18681923Urban-
Wyoming University of Wyoming College of LawPublicFull ABA19201923Small city-

1 – Provisional ABA accreditation expired in June 2011

2 – Provisional accreditation via the Puerto Rico Supreme Court

For-profit schools

Proposed

State SchoolAccreditationYear founded
Alaska University of Alaska at AnchorageNot applicableProposed
Louisiana Pressler School of Law, Louisiana CollegeNot applicable2012
New York St. John Fisher College School of LawNot applicableProposed
North Carolina University of North Carolina at CharlotteNot applicableProposed
Texas University of North Texas at Dallas College of LawProvisionalOpened in 2014

Former

State SchoolYear foundedYear closed
Arizona Arizona Summit Law School, InfiLaw System20052019
California Whittier Law School19662019
California New College of California School of Law19712008
California American College of Law19712012/13
California California Southern Law School19712020
California California Pacific School of Law2002
California Inland Valley University College of Law20032012/13
California MD Kirk School of Law 20052012/13
California California Midland School of Law20062012/13
California National University School of Law1971 2001
California Lorenzo Patiño School of Law, University of Northern California19832012/13
California Northrop University1942 2001
Connecticut Hartford College of Law19211948
Connecticut Litchfield Law School17841833
District of Columbia Robert H. Terrell Law School19311950
Florida Florida A&M University College of Law 19491968
Georgia Savannah Law School20112021
Georgia Woodrow Wilson College of Law19291987
Illinois La Salle Extension University19091980
Illinois Lincoln College of Law19111953
Illinois Illinois Wesleyan University Law School18741927
Idaho Concordia University School of Law20122020
Indiana Indiana Tech Law School20122017
Kentucky Alben W. Barkley School of Law20052008
Massachusetts Northampton Law School18231829
Minnesota Hamline University School of Law19722015
Missouri Lincoln University School of Law19391955
New Jersey Princeton Law School18471852
New York State and National Law School18491860s
New York Maynard-Knox Law School, Hamilton College18571887
North Carolina Charlotte School of Law, InfiLaw System20062017
North Carolina Greensboro Law School18781893
Oklahoma O. W. Coburn School of Law19791985
Puerto Rico Eugenio María de Hostos School of Law, Universidad de Puerto Rico19952013
Tennessee Judge John Haywood Law Schoolc. 1807c. 1807
Virginia Winchester Law School18241831