Law is a very popular field of study all over the world. Law jobs pay well, are stable, and have a good reputation. So it’s not surprising that many people want to study law.
Did you know that the state of Texas has over one law school? That means you have a lot of places to choose from if you want to study law. Do you live in Texas or want to go to law school there but haven’t decided yet? We’ve put together a list of the 12 best law schools in Texas. You can compare each of them and make a more informed choice.
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Are Law Schools in Texas Worth it?
Many people who went to law school sometimes wish they hadn’t. So it makes sense to look at whether or not it’s still worth it. In considering whether law school is worth it, you must take into account the high tuition costs and possible salaries. Another good metric to look at is its return on investment (ROI).
Going to law school full-time takes three years. The average tuition and fees for just one of those years at an institution accredited by the American Bar Association are already high. In 2020, the average cost of tuition at a private law school was $52,312. The average cost of tuition at a public school was $28,186. This price doesn’t include rent, food, transportation, or other costs of living. They do not leave the best law schools in Texas out.
Most law school students can’t work while going to school, so student loans are the most common way to pay for these costs. So, the average law school graduate has more than $145,000 in student loans to pay off. For many students, their student loan debt adds to the debt they already have from college.
Most lenders let you put off paying back undergraduate loans while you go to law school, but interest keeps adding up on any unsubsidized debt. All in all, it’s not unusual for a law school graduate to start their first job with a negative net worth that’s not too small.
However, with all of these, in the long run, you would wish you just did it. If you are honestly thinking about if the best law schools in Texas are worth it, then it probably is.
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How much do the Best Law Schools in Texas Cost?
One thing that makes the best law schools in Texas stand out is that the tuition and Cost of Attendance are low (COA). The total annual COA covers fixed costs (like tuition and fees). It also has reasonable living costs for the 9 months you enroll for the fall and spring semesters. The costs for each student will depend on where you live. If you plan to take out federal student loans, and how you choose to spend your money.
The general expenses you should expect to make are-
- Fees and Tuition- $36,429
- Books & Supplies- $1,500
- Room & Board- $15,998
- Travel- $1,618
- Misc.- $4,208
What are the Requirements for Getting into the Best Law Schools in Texas?
For consideration for admission to the best law schools in Texas, there are several requirements you must meet. They are-
- Register with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and the Credential Assembly Service (CAS)
- Take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
- Show that you have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. university. You can also show it if it’s from a foreign equivalent whose program is of comparable quality.
- Also, all applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 2.20 in their undergraduate studies.
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How to Apply for the Best Law Schools in Texas?
If you want to apply to be a first-year student, please send in:
Cost of Applying.
LSAC will charge an application fee of $70 that isn’t refundable when you send in your application.
Personal Statement.
The personal statement is your chance to tell the Admissions Committee about your background. You should also include your interests and the important things about you that aren’t clear from your resume. Your statement shows the Admissions Committee how you write. It also shows how you think and how you have thought about your life experiences and found meaning in them.
Your statement can’t be longer than two pages, double-spaced. It should also have a font size of at least 11 points and 1-inch margins.
Résumé
Please include on your resume any important work, hobby, extracurricular, or community activities. This includes your graduate work or degrees, honors and awards, military service, job descriptions, and major areas of responsibility. Your résumé may not exceed three (3) pages.
Recommendation letters
There must be two (2) letters of recommendation (LORs). Use LSAC’s Letters of Recommendation Service to send these letters directly to LSAC.
Texas Law wants to know more about an applicant’s economic, social, and/or personal background. This may not be clear from the rest of the application or shared in the applicant’s statement.
Undergraduate Performance
Please explain if your grades for one or more terms were very different from those of other students. Please say anything else about your college transcript(s) or how you got ready for college. This would help the Admissions Committee decide if they should accept you.
Standardized Test Scores
Candidates sometimes try to show that standardized tests don’t show their true academic potential. They may also try to show that one LSAT or GRE score is more accurate than another. If you think this is true for you, please explain why.
During the application process, the Admissions Committee may ask you to do an online interview as part of their evaluation. People are only invited to these interviews. If you get a mail to take part, they will get in touch with you and tell you how to access and finish the interview.
12 Best Law Schools in Texas
Some factors can help you decide which law school might be the best fit for you. You must look out for the best law schools in Texas that suit your personality, tastes, and interests. The GPA and LSAT scores mentioned are averages and are not cutoffs.
Many things can affect which law school is best for you. These include the cost of tuition, your schedule, and your age. Most of the law schools on this list also have part-time JD programs. The 12 best law schools in Texas are-
- 1. University of Texas Law School
- 2. Southern Methodist University
- 3. University of Houston Law School
- 4. Baylor Law University
- 5. Texas A&M University Law School
- 6. Texas Tech University School of Law
- 7. Thurgood Marshall School of Law
- 8. South Texas College of Law Houston
- 9. St. Mary’s University School of Law
- 10. University of North Texas Dallas- College of Law
- 11. Dedman School of Law Dallas
- 12. Texas Jefferson Law School Dallas, Texas
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#1. University of Texas Law School
The University of Texas-Austin is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It is also known as UT Austin, Texas, UT, or The University of Texas. The main campus is in Downtown Austin, which has been around since 1884. The main campus is in Downtown Austin, which has been around since 1884. It is near to the Texas State Capitol (Denmark).
The University of Texas at Austin is the largest school in Texas, with 51,805 first-year students. In national rankings of legal scholarship, UT Law School is always in the top 10. This is on things like participation in moot court competitions, and the quality of journals and research publications.
Their acceptance rate is 20.9% and their tuition ranges from $36,429 (full-time, in-state) to $54,096 (full-time, out-of-state). US News and World Report ranks the school as the 38th best university in the country. To get into college as an undergrad, you need an LSAT score of at least 167 and a GPA of at least 3.74.
The University of Texas has the best bar passage rate in all of Texas, at 90.3%. Steve Adler is one of the most well-known people who went to that school. The school is at the top of this list because it has strict rules about who can go there and who can’t.
#2. Southern Methodist University
The Southern Methodist University School of Law in Dallas, Texas, is a private law school. Above the Law put SMU Law on its 2015 Booming Job Market list as one of the top 50 law schools. And The National Jurist has put out a report calling SMU a “Hidden Gem” among law schools.
The tuition for the first law school on our list is also the most expensive. The SMU School of Law is on the main campus of Southern Methodist University. Tuition for Texas residents is on the high end at $57,836 per year. It is still much less than some other top private law schools across the country. With an acceptance rate of 47.2% and a student-faculty ratio of 8.5:1, SMU Law ranks 88 in terms of how selective it is.
US News and World Report say that the university is one of the 68 best in the country. To get in as an undergraduate, you must have an LSAT score of 161 or higher and a GPA of 3.68 or higher. The bar passage rate at the University of Texas is 85.4%, which is fourth in all of Texas. Laura Bush is one of the most well-known people who went to this school.
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#3. University of Houston Law School
The University of Houston Law Centre is in the biggest city in the state. The law school is in a great spot, just a short walk from downtown. The current UH Law building is a modern campus that opened in 2008. However, it still meets the needs of students today.
When it started, its main goal was to give people who couldn’t pay for private schools a chance to get a law degree without going into debt. It is still one of the least expensive and best law schools in Texas. It got the approval of The American Bar Association (ABA) and the National Association of Schools of Law (NASL). The Council of the Section on Legal Education Opportunity (CSEO) was not left out.
The ABA says that 976 students attend the University of Houston Law School each year. This makes it the 35th largest in the US. With a rate of 33.1%, UH Law Centre is the 41st most selective school for students. For you to get admission, you need an LSAT score of 160 or more and a GPA of 3.61 or more. The bar passage rate at the University of Texas is 85.3%, which is third in all of Texas.
#4. Baylor Law University
Baylor Law School is the only private, non-sectarian law school in Texas. It is in the small town of Waco, which is halfway between Austin and Waco. The 86-acre campus is on land that was once a plantation. Students learn about justice, business, constitutional law, and intellectual property.
They also learn corporate law and international law through the school’s excellent academic programs. Baylor Law is also the 15th largest law school in the country in terms of enrollment.
It can be an adventure just to get into college. To get into Baylor, you need a 160 LSAT score or at least a 3.59 GPA on a scale of 4.0. Only 39% of people who apply get into the school. Baylor Law School is in the middle of Texas’s biggest city, and several exciting cities are only an hour away by car.
The tuition at Baylor Law School is $10,000 per year. Statistics show that 10,000 people try to get into this prestigious law school every year. 32% of the students at the university are women, and 68% are men. With a bar passage rate of 92.1%, the University of Texas is second in all of Texas. Marion Price Daniel is one of the most well-known people who went to the school.
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#5. Texas A&M University Law School
Texas A&M University School of Law is one of the best law schools in Texas. The law school is in College Station, Texas. It is also known as Texas A&M or TAMU. It was the first outside of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College Station, where the main campus is.
Students here learn what they need to know to do well in their careers and life after graduation. The school will motivate you to do your best in law school. This law school has small classes and one-on-one teaching. With a rate of 30.2%, Texas A&M Law has the 35th most selective student body.
US News and World Report rank the school’s law school as the 46th best in the world. For you to get admission, you need an LSAT score of at least 157 and a GPA of at least 3.51. The bar passage rate at the University of Texas is 81.4%, which is fifth in all of Texas. Eva Longoria is one of the most well-known people who went to that school.
#6. Texas Tech University School of Law
The Princeton Review says that Texas Tech University has one of the best law schools in Texas. In 2014, it had two campuses for the law school, both of which are in Lubbock. Near the center of the city, the main campus is a big, sprawling complex. In addition to a J.D., students can enroll in a master’s degree program or a Ph.D. program.
The American Bar Association (ABA) recognizes this law school. Full-time tuition costs $27,232 for in-state students and $38,572 for students from other states. The number of students to teachers at the university is 9.2:1, and there is no fee to apply.
The number of people who get into the Texas Tech University School of Law is 445. US News and World Report rank the school’s law school as the 105th best in the world. For admission, you need an LSAT score of at least 155 and a GPA of at least 3.44. The bar passage rate at the University of Texas is 83.6%, which is sixth in all of Texas.
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#7. Thurgood Marshall School of Law
The Thurgood Marshall School of Law is in Houston, Texas, in the United States. The Thurgood Marshall School of Law is a private college that is not for profit. It is one of the best law schools in Texas. Paul B. Lally, Charles B. Anderson, and Ofelia Garza Ramos began the school in 1967. The American Bar Association has given the school its full approval.
The academic center is in Houston, Texas. It is between Hermann Park and the Texas Medical Center, two of the most popular places in the city. The percentage of people who get into the university is 30.4%. US News and World Report rank the school’s law school as the 169th best in the world.
For admission, you need an LSAT score of at least 152 and a GPA of at least 3.2. The University of Texas has a bar passage rate of 81.4%, which is tenth in all of Texas.
#8. South Texas College of Law Houston
The school has campuses in Edinburg, Houston, McAllen, and San Antonio. It has been around since 1948. It lets students get both a law degree and a Master of Business Administration in 30 months. The school’s Houston campus opened in 2010, right across the street from Union Station. U.S. News & World Report ranks this law school as the 23rd best in the country. They teach all the classes in Spanish.
The American Bar Association (ABA) and the Association of American Law Schools have approved South Texas College of Law Houston (AALS). It is one of the oldest but best law schools in Texas. The school offers two J.D. degrees, a Master of Laws (LL.M. ), and a Master of Jurisprudence (MJur) degree. It also offers a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degree and a Ph.D. in law with a focus on taxation.
The program at the South Texas College of Law in Houston takes four years of full-time study. 60.7% of people who apply to South Texas College of Law School get in. The bar passage rate at the university is 67.9%, and you need a GPA of at least 3.1 to get admitted. The average LSAT score at the school is 151.
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#9. St. Mary’s University School of Law
Most schools in Texas have a reputation for being affordable, but the St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio stands out. The Martindale-Hubbell law school directory says that the school is the sixth-cheapest public law school in the country. St. Mary’s University School of Law is one of them. It has an acceptance rate of 55.8%. There are online programs at St. Mary’s.
Online students paid $48,340 for the 2017-2018 school year, and the school charges $1,000 for books and supplies. All students must pay an extra $1,000 to cover the cost of clinical skills courses. The school has a good rate of getting graduates jobs. The school’s job placement rate for the 2016-2017 school year was 88.5%, and the rate for the 2019-2020 school year was 97.8%. There is no application fee, and there are 10.8 professors for every student.
The American Bar Association, the Higher Learning Commission, and the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools have all given St. Mary’s their seals of approval. To get admission, you need an LSAT score of at least 151 and a GPA of at least 3.19. The bar passage rate at the University of Texas is 70.8%, which is eighth in all of Texas.
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#10. University of North Texas Dallas- College of Law
UNT Dallas College of Law is a new law school where you can get an innovative legal education in a lively setting for a fraction of the cost. It is one of the best law schools in Texas. The mission is to produce lawyers who will make a positive difference in society. They would do this by promoting justice and advancing human potential through the business of legal education.
Dallas College of Law costs $28,970 per year to attend. The average cost of tuition at this school, for all programs and locations, is $28,970. Total tuition costs $28,970 per year. Dallas College of Law is a private college in Dallas, Texas, that lasts for four years. It is a religious private school that does not make money.
After applying for financial aid, 39% of students who get into the school can pay the tuition costs. To get admission, you need an LSAT score of at least 151 and a GPA of at least 3.10. With a 67.61 percent bar passage rate, the University of Texas is tenth in all of Texas.
#11. Dedman School of Law Dallas
This law school has been training both men and women to be successful business and law lawyers for almost a century. The law school has a very full curriculum. Since 1928, graduates of the SMU Dedman School of Law have become leaders in law, business, government, and other fields.
The deadline for regular applications is March 1, but they consider late registration. The median LSAT score for the class that started in the fall of 2024 was 163. The median undergraduate GPA was 3.76. It is one of the best law schools in Texas.
#12. Texas Jefferson Law School Dallas, Texas
Thomas Jefferson School of Law is a private, non-profit law school in downtown San Diego, California. The Law School offers graduate degrees like the LLM, MSL, and JSD. It also offers the Juris Doctor (JD) degree. Students can sign up for flexible programs full-time or part-time. They can also go to classes during the day or at night, and start in the summer, fall, or spring.
Graduates of the Law School are leaders in state and federal government. Criminal defense lawyers, judges, and prosecutors are what they are. They work as general counsel for companies all over the country. They also passionately fight for the most vulnerable people in our community.
Graduates of the JD program can take the California bar exam as soon as they are ready. If you go to this Law School or graduate from it, you might not take the bar exam in places other than Texas.
How Much Does a Lawyer Earn In Texas?
According to the American Bar Association, 189,361 lawyers were living and working in Texas in 2024. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics also says that Texas is among the best places for lawyers to work.
In the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land area, lawyers made an average of $174,870 per year. In the Dallas-Plano-Irving area, lawyers made an average of $154,490 per year. So, the average lawyer in Texas made $145,800 per year.
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What are the Highest Paid Jobs for Lawyers in Texas?
When we looked at jobs in Texas that are like Lawyer’s jobs, we found that TAX Attorney jobs pay more on average than Lawyers’ jobs. The average salary for a Lawyer is $82,590, which is less than the average salary for a Tax Attorney. If you’re qualified, working as a tax attorney may pay more than the average Lawyers job. The tax attorney jobs are-
- Tax Lawyer- $80,405
- Tax Attorney- $100,282
- Tax Relief- $76,068
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. There are many types of scholarships for law school. You only have to search.
A lawyer’s annual salary is about $120,910. This, however, depends on the country, the lawyer’s experience, where they work, and what kind of law they practice.
In Texas, the average lawyer makes $145,800 per year.
Getting your Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree will take you at least 2 years and no more than 84 months. The ABA says you have to spend 58,000 minutes in class (which is about 83 semester hours or 129 quarter hours of credit).
It takes three days to finish. The bar exam is each year at the end of February/beginning of March and at the end of July/beginning of August.
For the CAS, you have to pay the LSAT $195.
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Conclusion
Texas is the second-largest state in both size and number of people (nearly 28 million). Because of this, studying law in Texas differs greatly from studying law in any other U.S. state. Most law schools in other countries let people in who have a high school diploma or something similar. Well, not in Texas.
Law is a professional field of study that leads to a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. So, we hope you have learned about the best law schools in Texas and can now comfortably weigh them.
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References
- torixus.com– Law schools in Texas
- studentmajor.com– 10 best law schools in Texas
- usnews.com– Best law schools in Texas
- magoosh.com– Top law schools in Texas
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