All law schools that have been ranked at least once by U.S. News are included below.
NR stands for NOT RANKED.
The Rank Average (last column) is the average of the rankings the law school received from April 2000 to April 2008.
The color coding tells us, for example, that, at least since April 2000, the law schools ranked two or three have been Stanford or Harvard.
April
April
April
April
April
April
April
April
April
Rank
LAW SCHOOL
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Aver
Yale U (CT)
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.00
Harvard U (MA)
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
2.0
2.0
3.0
2.5
2.5
2.69
Stanford U (CA)
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
3.0
3.0
2.0
2.5
2.5
2.31
Columbia U (NY)
5.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.5
5.0
4
4.28
New York U
4.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
4.5
4.0
5.0
4.72
UC Berkeley
8.5
9.0
8.5
10.5
13.0
12.0
9.0
8.5
6.0
9.44
U Chicago
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.5
7.5
6.22
U Pennsylvania
12.5
10.5
8.5
7.5
7.5
7.0
7.0
6.5
7.5
8.28
Northwestern U (IL)
12.5
13.0
11.0
12.5
10.5
10.0
12.0
12.0
10.0
11.50
U Michigan
7.0
7.5
8.5
7.5
7.5
8.5
9.0
8.5
10.0
8.22
U Virginia
8.5
7.5
8.5
9.0
9.0
8.5
9.0
10.5
10.0
8.94
Cornell U (NY)
10.5
12.0
13.0
10.5
12.0
12.0
13.0
13.0
12.5
12.06
Duke U (NC)
10.5
10.5
12.0
12.5
10.5
12.0
11.0
10.5
12.5
11.33
Georgetown U (DC)
14.0
14.0
14.0
14.0
14.0
14.0
14.0
14.0
14.0
14.00
Vanderbilt U (TN)
18.0
17.0
17.0
17.0
17.0
17.0
17.5
16.5
15.0
16.89
U Texas, Austin
15.0
15.0
15.0
15.0
15.0
15.5
16.0
18.0
16.5
15.67
UCLA
16.0
16.0
16.0
16.0
16.0
15.5
15.0
15.0
16.5
15.78
U Southern California
17.0
18.0
19.5
18.0
18.0
18.0
17.5
16.6
18.0
17.84
U Minnesota, TC
19.0
19.0
19.5
19.5
19.0
19.0
20.0
20.5
23.0
19.83
Washington and Lee U
20.0
20.5
19.5
19.5
24.5
22.5
23.5
26.0
25.0
22.33
U Iowa
21.0
20.5
19.5
21.0
24.5
22.5
23.5
24.0
28.0
22.72
George Washington U
24.0
24.5
27.5
23.0
21.0
20.5
20.0
22.5
20.0
22.56
U Notre Dame (IN)
27.0
29.0
24.0
23.0
21.0
24.5
23.5
29.0
23.0
24.89
Washington U, St. Louis
30.0
29.0
27.5
25.5
21.0
24.5
20.0
19.0
19.0
23.94
Boston College
24.0
22.0
22.5
23.0
29.5
29.0
29.0
29.0
26.0
26.00
U Illinois, UC
24.0
24.5
27.5
25.5
27.5
26.0
29.0
26.0
28.0
26.44
Boston U
33.5
29.0
27.5
29.0
24.5
20.5
23.5
20.5
21.0
25.44
Emory U (GA)
27.0
29.0
22.5
27.0
24.5
33.0
26.0
22.5
23.0
26.06
U North Carolina
22.0
24.5
31.0
29.0
27.5
29.0
29.0
39.5
39.5
28.94
C William and Mary
30.0
34.5
33.5
29.0
29.5
29.0
29.0
32.0
30.5
30.78
U Washington
27.0
24.5
27.5
47.0
35.5
29.0
29.0
29.0
30.5
31.00
U Georgia
30.0
29.0
33.5
33.0
31.5
37.0
35.0
39.5
33.5
33.56
Fordham U (NY)
33.5
32.5
33.5
33.0
35.5
29.0
32.5
26.0
28.0
31.50
U Wisconsin, Madison
36.0
36.5
27.5
33.0
31.5
33.0
32.5
32.0
36.5
33.17
UC Davis
41.5
32.5
33.5
33.0
33.0
33.0
35.0
34.5
44.5
35.61
Brigham Young U (UT)
33.5
38.5
37.5
33.0
35.5
35.0
35.0
44.5
48.0
37.83
Wake Forest U (NC)
38.5
34.5
36.0
36.0
35.5
37.0
39.5
39.5
42.5
37.67
UC Hastings
33.5
36.5
41.0
37.0
38.5
39.5
46.0
39.5
39.5
38.94
Indiana U, Bloomington
38.5
41.5
39.0
38.5
40.5
37.0
37.5
39.5
36.5
38.72
Ohio State
38.5
41.5
37.5
38.5
42.0
39.5
39.5
32.0
33.5
38.06
Tulane U (LA)
43.5
41.5
43.5
47.0
57.0
43.5
46.0
48.5
44.5
46.11
U Alabama, Tuscaloosa
46.0
46.0
47.5
47.0
40.5
43.5
46.0
39.5
33.5
44.50
U Arizona
38.5
41.5
41.0
44.0
44.5
43.5
46.0
44.5
39.5
42.94
U Colorado, Boulder
45.0
38.5
41.0
41.5
51.0
48.0
46.0
39.5
33.5
43.81
U Connecticut
41.5
44.0
43.5
41.5
44.5
50.0
50.0
48.5
48.0
45.72
U Utah
43.5
45.0
45.5
41.5
48.0
50.0
57.0
58.0
51.0
48.83
George Mason U (VA)
NR
48.0
47.5
41.5
38.5
43.5
37.5
34.5
39.5
41.57
Southern Methodist U
NR
48.0
50.0
50.0
48.0
53.5
46.0
46.0
48.0
48.79
U Cincinnati
49.5
52.0
NR
52.5
60.5
60.0
54.5
58.0
53.0
55.00
U Florida
NR
48.0
45.5
47.0
44.5
43.5
41.0
48.5
48.0
45.43
U Kentucky
NR
52.0
50.0
52.5
51.0
56.5
67.0
62.5
60.5
56.50
U Tennessee, Knoxville
47.5
52.0
NR
55.5
54.0
53.5
62.0
54.5
53.0
54.00
American U
NR
NR
50.0
55.5
57.0
47.0
46.0
48.5
48.0
50.67
Arizona State U
47.5
NR
NR
61.0
54.0
60.0
54.5
51.0
53.0
54.43
Baylor U (TX)
49.5
NR
NR
52.5
51.0
53.5
51.5
54.5
56.5
52.08
U Houston
NR
52.0
NR
73.0
60.5
66.5
73.0
62.5
56.5
64.58
U Maryland
NR
52.0
NR
47.0
44.5
43.5
42.0
39.5
42.5
44.75
Brooklyn
NR
NR
NR
61.0
69.0
60.0
58.5
62.5
64.0
62.50
Cardozo-Yeshiva U (NY)
NR
NR
NR
57.5
54.0
60.0
54.5
52.0
56.5
55.75
Case Western Reserve U
NR
NR
NR
57.5
57.0
50.0
51.5
54.5
64.0
55.75
Florida State U
NR
NR
NR
66.0
69.0
56.5
54.5
54.5
56.5
59.50
Georgia State U
NR
NR
NR
93.5
91.0
87.0
98.5
83.0
79.0
88.67
IIT Chicago-Kent
NR
NR
NR
73.0
64.5
66.5
62.0
62.5
66.5
65.83
Indiana U-Indianapolis
NR
NR
NR
66.0
64.5
97.0
78.0
87.5
70.0
77.17
Lewis and Clark C
NR
NR
NR
73.0
79.0
79.5
78.0
83.0
74.5
77.83
Louisana State U
NR
NR
NR
98.5
91.0
92.0
89.5
93.5
91.0
92.90
Loyola U Chicago
NR
NR
NR
73.0
69.0
70.5
73.0
73.0
84.5
73.83
Loyola, Los Angeles
NR
NR
NR
73.0
60.5
60.0
67.0
67.5
64.0
65.33
Mercer U
NR
NR
NR
93.5
101.5
101.0
89.5
102.0
102.0
97.50
Northeastern U
NR
NR
NR
89.5
79.0
87.0
89.5
87.5
91.0
86.50
Rutgers U , Camden
NR
NR
NR
80.5
74.0
66.5
67.0
73.0
79.0
73.33
Rutgers U , Newark
NR
NR
NR
80.5
74.0
74.5
83.0
79.0
79.0
78.33
Seattle U
NR
NR
NR
93.5
101.5
97.0
94.5
87.5
84.5
93.08
Seton Hall U
NR
NR
NR
87.0
91.0
83.5
73.0
73.0
66.5
79.00
St. John's U
NR
NR
NR
73.0
79.0
79.5
83.0
73.0
91.0
77.50
Temple U
NR
NR
NR
66.0
60.5
66.5
58.5
62.5
60.5
62.42
U Buffalo-SUNY
NR
NR
NR
87.0
85.0
79.5
83.0
79.0
102.0
85.92
U Denver
NR
NR
NR
80.5
79.0
97.0
73.0
79.0
91.0
81.70
U Hawaii
NR
NR
NR
87.0
85.0
83.5
94.5
93.5
84.5
88.00
U Kansas
NR
NR
NR
66.0
64.5
101.0
73.0
67.5
74.5
74.42
U Miami
NR
NR
NR
84.5
79.0
74.5
67.0
73.0
84.5
77.08
U Missouri, Columbia
NR
NR
NR
61.0
64.5
70.5
62.0
67.5
60.5
65.10
U Nebraska
NR
NR
NR
66.0
91.0
79.5
73.0
79.0
74.5
77.17
U New Mexico
NR
NR
NR
73.0
101.5
70.5
78.0
73.0
70.0
77.67
U Oklahoma
NR
NR
NR
61.0
69.0
79.5
83.0
73.0
70.0
72.58
U Oregon
NR
NR
NR
80.5
74.0
70.5
73.0
83.0
84.5
77.58
U Pittsburgh
NR
NR
NR
52.5
48.0
53.5
62.0
58.0
74.5
58.08
U Richmond
NR
NR
NR
80.5
74.0
74.5
83.0
79.0
70.0
76.83
U San Diego
NR
NR
NR
61.0
69.0
63.5
67.0
87.5
84.5
72.08
U South Carolina
NR
NR
NR
80.5
85.0
92.0
98.5
93.5
96.5
89.90
Villanova U (PA)
NR
NR
NR
73.0
74.0
63.5
62.0
62.5
70.0
67.50
Catholic U of America
NR
NR
NR
84.5
85.0
87.0
NR
98.0
91.0
89.10
Marquette U
NR
NR
NR
93.5
96.0
101.0
NR
98.0
96.5
97.00
Pepperdine U
NR
NR
NR
NR
101.5
79.5
89.5
67.5
60.5
79.70
Santa Clara U
NR
NR
NR
93.5
96.0
NR
89.5
93.5
79.0
90.30
St. Louis U
NR
NR
NR
NR
85.0
74.5
83.0
87.5
96.5
82.50
U Louisville
NR
NR
NR
73.0
85.0
87.0
NR
98.0
102.0
85.75
U Mississippi
NR
NR
NR
89.5
96.0
87.0
98.5
NR
NR
92.75
U San Francisco
NR
NR
NR
98.5
96.0
NR
94.5
102.0
NR
97.75
Pennsylvania State U
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
92.0
89.5
93.5
79.0
88.50
U Nevada-Las Vegas
NR
NR
NR
NR
85.0
92.0
NR
102.0
91.0
93.00
U of the Pacific
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
92.0
98.5
102.0
96.5
97.50
U Toledo
NR
NR
NR
NR
96.0
NR
94.5
87.5
NR
92.67
Depaul U, (Chicago)
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
83.0
93.5
91.0
88.25
Hofstra U
NR
NR
NR
NR
91.0
97.0
NR
NR
99.0
94.00
Syracuse U
NR
NR
NR
98.5
NR
97.0
NR
NR
102.0
97.75
U Arkansas-Fayettville
NR
NR
NR
93.5
101.5
NR
NR
NR
NR
97.50
U Missouri, Kansas City
NR
NR
NR
NR
101.5
NR
NR
NR
NR
101.50
Wayne State U
NR
NR
NR
98.5
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
98.50
Stetson U
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
102.0
102.0
102.00
Law Schools Ranked
51
54
51
100
104
102
100
104
104
PAST AND PRESENT INVARIANTS WITHIN THE TOP EIGHTEEN
Rank
Law Schools
Began
Ended
Resumed
Number 1
Yale
March 1990
In progress
Numbers 2 and 3
Stanford and Harvard
March 1992
In progress
Numbers 4 and 5
Columbia and New York U
March 1999
In progress
Number 6
U Chicago
March 1999
April 2007: U Chicago in a tie for sixth place
Numbers 6-13
Cornell, Duke, Northwestern, UC Berkeley, U Chicago, U Michigan, U Pennsylvania, and U Virginia
March 1993
In progress
Number 14
Georgetown U
March 1999
In progress
Numbers 15-16
U Texas and UCLA
April 2000
April 2007: U Texas drops to eighteenth.
April 2009
Numbers 17-18
Vanderbilt and U Southern California
April 2000
April 2007: Both tie for sixteenth.
April 2009
Number 1-18
Same 18 law schools
April 2000
In progress
We have the following:
The top law school is Yale (since March 1990).
The top three law schools are Yale along with Stanford and Harvard. Stanford was ranked outside the top three only three times (4.5 in November 1987, 4 in April 1991, and March 1997) while Harvard has ranked in the top three except for March 1990 (ranked number five).
The top five law schools (since March 1999): The top three law school along with Columbia University and New York University.
The top thirteen USN law schools (since March 1999): The top five schools along with Cornell, Duke, Northwestern, UC Berkeley, U Chicago, U Michigan, U Pennsylvania, and U Virginia.
The top fourteen USN law schools (since March 1993): The top thirteen law schools and Georgetown Univerity.
The top eighteen law schools (since April 2003): The top fourteen law schools along with UCLA, U Southern California, U Texas, and Vanderbilt.
LAW SCHOOLS MOVING UP AND DOWN WITHIN THE TOP
Top Forty Gainers from April 2000 to April 2007
Top Forty Gainers from April 2003 to April 2007
Top Forty Gainers from April 2005 to April 2007
Boston U (33.5 to 20.5)
U Washington (47 to 29)
Emory (33 to 22.5)
Washington U (30 to 19)
Boston U (29 to 20.5)
Ohio State (39.5 to 32)
Fordham (33.5 to 26)
Fordham (33 to 26)
Washington U (24.5 to 19)
UC Davis (41.5 tro 34.5)
Washingteon U (25.5 to 19)
UC Berkeley (12 to 8.5)
Ohio State (38.5 to 32)
Ohio State U (38.5 to 32)
Fordham U (29 to 26)
U Pennsylvania (12.5 to 6.5)
Emory U (27 to 22.5)
Duke U (12 to 10.5)
Emory (27 to 22.5)
UC Berkeley (10.5 to 8.5)
U Southern Cal (18 to 16.5)
U Wisconsin (36 to 32)
Duke U (12.5 to 10.5)
New York U (5 to 4)
Top Forty Losers from April 2000 to April 2007
Top Forty Losers from April 2003 to April 2007
Top Forty Losers from April 2005 to April 2007
U Michigan (7 to 8.5)
U Virginia (9 to 10.5)
U Virginia (8.5 to 10.5)
U Virginia (8.5 to 10.5)
Cornell U (10.5 to 13)
Northwestern U (10 to 12)
Cornell (10.5 to 13)
U Texas (15 to 18)
George Washington U (20.5 to 22.5)
U Texas (15 to 18)
U Iowa (21 to 24)
U Texas (15.5 to 18)
U Iowa (21 to 24)
William and Mary (29 to 32)
U Georgia (37 to 39.5)
Boston C (24 to 29)
Boston C (23 to 29)
Wake Forest (37 to 39.5)
UC Hastings (33.5 to 39.5)
U Notre Dame (23 to 29)
C William and Mary (29 to 32)
Washington and Lee (20 to 26)
Washington & Lee (19.5 to 26)
Washington and Lee U (22.5 to 26)
U Georgia (30 to 39.5)
U Georgia (33 to 39.5)
U Notre Dame (24.5 to 29)
Brigham Young (33.5 to 44.5)
U North Carolina (29 to 39.5)
Brigham Young (35 to 44.5)
U North Carolina (22 to 39.5)
Brigham Young (33 to 44.5)
U North Carolina (29 to 39.5)
LAW SCHOOL RANKINGS RANKING THE TOP FIVE STATE LAW SCHOOLS
The three highest ranking USN state university law schools are, in order, UC Berkeley, U Michigan, and U Virginia. In the April 2006 USN ranking, these three law schools were tied, ranking strictly between U Pennsylvania (ranked 7) and Duke (ranked 11). In the April 2007 USN ranking, UC Berkeley and U Michigan were tied for eighth and ninth while U Virginia was tied for tenth and eleventh with Duke. In the April 2008 USN ranking, UC Berkeley established itself as the top state-university law school by moving ahead of the April 2007 sixth and seventh top law schools (U Chicago and U Pennsylvania) to rank sixth while U Michigan and U Virginia found themselves in a three-way tie with Northwestern for ninth, tenth, and eleventh. In the April 2009 USN ranking, UC Berkeley maintained its position as the number one state-university law school even though it dropped to a tie for sixth and seventh (with U Chicago). U Michigan gained some ground ranking ninth whereas U Virginia found itself in a three-way tie with Duke and Northwestern for ninth, tenth, and eleventh. What does the April 2010 USN ranking hold? UC Berkeley and U Chicago will be six or seven in some order. U Pennsylvania, U Michigan, Duke, Northwestern, and U Virginia will rank eighth through twelfth in some order.
The USN rank of a law school depends directly on the law school's USN overall score. Looking at some April 2008 relevant USN overall scores, we see that U Berkeley has 81, each of U Chicago and U Pennsylvania has 80, and all three of Northwestern, U Michigan, and U Virginia each has 79. Thus we have a very close race for USN rankings 6 to 11. UC Berkeley does not have much hope of ranking fifth or fourth in the near future since the present holders of these ranks (New York University and Columbia) has a USN overall score of 85 or 88. Note that the overall scores are the true overall score round to the nearest integer. For example, UC Berkeley' overall score of 81 could actually be, before rounding to the nearest integer, 80.51 and U Chicago's overall score of 80 could actually be 80.49.
The fourth and fifth highest ranking USN state university law schools are, in some orde, UCLA and U Texa. Probably its best to say, as US News does, it is a tie.