Indiana University Indianapolis Law

Published July 2008, last updated February 2013.

The Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis (also known as IU–Indy) is a viable option for Indiana residents interested in practicing law in Indiana. The school has around 1,000 students, is the largest law school in the state, and has full- and part-time programs.

Employment prospects and bar passage

According to Law School Transparency, 52% of 2011 McKinney grads found employment in full-time, long-term legal jobs (excluding solos) nine months after graduation. Twenty-two graduates (8.7%) took jobs at large law firms (more than 100 attorneys). 14.3% were employed in the public sector, including government and public interest.

McKinney does not release detailed salary information about its graduates. What we do know is that of those 2011 graduates who are employed, the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile salaries are $48,500, $60,000, and $75,000. For those in private law practice, those numbers are $50,000, $70,000, and $100,000. 41.7% of 2011 graduates were employed and reported a salary.

In July 2012, 80% of McKinney graduates passed the Indiana bar exam on their first try, close to the statewide first-time passage rate of 81%. Most employed 2011 graduates (156) stayed in Indiana; the second and third most popular states were Ohio (7) and Virginia (6).

Admissions and tuition

McKinney does not have particularly high admissions standards. According to U.S. News, McKinney in 2011 accepted 41.4% of applicants to the full-time J.D. program and 58.1% of applicants to the part-time program. For full-time J.D. students matriculating in 2012, the 25th to 75th percentile GPA range was 3.25–3.69 (average: 3.51) and the 25th to 75th percentile LSAT range was 155–160 (median: 157). For part-time students, the ranges were 2.89–3.46 (average: 3.21) and 147–157 (median: 151). The entering class sizes were 171 for the full-time program and 88 for part-timers.

Tuition has been skyrocketing at law schools across the country, and McKinney is no exception. According to Law School Transparency, the total debt-financed cost of a McKinney J.D. for in-state students is about $160,000; for out-of-state students, it is an astounding $242,000, almost a quarter of a million dollars. In-state tuition for the 2012–2013 school year is $23,552, a significant discount from the out-of-state rate of $42,690. The school estimates that the total cost of attendance $44,676 per year for in-staters and $63,814 for out-of-staters.

To offset this high cost, students may apply for scholarships in the spring. The school offers a loan repayment assistance program for those employed full-time at qualifying employers doing public-interest legal work for underrepresented groups.

Academics

Before graduation, McKinney students must complete the usual 1L courses (contracts, torts, property, civ pro, criminal law, con law, and legal research and writing), plus professional responsibility, at least one skills course (such as a clinic, a contract drafting course, or trial advocacy), and a research paper.

Students can complement their study with research, for example, at the Hall Center for Law and Health, or gain hands-on experience in one of the school’s clinics. Other centers and clinics include: Indiana Legal Aid Society, Center for International Human Rights Law and the Center on Law & Government, among others.

If the normal classes and clinics fail to fulfill students’ academic needs, McKinney also offers study-abroad and dual-degree programs. Second degrees offered include an MBA, MPA, MHA (health administration), MPH (public health), MD, MLS (library science), MSW (social work), MA in health law and bioethics. The school also offers a summer program in Chinese law in Beijing.

Quality of life

As the state capital, Indianapolis is the center or government, business, and cultural happenings in the state. Indianapolis has a lively downtown area, with a thriving arts community and an enthusiastic sports culture.

Quick reference

U.S. News ranking: No. 89
LSAT median (class of 2015): full-time 157, part-time 151
GPA median (class of 2015): full-time 3.51, part-time 3.21
Multiple LSAT scores: Higher score accepted
Application deadlines: November 15 (early), July 31 (regular)
Application fee: $50
Entering class size: full-time 171, part-time 88
Annual tuition (2012–2013): $23,552 (in-state) $42,690 (out-of-state)
Indiana bar first-time passage rate: 80%
Overall state first-time passage rate: 81%
Percent of graduates employed nine months after graduation in full-time, long-term legal jobs (excluding solos): 52%
Median private sector starting salary: $70,000 (class of 2011, 41.7% responding)
Total debt-financed cost of attendance: $159,998 (in-state), $241,753 (out-of-state)