15 Law Schools in New York (2026): LSAT, GPA, Tuition & Admissions Guide

^{Last Updated: August 2026}

New York is home to one of the largest and most diverse legal education markets in the United States. Prospective law students can choose among nationally prominent private institutions, public law schools with substantially lower tuition, schools deeply connected to the New York City legal market, and regional programs throughout Long Island, Westchester County, Albany, Ithaca, Syracuse, and Buffalo.

There are 15 ABA-approved law schools in New York State. Eight are located within New York City's five boroughs, while the remaining schools offer alternatives in Long Island, the Hudson Valley, the Capital Region, Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and Western New York.

Choosing among these schools should involve far more than looking at rankings. Applicants should compare LSAT and GPA medians, acceptance rates, scholarships, total cost of attendance, bar passage results, employment outcomes, geographic placement, practice-area strengths, and the types of employers that recruit from each institution.

Before comparing individual schools, prospective applicants may also want to review the 2026–2027 LSAT Preparation Resources, Law School Acceptance Rates, and Law School Fee Waivers Guide.

New York Law Schools at a Glance

The following figures are based primarily on 2025 ABA Standard 509 disclosures. LSAT and GPA figures are medians for the entering class. Tuition represents published 2025–2026 full-time first-year tuition and generally excludes separately listed mandatory fees, living expenses, books, transportation, and other costs.

Law School	Location	Median LSAT	Median GPA	Acceptance Rate	2025–26 Full-Time Tuition
Columbia Law School	Manhattan	173	3.92	11.84%	$85,368
NYU School of Law	Manhattan	172	3.92	13.39%	$83,952
Cornell Law School	Ithaca	173	3.92	18.19%	$84,722
Fordham University School of Law	Manhattan	168	3.79	16.22%	$78,078
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law	Manhattan	165	3.78	29.56%	$74,438
St. John's University School of Law	Queens	164	3.81	23.05%	$75,170
Brooklyn Law School	Brooklyn	161	3.59	44.00%	$75,496
Albany Law School	Albany	158	3.54	37.45%	$63,994
Syracuse University College of Law	Syracuse	158	3.60	34.59%	$64,650
New York Law School	Manhattan	157	3.63	39.67%	$71,052
Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University	Hempstead	157	3.65	40.56%	$73,344
University at Buffalo School of Law	Buffalo	157	3.71	42.37%	$26,430 resident / $32,100 nonresident
CUNY School of Law	Long Island City	155	3.54	28.65%	$15,450 resident / $25,640 nonresident
Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University	White Plains	154	3.54	44.13%	$56,648
Touro University Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center	Central Islip	153	3.35	45.62%	$61,000

Data note: Admissions figures and tuition can change every year. Applicants should confirm the latest ABA Standard 509 disclosure, financial-aid information, and school-specific tuition before making a final enrollment decision.

Law Schools in New York City

Eight ABA-approved law schools operate within New York City's five boroughs. For students who ultimately want to practice in New York, attending school in the city can provide convenient access to courts, law firms, government offices, corporate legal departments, public-interest organizations, networking events, externships, and alumni.

That does not mean every NYC law school produces identical outcomes. The differences in admissions selectivity, employment placement, scholarship opportunities, and cost can be substantial.

Columbia Law School

Located in Morningside Heights in Manhattan, Columbia Law School is one of the most selective law schools in the country. Its 2025 entering class reported a median LSAT of 173 and median undergraduate GPA of 3.92, while fewer than 12% of applicants received offers of admission.

Columbia offers significant national mobility and access to large law firms, judicial clerkships, government, academia, public-interest organizations, and international opportunities. Its New York City location also gives students direct access to one of the world's largest legal markets.

Experiential opportunities extend well beyond corporate law. Columbia's clinics include appellate litigation, criminal defense, environmental and climate justice, family defense, immigrants' rights, mediation, human rights, entrepreneurship, and post-conviction work.

Prospective students can explore the Columbia Law School profile for additional information about the school.

New York University School of Law

NYU School of Law, located in Greenwich Village, is another extremely selective law school with extensive national and international reach. The 2025 class entered with a 172 median LSAT and 3.92 median GPA, and NYU admitted approximately 13.4% of completed applicants.

NYU is particularly attractive to students interested in public-interest work, international law, tax, business law, government, academia, and major law firms. Its extensive New York City network provides access to employers throughout Manhattan and beyond.

For applicants considering public-service careers, financial support after graduation may be especially important. NYU operates a Loan Repayment Assistance Program for qualifying alumni working in public service.

See the NYU School of Law profile for a more detailed overview.

Fordham University School of Law

Located near Lincoln Center in Manhattan, Fordham University School of Law occupies an important position in the New York legal market. Its 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 168 and median GPA of 3.79, with an acceptance rate of approximately 16.2%.

Fordham can be particularly appealing to applicants focused on New York City who do not attend Columbia or NYU but still want significant access to the city's law firms and legal employers. The school also offers both full-time and part-time study, which can make it useful for applicants who need more flexibility.

As with any expensive private law school, applicants should compare scholarships and estimated debt carefully against likely employment outcomes rather than relying on the school's headline tuition alone.

Additional information is available in the Fordham Law profile.

Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law

Yeshiva University's Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law is located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. For its 2025 entering class, Cardozo reported a median LSAT of 165, median GPA of 3.78, and acceptance rate of approximately 29.6%.

Cardozo has developed particular visibility in areas including intellectual property, dispute resolution, criminal justice, and experiential legal education. Its location provides convenient access to courts, law firms, entertainment and media companies, nonprofits, and other New York employers.

Students interested in criminal justice may also recognize Cardozo for its longstanding association with the Innocence Project.

For additional admissions and campus information, visit the Cardozo School of Law profile.

St. John's University School of Law

St. John's University School of Law is located in Queens and has a strong regional connection to New York's legal market. The school's 2025 entering class recorded a median LSAT of 164 and median GPA of 3.81. St. John's admitted approximately 23% of applicants.

Its Queens location can appeal to students who want access to New York City while studying on a traditional university campus. Applicants interested in remaining in the New York metropolitan area should compare St. John's employment geography, alumni network, scholarship offers, and total projected debt with competing NYC-area schools.

Brooklyn Law School

Located in Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Law School puts students close to federal and state courthouses, government offices, major law firms, startups, public-interest organizations, and the broader Manhattan legal market.

For 2025, Brooklyn Law reported a median LSAT of 161, median GPA of 3.59, and acceptance rate of 44%. Published full-time tuition was $75,496 before separately listed fees and living expenses.

Because the cost of attending a private law school in New York City can become substantial, applicants comparing Brooklyn with Cardozo, Fordham, St. John's, and NYLS should focus heavily on scholarship amounts and conditions, total borrowing, and current employment disclosures.

See the Brooklyn Law School profile for more information.

New York Law School

New York Law School should not be confused with NYU School of Law. They are separate institutions.

NYLS is located in Tribeca in Lower Manhattan. Its 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 157, a median GPA of 3.63, and a 39.67% acceptance rate. The school enrolled both full-time and part-time students.

The downtown location provides convenient access to courts, government agencies, financial institutions, law firms, and public-interest organizations. Applicants should compare NYLS's scholarship package and career outcomes with those of other New York City schools when determining the net value of attendance.

The New York Law School profile provides a deeper look at the institution.

CUNY School of Law

Located in Long Island City, Queens, CUNY School of Law stands apart from many New York schools because of its public-service mission and comparatively low tuition.

CUNY reported a 2025 median LSAT of 155, median GPA of 3.54, and acceptance rate of approximately 28.7%. Full-time tuition was $15,450 for New York residents and $25,640 for nonresidents before mandatory fees.

CUNY describes itself as the only law school founded specifically to train public-interest lawyers, and clinical education remains central to its program.

For applicants committed to public-interest, legal services, nonprofit, government, community advocacy, or similar careers, CUNY deserves evaluation not simply by national ranking but by mission fit, employment outcomes, and potential debt burden.

Visit the CUNY School of Law profile for additional information.

Law Schools on Long Island and in the Lower Hudson Valley

Students who want access to the New York metropolitan legal market do not necessarily have to attend school within the five boroughs. Hofstra, Touro, and Pace provide three additional options within reach of New York City.

Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University

Located in Hempstead on Long Island, Hofstra Law reported a 2025 median LSAT of 157, median GPA of 3.65, and acceptance rate of approximately 40.6%.

Hofstra can make sense for applicants who want to develop their professional network on Long Island or in the broader New York metropolitan market. As with similarly priced private institutions, the most meaningful financial figure is usually not published tuition but the applicant's actual cost after grants and scholarships.

See the Hofstra Law profile.

Touro University Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center

Touro Law Center is located in Central Islip on Long Island, near both federal and state courthouses. Its 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 153 and median GPA of 3.35, with approximately 45.6% of applicants receiving offers. Published full-time tuition was approximately $61,000 before fees.

Applicants considering Touro should pay close attention to scholarship terms, employment outcomes, bar results, expected borrowing, and whether they intend to develop a career specifically in Long Island or the surrounding market.

Additional background is available through the Touro Law profile.

Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University

Located in White Plains, Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University reported a median LSAT of 154, median GPA of 3.54, and approximately 44.1% acceptance rate for 2025.

Haub Law is especially notable for environmental law. Its environmental law program has developed a longstanding national reputation and can be particularly attractive to applicants interested in environmental regulation, climate law, conservation, energy, and sustainability.

Its White Plains location also puts students near federal, state, county, and local courts while remaining within commuting distance of New York City.

See the Pace Law School profile for more information.

Law Schools in Upstate New York

Four ABA-approved law schools are located farther north and west: Cornell, Albany, Syracuse, and the University at Buffalo. These schools serve different markets and offer very different combinations of selectivity, tuition, and geographic reach.

Cornell Law School

Located in Ithaca, Cornell Law School is geographically removed from New York City but has substantially broader national placement than most regional law schools.

Cornell's 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 173 and median GPA of 3.92. It admitted approximately 18.2% of applicants.

Applicants interested in major law firms, federal clerkships, New York City practice, or geographic mobility should evaluate Cornell alongside other nationally prominent schools rather than assuming its Ithaca location limits graduates to upstate New York.

The Cornell Law School profile provides more background.

Albany Law School

Founded in 1851, Albany Law School offers a particularly distinctive location for students interested in state government, administrative law, public policy, courts, and legal practice in New York's Capital Region.

For 2025, Albany reported a median LSAT of 158, median GPA of 3.54, and acceptance rate of approximately 37.5%. Full-time tuition was approximately $63,994 before fees and living costs.

Students considering Albany should examine how strongly their career goals align with Albany, state government, and other regional markets.

Read the Albany Law School profile.

Syracuse University College of Law

Syracuse University College of Law reported a 2025 median LSAT of 158, median GPA of 3.60, and acceptance rate of approximately 34.6%.

Syracuse also offers a distinctive option for students who cannot follow a conventional residential path. Its JDinteractive program is an ABA-accredited hybrid online J.D. designed for working professionals and combines live online instruction, self-paced coursework, residencies, and experiential learning.

That makes Syracuse particularly worth investigating for applicants comparing traditional residential programs with more flexible ways to earn a J.D.

Visit the Syracuse University College of Law profile.

University at Buffalo School of Law

University at Buffalo School of Law is a public institution and can offer a meaningful cost advantage over many private New York law schools.

For the 2025–2026 year, tuition was approximately $26,430 for residents and $32,100 for nonresidents before separately listed fees. The entering class had a median LSAT of 157, median GPA of 3.71, and acceptance rate of approximately 42.4%.

For applicants who expect to practice in Western New York—or those receiving limited scholarship assistance from expensive private schools—the difference in tuition can materially change the financial analysis.

Explore the SUNY Buffalo Law School profile for additional information.

What Are the Best Law Schools in New York?

There is no single answer because the "best" law school depends on the student's intended career.

For applicants primarily concerned with national reach, large-firm recruiting, highly competitive clerkships, or geographic mobility, Columbia, NYU, and Cornell generally warrant the closest attention.

Applicants primarily focused on New York City private-practice opportunities may also find Fordham particularly important because of its positioning within the New York market.

For students committed to public-interest law, CUNY's mission and relatively low public tuition can create a very different value proposition. NYU also has extensive public-interest programs and loan-repayment assistance.

Applicants interested in environmental law should investigate Pace's Haub School of Law closely because of the strength and breadth of its environmental program.

Students focused on New York State government and public policy may find Albany's proximity to the state capital especially valuable.

For applicants prioritizing lower published tuition, CUNY and the University at Buffalo are immediately notable, although scholarships at private schools can dramatically change an individual student's net cost.

Rankings can be useful as one reference point, but they should not substitute for employment, debt, scholarship, and career analysis. TLS provides additional context in its Law School Rankings Guide and discussion of whether law school rankings really matter.

LawCrossing also provides a broader perspective in its guide to top law schools and programs for aspiring lawyers.

Which New York Law Schools Are the Most Affordable?

Published tuition varies enormously across New York.

Among the state's public options, CUNY reported full-time resident tuition of approximately $15,450 for 2025–2026, while Buffalo reported resident tuition of approximately $26,430. By comparison, published tuition at Columbia exceeded $85,000 before mandatory fees and living expenses.

Published tuition, however, should never be treated as the final cost.

A $70,000 private school offering a substantial guaranteed scholarship could ultimately cost less than another institution with lower sticker tuition. Conversely, an applicant paying full tuition in New York City may face significant living expenses in addition to tuition and fees.

Applicants should therefore calculate estimated three-year net cost after scholarships rather than simply comparing sticker prices.

LSAT and GPA Requirements for New York Law Schools

New York illustrates just how wide the law-school admissions spectrum can be.

The 2025 median LSAT among the schools on this page ranged from 153 at Touro to 173 at Columbia and Cornell. Median undergraduate GPAs ranged from approximately 3.35 to 3.92.

These numbers are not minimum admission requirements. They describe the academic profile of enrolled students.

An applicant below a school's median can still be admitted, while being above both medians does not guarantee admission. Admissions committees may also evaluate work experience, academic trends, recommendations, personal statements, résumé quality, life experience, graduate education, character and fitness issues, and other factors.

A stronger LSAT can also affect scholarship opportunities, not just admission. Applicants still preparing for the test should use the current TLS LSAT Guide rather than older LSAT resources that still discuss Logic Games, which are no longer part of the current exam.

Changes in standardized testing policies are also worth monitoring. LawCrossing has covered the ABA's evolving approach to standardized tests in law school admissions.

How to Choose a Law School in New York

A prospective student should begin with career goals, not rankings.

If you know you want to work in New York City, examine how many graduates of each school actually enter New York employment and what kinds of employers hire them. If your goal is BigLaw, examine large-firm placement and federal clerkships. If your goal is public interest, compare public-interest placement, LRAP programs, scholarships, and total debt.

Next, calculate cost carefully. Look at tuition, mandatory fees, housing, transportation, health insurance, books, projected tuition increases, scholarship conditions, and interest on borrowed funds.

Then compare your admissions profile with each school's LSAT and GPA distribution. A school where your numbers are comfortably above the medians may produce a very different scholarship outcome from a school where you are below both medians.

Finally, consider whether the school's geographic network matches your plans. Columbia, NYU, and Cornell can provide significant national mobility. Other schools may have their strongest alumni and employer networks within New York City, Long Island, Albany, Central New York, or Western New York.

LawCrossing's Law Student Questions and Answers also discusses the importance of considering where you ultimately want to live and work when selecting a law school.

Frequently Asked Questions About New York Law Schools

How many law schools are in New York?

New York has 15 ABA-approved law schools. They range from highly selective national institutions such as Columbia, NYU, and Cornell to public and regional schools serving New York City, Long Island, Albany, Central New York, and Western New York.

How many law schools are in New York City?

Eight of the state's ABA-approved schools are located within New York City's five boroughs: Columbia, NYU, Fordham, Cardozo, Brooklyn Law School, New York Law School, CUNY, and St. John's.

What are the most selective law schools in New York?

Based on 2025 ABA admissions data, Columbia, NYU, Fordham, and Cornell were among the most selective New York schools by acceptance rate. Admissions competitiveness should also be evaluated through LSAT and GPA distributions rather than acceptance rate alone.

What is the cheapest law school in New York?

For New York residents, CUNY reported full-time 2025–2026 tuition of approximately $15,450 before mandatory fees, making it the lowest published resident tuition among the schools compared here. University at Buffalo also has substantially lower resident tuition than most private New York law schools.

Is New York Law School the same as NYU Law?

No. New York Law School and New York University School of Law are completely separate institutions. New York Law School is located in Tribeca, while NYU Law is based around Washington Square in Greenwich Village.

Do I need to attend law school in New York to practice law in New York?

No. Attorneys practicing in New York graduate from law schools throughout the United States and abroad, subject to New York's applicable bar-admission requirements. Attending law school in New York can nevertheless make local networking, internships, externships, and employer access easier.

Which New York law school is best for environmental law?

Applicants specifically interested in environmental law should investigate Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Its environmental law program has a longstanding national reputation and extensive coursework, clinics, centers, and research opportunities devoted to environmental and climate issues.

Which New York law school is best for public-interest law?

CUNY was established specifically around a public-interest mission and remains heavily focused on public-service and clinical education. NYU is another major option for students pursuing public interest, particularly because of its extensive programming and Loan Repayment Assistance Program.

Should I choose the highest-ranked New York law school that accepts me?

Not automatically. A substantial scholarship at one school may be more valuable than paying full tuition at another, particularly when the schools produce similar outcomes for your intended career. Compare net cost, debt, employment outcomes, bar passage, geographic placement, and scholarship conditions before deciding.

Final Thoughts

New York offers almost every type of legal education a prospective law student could seek.

Columbia, NYU, and Cornell provide highly selective programs with extensive national reach. Fordham occupies an important position in New York City's private legal market. Cardozo, St. John's, Brooklyn, New York Law School, Hofstra, and other regional institutions provide different combinations of location, specialization, scholarship opportunities, and New York connections.

CUNY and Buffalo demonstrate why cost deserves as much attention as prestige, while Pace, Albany, Syracuse, and Touro may stand out for students with particular geographic, programmatic, or scheduling priorities.

No applicant should select a law school based on ranking alone.

Compare what you will actually pay with where graduates actually work. Look at ABA disclosures, scholarship conditions, bar passage statistics, practice-area opportunities, and the strength of the school's network in the market where you want to build your career.

The best New York law school is ultimately the school that gives you a realistic path to your intended legal career at a financial cost you can reasonably manage.

Related Top-Law-Schools.com Resources

Related LawCrossing Resources

Discuss New York Law Schools on the Top-Law-Schools.com Forums

The TLS community provides years of applicant, student, and graduate discussions about admissions, scholarships, school selection, career goals, and New York law schools. Because individual posts may be historical, always verify tuition, employment statistics, and admissions figures against current school disclosures.