Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Law
Penn State Law is located on Penn State's University Park campus. The law school offers all of the resources of a world-class research institution and has a student-centered academic environment. Renowned legal experts teach the curriculum at Penn State Law and offer ample clinical and experiential learning opportunities. The Career Services team at Penn State Law is available to work with students from day one to help them accomplish their professional goals. Penn State Law is one of two law schools operated by Penn State, the other being Dickinson Law in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Contents
History
Penn State Law provides students with a legal education that prepares them for success in the legal profession. The school is located in University Park and offers small classes taught by a faculty of prominent legal scholars and leading practitioners. Penn State Law emphasizes innovation and provides individualized mentoring and career support to help students achieve their goals.
Admissions
Penn State Law, located at Pennsylvania State University’s University Park campus, is entering an important transition in 2025. The American Bar Association has approved the reunification of Penn State Law with Dickinson Law into a single institution known as Penn State Dickinson Law. Beginning in fall 2025, the newly merged school will welcome a combined class of about 200 Juris Doctor students, with 125 studying at the Carlisle campus (former Dickinson Law) and 75 at the University Park campus (former Penn State Law). This unification brings together the histories, resources, and strengths of both schools, aiming to enhance the competitiveness and efficiency of Penn State’s legal education. The institution continues to offer a strong mix of programs, including the J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D., along with opportunities for joint degrees in fields like business and international affairs. With a focus on rigorous academics, hands-on experiential learning, and interdisciplinary collaboration, Penn State Dickinson Law seeks to provide students with the skills and training necessary to excel in the legal profession while moving forward under a unified identity.
Statistics
| Admissions Stats | ||
| Class of: | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 |
| 25th - 50th - 75th percentile LSAT | 157 - 161 - 163 | 152 - 155 - 158 |
| 25th - 50th - 75th percentile GPA | 3.62 - 3.77 - 3.90 | 3.5 - 3.71 - 3.83 |
| Acceptance rate | 30.9% | 51.4% |
| Applications received | 1914 | 1397 |
| Acceptances | 707 | 718 |
| Matriculants | 129 | 126 |
For the 2024–2025 admissions cycle, Penn State Law received 1,397 applications and accepted 718 students, resulting in an acceptance rate of 51.4%. Of those admitted, 126 ultimately enrolled as matriculants. The LSAT range for the middle 50% of the entering class was between 152 and 158, while the GPA range for the same group was between 3.5 and 3.83. These figures reflect a broader admissions profile compared to the prior year, with fewer applications submitted overall but a higher acceptance rate. The incoming class thus represents a diverse mix of students admitted under a slightly more accessible admissions landscape, while still maintaining strong academic indicators.
Application Process
To apply to the J.D. program at the University Beasley School of Law, you must submit an electronic application through the Law School Admission Council website. The electronic application should include the personal statement, additional statement or appendices, and your résumé or summary of work experiences and activities. Letters of recommendation must be submitted through LSAC's Letter of Recommendation Service.
To be considered for admission to the University Beasley School of Law, you must submit the following: a complete application, a $60 nonrefundable application fee or authorized fee waiver, a Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score or Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score, a law school report from the Credential Assembly Service, a personal statement, a resume or overview of your academic and professional experiences, two letters of recommendation from academic or professional contacts, and a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score (if applicable).
Tuition and Financial Aid
For the 2025–2026 academic year, prospective students at Penn State Law (University Park) can expect tuition and mandatory fees to total approximately $57,556. Living expenses—including housing, food, books, supplies, and personal costs—bring the overall cost of attendance to around $81,600. Nearly all students receive grants or scholarships, with the average aid covering almost the entirety of tuition at about $55,800.
At Penn State Dickinson Law (Carlisle), tuition and fees are estimated at roughly $59,054, with the total cost of attendance reaching about $85,850 when factoring in living and related expenses. Financial assistance is nearly universal there as well, with almost every student receiving support, and the average award amount of $56,500 covering a substantial portion of the tuition.
Cost of Attendance
For the 2025–2026 academic year, the estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) at Penn State Law (University Park) is approximately $81,600. This figure combines tuition and mandatory fees of $57,556 with additional expenses such as housing, food, books, supplies, and personal costs. At Penn State Dickinson Law (Carlisle), the COA is slightly higher, totaling around $85,850, which includes tuition and fees of $59,054 along with living and academic expenses. Both campuses ensure that the majority of students receive significant financial aid, making the actual cost lower for most enrolled students.
| School | Tuition & Fees | Living/Other Expenses | Total COA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State Law (University Park) | $57,556 | ~$24,044 | ~$81,600 |
| Penn State Dickinson Law (Carlisle) | $59,054 | ~$26,796 | ~$85,850 |
Scholarships
Penn State Law offers scholarships to all of its JD applicants. These scholarships can cover the total tuition cost of attendance and are renewable for the second and third years as long as the student maintains good academic standing. Renewal is not based on law school class rank, so that all students can receive the scholarship regardless of their GPA. No separate application process is needed to be considered for scholarships; all eligible students are automatically considered when they apply.
Pennsylvania residents and Penn State alumni who are accepted to the Beasley School of Law before April 1 will receive a grant of $20,000 per year off their tuition. This grant can be stacked with other scholarships from Penn State Law to cover the cost of tuition.
Outside Scholarships
Students may also wish to pursue outside scholarships to supplement any Penn State Law awards. Penn State Law's financial aid office works to compile a list of third-party scholarships available to our students.
Need-Based Grants
Penn State Law offers need-based grants to students who demonstrate significant financial need. These grants are available to both incoming and returning students, and consideration for need-based aid is made after admission is offered. Students must submit the need-based aid application to be considered for a need-based grant. Grants are especially valuable to first-year students expected to devote more time and energy to academic efforts and are discouraged from working. The amount of a need-based grant varies depending on the student's year in school, but all students who receive a grant will be expected to borrow the maximum federal Stafford Loan amount.
Employment Prospects & Bar passage
The employment prospects for graduates of Penn State Law and the newly consolidated Penn State Dickinson Law are closely tied to the school’s strong reputation for practical training, regional placement, and a growing national profile. Most graduates secure positions within law firms, government, corporate counsel offices, and public interest organizations, with a significant number starting their careers in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region, though opportunities extend nationally and even internationally. The school’s emphasis on experiential learning—through clinics, externships, and interdisciplinary programs—helps ensure that graduates are practice-ready and competitive in the job market. Career services teams at both campuses provide personalized guidance, networking opportunities, and connections to alumni, which further enhance employment outcomes for students entering diverse legal fields.
In terms of bar passage, Penn State’s law graduates typically achieve results that align with or exceed the statewide average. The curriculum is structured not only to cover doctrinal knowledge but also to prepare students with the analytical, practical, and professional skills needed to succeed on the bar exam. Both Penn State Law and Dickinson Law have historically invested in bar preparation resources, such as workshops, practice exams, and individualized counseling. With the ABA-approved reunification of the schools into Penn State Dickinson Law, the combined institution is expected to leverage its resources more effectively, providing students with even stronger support systems for both bar readiness and long-term career development. This integrated approach positions graduates to meet professional challenges confidently and to transition successfully from law school into the practice of law.
Academics
The J.D. program at Penn State Law is a three-year, six-semester course of study that provides a comprehensive foundation in law and reflects its faculty's broad research, teaching, and practice expertise. In the required first-year curriculum, all students take courses that form the core of knowledge in the legal profession and develop basic legal writing and communication skills. Upper-level students choose among elective courses to further their individual educational and professional goals.
During the first year, students must complete courses in Civil Procedure; Constitutional Law; Contracts; Criminal Law; Criminal Procedure; Elements of Law; Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing; Property Law; and Torts.
With its location on Penn State’s University Park campus, Penn State Law offers convenient access to joint-degree programs and opportunities for interdisciplinary study with other Penn State graduate programs, including the Smeal College of Business, the College of Education, and the School of International Affairs, which is located in the same building as the law school.
Penn State Law offers clinical and externship programs, including a Semester in Washington Program, an International Court of Justice Semester at The Hague, externships with federal and state judges and agencies, and an array of in-house legal clinics, including:
- Arts, Sports & Entertainment Law Clinic
- Center for Immigrants Rights Clinic
- Civil Rights Appellate Clinic (which in 2012 successfully petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case)
- Family Law Clinic
- International Sustainable Development Projects Clinic
- Indigent Criminal Justice Clinic
- Rural Economic Development Clinic (offering experience with the Marcellus Shale and energy issues)
The Penn State Law faculty includes nationally and internationally prominent legal scholars, accomplished jurists, and legal practitioners with knowledge of, and experience in, a wide range of traditional and emerging legal fields.
Quality of Life
Penn State Law is located on Penn State’s 13-square-mile University Park campus in State College, Pa. University Park is the largest of Penn State’s campuses and is the academic home of a diverse population of about 46,000 graduate, undergraduate, and professional students, including about 7,500 international students. In 2014, U.S. News ranked Penn State eighth among national public universities, and, in 2013, Penn State’s libraries were ranked eighth among all North American research libraries. In addition to Big Ten athletic events, Penn State students enjoy a lively music and arts community and a wide range of other entertainment. The campus is pedestrian- and bike-friendly with an eclectic mixture of historic classroom buildings, cutting-edge, modern architecture, and a beautiful urban landscape.
The law school’s LEED-certified, state-of-the-art Lewis Katz Building is adjacent to Penn State’s H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens, across the street from a recently renovated student intramural sports and fitness center and a few blocks from central campus and downtown State College.
Perhaps better known as Happy Valley, State College is a quintessential college town that offers students many of the amenities of a larger urban environment in a clean, safe, and affordable setting. Thanks to its highly educated population made up largely of Penn State faculty and staff, State College is consistently ranked among the nation’s smartest, safest, and most livable cities by a variety of organizations and publications.
State College is within a three-hour drive of Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and about four hours from New York, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. The University Park Airport, located 10 minutes from the law school’s Lewis Katz Building, offers direct flights to Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C., with convenient connections to other major cities.
Contact Information
Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Law
Admissions Office
Penn State Law
Lewis Katz Building
University Park, PA 16802
Email: admissions@pennstatelaw.psu.edu
Phone: (814) 867-1251
Summary
| Established | 1834 |
| Location | University Park, PA |
| Dean | Victor Romero |
| 2025 US News Ranking | 68th |
| LSAT Median Score | 155 |
| GPA Median Score | 3.71 |
| Bar Passage Rate | 86.6% (2025) |
| Employment Rate | N/A (2025) |
| Cost | "$57,556 (in-state, full-time),
$57,556 (out-of-state, full-time)" |
| Average Debt | N/A |
| Application Deadline | N/A |
Forum and Discussion
Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Law Discussions
Law School Admissions Forums
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Reference
https://pennstatelaw.psu.edu/
Rank #68
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Interview: with Renee C. Post, Associate Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law
Forums: https://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=4
