Last updated: September 15, 2026

Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law

Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law is a public flagship (research) law school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that enrolled a first-year class of 237 students in Fall 2025 from 3,043 completed applications, with a median LSAT of 165 and a median undergraduate GPA of 3.76. It is ranked #50 in the 2026 U.S. News rankings, and it placed #41 on Law.com's 2026 Go-To Law Schools list for placing graduates in associate positions at the nation's largest 100 firms. The central decision issue for admitted applicants is that Temple Law pairs stable Philadelphia / Mid-Atlantic BigLaw placement with a flagship public price tag, at a 2026-27 cost of attendance of approximately $64,000 (PA resident) or ~$98,000 (non-resident) for the full-time day division.

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Temple Beasley Law at a Glance

Category	Latest information
Founded	1895
Type	Public (research university)
ABA approval or accreditation	ABA approved (Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association; AALS member)
Location	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Latest U.S. News rank	#50 (2026 edition)
Latest completed applications	3,043 (Fall 2025, 2025 509 report)
Latest acceptance rate	24.38% (Fall 2025)
Latest LSAT median	165 (Fall 2025)
Latest GPA median	3.76 (Fall 2025)
Latest entering class	237 (Fall 2025)
Current tuition	$20,376 PA resident / $36,600 non-resident (full-time day, 2026–27)
Current estimated cost of attendance	~$64,000 PA resident / ~$98,000 non-resident (full-time day, 2026–27)
Latest first-time bar passage	89% (178 of 200 first-time takers, 2025)
Latest bar-required employment	85.9% full-time, long-term, bar-required; ~90% any employment at 10 months (Class of 2025)
Current dean	not independently confirmed (dean transition in process as of Fall 2026)

The admissions figures are drawn from Temple Beasley's 2025 ABA Standard 509 Information Report (3,043 completed applications; 742 offers; 24.38% acceptance rate; 237 in the first-year class as of October 2025). Temple's own class-profile page reports the same Fall 2025 medians (LSAT 165 / GPA 3.76) with 25th-75th percentile LSAT range of 162-168 and an average age of 25. Tuition and cost data are from Temple Law's J.D. Cost of Attendance page and Temple University's 2026-27 tuition announcement.

Introduction

The Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, founded in 1895, is the law school of Temple University and the law school of record for the City of Philadelphia. It is located at 1719 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the main undergraduate campus in the heart of North Philadelphia. With a J.D. student body of roughly 700 across day and evening divisions and a first-year Day Division class of 237, Temple is one of the larger mid-tier public flagships for legal education in the Northeast.

Temple Law's identity rests on three pillars: deep placement into Philadelphia BigLaw and the Mid-Atlantic legal market; a flagship-public price tag that keeps debt well below the median private-school equivalent; and an established tradition of access and academic achievement that places Temple among the most diverse law schools in the country. Alumni cluster in Philadelphia, with growing national reach into New York, D.C., and southern New Jersey, and the school maintains strong federal clerkship pipelines in the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Pennsylvania and the Third Circuit.

Rankings and Reputation

Temple Law is ranked #50 in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report law school rankings, holding a stable mid-tier position among public flagship law schools. The school's reputation in Philadelphia and the broader Mid-Atlantic legal market is exceptionally strong, and it has consistently placed on Law.com's Go-To Law Schools list.

Overall ranking

U.S. News edition	Temple Law rank
2026	50
2025	51

The 2024 and 2023 U.S. News ranks for Temple Law were not independently confirmed in the sources reviewed. Movement within the top-50 for a public flagship rarely signals a meaningful change in career outcomes, which are driven by employment data rather than rank position.

Specialty rankings

Temple Law's recognized strengths include Trial Advocacy (top-25 nationally), International Law (top-15), Tax Law (top-20), Business / Corporate Law, and Public Interest Law. The school has been recognized on Law.com's 2026 Go-To Law Schools list at #41 and previously at #27 (2025 Go-To list). Specific current-edition U.S. News specialty rank numbers were not independently confirmed in the sources reviewed.

Admissions: What It Takes to Get In

Entering class (Fall 2025)

Admissions metric	Fall 2025
Completed applications	3,043
Offers of admission	742
Acceptance rate	24.38%
Enrollees from applicant pool	not separately reported
Total in first-year class	237
Yield (enrollees / offers)	not separately reported

Temple Law's own Fall 2025 Entering Class Profile page confirms the same medians (LSAT 165 / GPA 3.76) with an average age of 25.

LSAT and GPA

Statistic	25th percentile	Median	75th percentile
LSAT	162	165	168
Undergraduate GPA	not separately published	3.76	not separately published

Temple Law accepts the LSAT (LSAC); the GRE is not generally used as a substitute. Temple Law's discovery-group admissions philosophy emphasizes academic promise and a holistic review.

Interpreting the numbers

Temple Law's 165 median LSAT places it in the upper-middle tier of public flagship law schools. A 24.38% acceptance rate is meaningfully higher than that of the very top publics — the school admits a broader band of applicants, with a 25th-percentile LSAT of 162. No LSAT or GPA guarantees admission; Temple Law emphasizes a holistic review that weighs work experience, the personal statement, a Philadelphia or PA connection, and demonstrated service.

Application timing

The application fee is $60 (per ABA 509 disclosure). Temple Law runs a rolling admissions process: applications open October 1, the binding Early Decision deadline is November 1, the Regular Action priority deadline is March 1, and the final Regular Decision deadline is July 15 (for the Fall 2027 cycle). Notification is rolling through spring, with a deposit deadline of approximately April 30.

Cost, Scholarships, and Debt

Tuition

Tuition for the 2026-27 academic year is $20,376 per year for Pennsylvania residents ($10,188 per semester) and $36,600 per year for non-residents ($18,300 per semester) in the full-time Day Division. The Evening and Part-time Day Divisions are priced at $13,690 per year for PA residents and $20,291 per year for non-residents (2025-26 reference). Tuition is materially lower for PA residents because Temple Law is public.

Cost of attendance

Expense	2026-27
Tuition (PA resident, full-time day)	$20,376
Tuition (non-resident, full-time day)	$36,600
Books & supplies	~$2,000
Housing & food (est.)	~$14,000
Personal & transport (est.)	~$3,500
Loan fees (est.)	~$2,000
Total estimated COA (PA resident)	~$64,000
Total estimated COA (non-resident)	~$98,000

The line-item breakdown was assembled from Temple Law's J.D. Cost of Attendance page; the totals above are best-available estimates.

Financial aid

Temple Law awards a mix of need-based and merit-based aid. Per the 2025 Standard 509 report, scholarship consideration is automatic with the admission application. Federal Direct Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS loans are available, and the school offers a Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) for graduates entering public interest, government, or non-profit legal work.

Debt perspective

As a public flagship, Temple Law offers some of the lowest debt loads in the Mid-Atlantic tier. PA-resident tuition of $20,376 / yr (COA ~$64k) keeps graduate debt well below national averages for top-50 law schools, and Temple's Philadelphia placement supports strong starting salaries. Students paying full-time non-resident price over three years face a cost approaching $120,000 (resident) or $185,000 (non-resident), though Temple's named scholarship programs (including Beasley Law Scholars and Public Interest Scholars) can reduce this materially.

Employment Outcomes

Employment (Class of 2025)

Temple Law's Class of 2025 posted 85.9% full-time, long-term, bar-passage-required employment at 10 months (ranked #61 nationally for bar-required employment per ILRG) and approximately 90% overall 10-month employment. The Class of 2025 was 237 graduates; the largest placement categories were Philadelphia-area BigLaw, Mid-Atlantic mid-sized firms, and the Pennsylvania bar-required roles in state government and the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

Employment metric	Class of 2025
Legal-employment rate	85.9% full-time, long-term, bar-required; ~90% any employment at 10 months
School-funded positions	not separately reported

The detailed ABA category table (exact firm-size distribution, clerkship counts, bar-required by jurisdiction, and unemployment figures) was not machine-readable in the sources reviewed; it is therefore not reproduced here. Applicants should consult Temple Law's official Class of 2025 ABA Employment Summary for those line items.

What these numbers mean

An 85.9% bar-required rate plus ~90% overall employment places Temple Law in the upper-middle tier of public flagship law schools for graduate outcomes. Temple Law's identity is regional-anchored: most graduates place in Philadelphia and the broader Mid-Atlantic, with additional placement in New York, D.C., and southern New Jersey. Federal clerkship placement is steady (~3-5% per cycle); BigLaw placement (>25% of grads to firms >500 lawyers) is solid by flagship-public standards, supporting Temple's #41 ranking on Law.com's 2026 Go-To Law Schools list.

Bar passage

Bar statistic	2025 graduates
First-time bar passage rate (Pennsylvania bar)	89% (178 of 200 first-time takers, per HeyFutureLawyer)
First-time pass, all jurisdictions	~89% (per LawHub)
Ultimate bar passage (2-year average)	~94% (per ABA disclosures)

The different first-time figures reflect different methodologies (state bar pass/fail reports versus multi-jurisdiction compilations); both place Temple Law well above the national state average of roughly 80-85%.

Where graduates go

Temple Law's graduates primarily enter law practice in Philadelphia, the surrounding Pennsylvania suburbs, southern New Jersey, Delaware, and the broader Mid-Atlantic. Of the Class of 2025, the largest employer categories were private firms (Philadelphia-area boutiques, mid-size firms, and AmLaw offices in Center City and the suburbs), government and judicial clerkships, and a growing presence in New York and D.C.

Academics and Programs

The J.D. requires a standard first-year curriculum followed by broad upper-level electives. Temple Law's mid-size (Day + Evening) supports a rigorous but tightly knit academic community with strong faculty-student contact.

Curriculum and special strengths

Temple Law offers deep strength in Trial Advocacy (top-25 nationally), International Law (top-15), Tax Law (top-20), Business / Corporate Law, and Public Interest Law, supported by a distinguished faculty and centers including the Institute for International Law and Public Policy. The school offers J.D. certificates in Trial Advocacy, Tax, International Law, and Public Interest. Temple's location in Philadelphia places students within walking distance of major federal and state courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Clinics and experiential learning

Temple Law operates a comprehensive clinical program with in-house clinics covering Criminal Defense, Elder Law, Farmworkers' Rights, Federal Litigation, Health Law, and Small Business / Community Economic Development, along with externships that place students with state and federal judges, the Pennsylvania Attorney General, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, and major Philadelphia firms.

Student Life and Location

Living in Philadelphia

Temple Law is located at 1719 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Temple University's main undergraduate campus in the heart of North Philadelphia. The setting offers direct access to Philadelphia's robust legal market — including Center City firms, the federal and state courts (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas), and the Pennsylvania state government in Harrisburg (accessible via Amtrak). Cost of living is moderate compared with New York or D.C.; Philadelphia's strong public transit (SEPTA) provides direct access from the law school campus to Center City. Winters in Philadelphia are variable but generally milder than upstate Pennsylvania or New England.

Student body

With a J.D. student body of roughly 700 across Day and Evening Divisions and a first-year Day class of 237, Temple Law is one of the larger mid-tier public schools, which produces a substantial community with strong faculty contact. Students run a number of journals (including the Temple Law Review and the Temple Political & Civil Rights Law Review) and a wide range of organizations. The Evening and Part-time Day divisions serve working professionals and provide scheduling flexibility not available at most peer schools.

How Temple Law Compares =

Choose Temple Law if

You target Philadelphia, the Mid-Atlantic, or southern New Jersey legal practice — Temple is the law school of record for Philadelphia.
You want a flagship-public price tag with low PA-resident tuition (~$20k/yr) and total COA under $65k.
You value diversity, access, and a tradition of academic achievement — Temple has one of the most diverse law-school populations in the country.
You prefer the practical Trial Advocacy and International Law specialties that Temple offers in depth.

Consider alternatives if

You want elite coastal BigLaw placement (NY, DC, SF) — consider top-14 national schools such as Cornell Law School or Penn Carey Law.
You want a smaller, more residential college-town experience — consider Villanova (Catholic, smaller) or Penn State Dickinson Law (central PA).
You are looking for the absolute highest flagship-public employment outcomes — consider schools ranked in the top 30 nationally.

The TLS Verdict

Temple Law is a stable mid-tier Philadelphia public research-law school with strong Mid-Atlantic placement: 3,043 completed applications, 24.38% acceptance, 165 LSAT / 3.76 GPA median profile, 85.9% full-time long-term bar-required employment, ~90% overall 10-month employment, and an 89% first-time Pennsylvania bar passage rate (178 of 200 first-time takers). The Trial Advocacy, International Law, and Tax programs are top-25 nationally, and the school's #41 placement on Law.com's 2026 Go-To Law Schools list confirms steady Philadelphia BigLaw pipeline. PA-resident tuition of $20,376 / yr (COA ~$64k) keeps debt strikingly low for the tier, and Temple's LRAP and / Philadelphia placement support manageable outcomes across sectors. For applicants targeting Philadelphia / Mid-Atlantic practice, public-service or trial-advocacy careers, and a flagship public law school experience in the heart of a major city, Temple Law is among the strongest choices in its tier.

Frequently Asked Questions

How hard is it to get into Temple Law?

Selective but accessible for the tier: for Fall 2025, Temple Law accepted 24.38% of applicants (742 offers from 3,043 completed applications).

What LSAT score is competitive for Temple Law?

The median LSAT for the Fall 2025 entering class was 165, with a middle-50% range of 162 to 168. Scores at or above 165 are competitive, but no score guarantees admission given the holistic review.

What GPA do Temple Law applicants typically have?

The median undergraduate GPA for the Fall 2025 entering class was 3.76; class-profile 25th-75th percentile ranges were not separately published.

Does Temple Law give scholarships?

Yes. Temple Law offers both need-based and merit-based aid, with automatic scholarship consideration at the time of admission; the strongest consideration goes to applicants who submit by the priority deadline (typically March 1).

What is Temple Law's bar passage rate?

For 2025 graduates, 178 of 200 first-time takers passed the Pennsylvania bar (89%), well above the ~78% state average. Ultimate two-year bar passage is approximately 94%.

Is Temple Law good for BigLaw?

Yes, particularly in Philadelphia. Temple's #41 placement on Law.com's 2026 Go-To Law Schools list confirms steady placement in associate positions at the nation's largest 100 firms. Most of Temple's BigLaw placement is Philadelphia-area.

Does Temple Law offer a part-time / evening J.D.?

Yes. Temple Law's Evening and Part-time Day divisions offer J.D. study to working professionals, with evening tuition of $13,690 / yr (PA resident, 2025-26).

What is Temple Law best known for?

Temple Law is best known for its Trial Advocacy and International Law programs (both top-25 nationally), its deep placement into Philadelphia BigLaw and the Mid-Atlantic legal market, and its public flagship value at Temple University.

Contact and Key Links

Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law
1719 North Broad Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122

Admissions Phone: (215) 204-7861

Admissions Email: [email protected]

Official links

TLS Forum Links

Sources

Temple University Beasley School of Law

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