Best Law Schools in Chicago
6 ABA law schools call Chicago home, ranked below by selectivity (Fall 2025 median LSAT). Where you go to law school shapes where you start your career: local alumni networks, clinics, and bar exam logistics all tilt local. Medians from ABA Standard 509 disclosures via ILRG, Fall 2025 entering class.
| School | Rank | Median LSAT | Median GPA | Est. annual tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | #2 | 174 | 3.97 | $83,316 |
| Northwestern University | #5 | 173 | 3.96 | $79,772 |
| IIT Chicago-Kent | #74 | 161 | 3.72 | $55,910 |
| Loyola University Chicago | #74 | 161 | 3.70 | $58,670 |
| DePaul University | #100 | 158 | 3.61 | $55,328 |
| John Marshall | #157 | 153 | 3.40 | $42,080 |
How to judge the Chicago market
- Bar exam logistics. You will likely take the bar where you study, at least at first. Make sure you want to start your career in IL.
- Alumni concentration. Ask each school where its recent graduates actually work. Local hiring partners recruit deepest at local schools.
- Cost vs. selectivity. The cheapest sticker here is John Marshall at about $42,080 a year. Weigh that against each school's selectivity and your aid prospects.
- Employment outcomes. We do not publish local employment data, so read each school's ABA-required employment summary: look for full-time, bar-passage-required jobs in the market you want.
What LSAT do you need here?
The most selective school in Chicago reports a median LSAT of 174. Score at or above a school's median and you are competitive there; 1 to 3 points below is reach territory. What LSAT for University of Chicago · What LSAT for Northwestern University · What LSAT for IIT Chicago-Kent · What LSAT for Loyola University Chicago · What LSAT for DePaul University · What LSAT for John Marshall
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Medians from ABA Standard 509 disclosures via ILRG, Fall 2025 entering class. Tuition is the 2025-2026 sticker price. All cost figures are estimates, not guarantees.
Last updated October 12, 2026