What Law Schools Can I Get Into With a 161?
A 161 on the LSAT sits between about the 71st and 85th percentile of recent LSAT scores (LSAC published table, 2023-2024 through 2025-2026 testing years). Below is every ABA school in our data whose Fall 2025 median LSAT sits at or below your score. Those are your targets: a score at or above the median makes you competitive.
This is a strong score. It puts you at or above the median at a wide range of selective schools, which is also where merit scholarship offers start to appear.
Target schools for a 161 (most selective first)
| School | Rank | Median LSAT | Median GPA | Est. annual tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont University | #74 | 161 | 3.84 | $55,500 |
| Brooklyn Law School | #74 | 161 | 3.59 | $75,496 |
| Catholic University of America | #74 | 161 | 3.68 | $61,580 |
| Florida International U. | #74 | 161 | 3.80 | $21,129 |
| IIT Chicago-Kent | #74 | 161 | 3.72 | $55,910 |
| Lewis & Clark (Northwestern) | #74 | 161 | 3.59 | $61,434 |
| Loyola University Chicago | #74 | 161 | 3.70 | $58,670 |
| Seton Hall University | #74 | 161 | 3.71 | $69,660 |
| Tulane University | #74 | 161 | 3.67 | $69,578 |
| University of California, Hastings | #74 | 161 | 3.71 | $53,087 |
| University of Missouri, Columbia | #74 | 161 | 3.72 | $25,774 |
| Drexel University (Kline) | #85 | 160 | 3.76 | $57,000 |
| Georgia State University | #85 | 160 | 3.64 | $16,162 |
| University of Denver | #85 | 160 | 3.66 | $63,390 |
| University of Nebraska, Lincoln | #85 | 160 | 3.81 | $17,646 |
Showing the 15 most selective of 123 target schools.
Reach schools (median 162-164)
Baylor University (164), Indiana University, Bloomington (164), Northeastern University (164), Pepperdine University (164), St. John's University (164), University of Colorado, Boulder (164), University of Iowa (164), University of Maryland (164) and 17 more. Reach means your score sits just under the median. These are worth applications if the rest of your file is strong, especially with a GPA above their median.
How to read this list
- Target: your score is at or above the school's median. You are competitive there.
- Reach: your score is 1 to 3 points below the median. Apply if you like the school, but know it is a stretch.
- Long shot: 4 or more points below the median. Only worth the application fee if something else in your file is exceptional.
These are rules of thumb, not guarantees. Schools admit full classes, not medians: every school takes students above and below its median each year.
What to do with a 161
- Should you retake a 161? - the honest math on retaking vs. applying.
- Take a free diagnostic - find your real starting point if this score was a first attempt.
- Free LSAT prep - study plans and practice to raise the score.
Law schools for a 156 · Law schools for a 166
Common questions
Is a 161 a good LSAT score?
A 161 sits between about the 71st and 85th percentile of recent LSAT scores (LSAC, 2023-2026 testing years). Whether it is good depends on your target schools: compare it to each school’s published median LSAT, not to a single national cutoff. This is a strong score. It puts you at or above the median at a wide range of selective schools, which is also where merit scholarship offers start to appear.
How many law schools can I get into with a 161?
In our data set of 196 ABA schools, 123 have a Fall 2025 median LSAT at or below 161. Those are your target schools: a score at or above the median makes you competitive. Another 25 sit within 3 points above, which counts as reach territory.
Should I retake a 161 on the LSAT?
Retake if your score sits below the medians of the schools you actually want to attend and you have time to prepare. Apply if you are at or above your target schools’ medians and the rest of your application is strong. Our page on whether to retake a 161 walks through the math: /should-i-retake/161
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