Last updated: August 19, 2026

Duke University School of Law

Duke University School of Law (commonly known as Duke Law) is a private law school located in Durham, North Carolina, and is part of Duke University. Founded in 1868 and reorganized in 1904, the school is known for its highly selective admissions process, strong placement in major law firms and federal clerkships, and broad national employment network. Duke Law offers a full-time J.D. program with extensive clinical opportunities, specialized academic programs, and a relatively small student body. Graduates achieve strong employment outcomes across major U.S. legal markets, although the school's cost of attendance is substantial.

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Duke Law at a Glance

Category	Information
Location	Durham, North Carolina
University	Duke University
Founded	1868; the modern School of Law was reopened in 1904
ABA accreditation	Yes
JD program	Three-year, full-time Juris Doctor
JD enrollment	723 students, October 5, 2025
Entering class	227 students, Class of 2028
Applications	6,240, Class of 2028
Offers of admission	804, Class of 2028
Acceptance rate	12.88%, Class of 2028
Enrollment yield	27.61% of admitted applicants from the applicant pool
Median LSAT	171, Class of 2028
LSAT 25th–75th percentile	169–172
Median GPA	3.91, Class of 2028
GPA 25th–75th percentile	3.83–3.96
2026–27 tuition	$83,400
2026–27 estimated cost of attendance	$116,834
2025 employment rate	99.6% employed 10 months after graduation
2025 bar-required employment	229 of 230 graduates
2025 first-time bar passage	98.23%
2026 U.S. News ranking	No. 7, tied with New York University
2026 Above the Law ranking	No. 2
Major employment markets	New York, Washington, D.C., California, North Carolina, Texas
Notable areas	Corporate and financial law, litigation and courts, constitutional law and civil rights, international law and human rights, technology and innovation, environmental law, health law and policy

Duke's Class of 2028 consists of 227 students selected from 6,240 applicants, with 804 offers of admission. The entering class has a median LSAT of 171 and median undergraduate GPA of 3.91.

The latest ABA Standard 509 report reports 723 JD students enrolled as of October 5, 2025. Duke is a private, ABA-approved law school.

Introduction

Duke University School of Law, commonly called Duke Law, is the law school of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Its institutional history extends back to legal instruction at Trinity College, Duke University's predecessor. A separate School of Law was organized in 1868, later closed, and legal instruction was subsequently resumed in other forms. The school was reopened in 1904 after James Buchanan Duke and Benjamin Newton Duke provided an endowment, with Samuel Fox Mordecai playing a central role in its reorganization. Duke University was created in 1924.

Duke Law is located on Duke University's West Campus in Durham, part of North Carolina's Research Triangle. The setting gives students access to the Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill markets while also providing the resources of a major research university.

The school has a relatively small JD cohort compared with many large law schools, while maintaining a nationally oriented employment profile. Recent graduates have entered major markets including New York, Washington, D.C., California, North Carolina and Texas.

Duke may be particularly attractive to applicants interested in large-firm practice, federal judicial clerkships, corporate and financial law, litigation, constitutional law, technology, international law or interdisciplinary legal education. It also offers a substantial clinical and experiential program.

Rankings and Reputation

U.S. News

In the 2026 U.S. News Best Law Schools rankings, Duke Law is ranked No. 7, tied with New York University. Duke was No. 6 in the previous ranking, so the school moved down one position.

The change should not be interpreted as evidence of a corresponding change in the school's underlying quality. U.S. News rankings are methodology-dependent and can move because of changes in methodology, peer assessments and other inputs.

Above the Law

The 2026 Above the Law Top 50 Law School Rankings place Duke at No. 2, down one position from No. 1 in 2025. The University of Chicago is No. 1.

Above the Law's methodology places substantial weight on employment outcomes, including full-time, long-term bar-passage-required employment and quality jobs, as well as first-time bar passage and cost. It also incorporates federal judicial and Supreme Court clerkship information.

U.S. News Specialty Rankings

Duke also performs well across several U.S. News specialty areas. The 2026–27 specialty rankings place Duke particularly well in areas including business/corporate law, constitutional law, contracts/commercial law, criminal law, environmental law, intellectual property and legal writing.

Specialty rankings should be viewed separately from the overall ranking because they measure narrower areas and rely on different methodology.

National versus Regional Reputation

Duke's recent employment data support describing the school as national rather than primarily regional. New York accounted for 34.9% of the Class of 2025's reported employment locations, while Washington, D.C., California, North Carolina and Texas were also major destinations.

The school's combination of large-firm placement, federal clerkships and geographic distribution makes it relevant to applicants who do not intend to practice exclusively in North Carolina.

Admissions: What It Takes to Get In

Entering Class (Class of 2028)

The Class of 2028, which entered in 2025, had the following admissions profile:

Admissions measure	Class of 2028
Applications	6,240
Offers of admission	804
Acceptance rate	12.88%
Applicants from applicant pool who enrolled	222
Deferred students not in current applicant pool	5
Total entering students	227
Enrollment rate from offers	27.61%
Full-time students	227
Part-time students	0

The Class of 2028 represents 35 U.S. states and territories and eight foreign countries, with students coming from 91 undergraduate institutions.

Duke reports that 53% of the class is women, 45% men and 2% nonbinary. The average age is 25, with ages ranging from 21 to 46. The school also reports that 22% of the class identifies as LGBTQ+ and 10% are first-generation college graduates.

Professional experience is common. Duke reports that 17% of the class had one year of post-college experience, 54% had two to five years, and 12% had more than five years.

LSAT and GPA

For the Class of 2028, Duke reports:

Statistic	25th percentile	Median	75th percentile
LSAT	169	171	172
GPA	3.83	3.91	3.96

The ABA report separately records 223 LSAT enrollees and four GRE enrollees in the entering class.

Duke accepts both the LSAT and GRE for JD admission.

Interpreting the Numbers

Duke's admissions process is highly competitive. Only 804 of 6,240 completed applications resulted in offers for the Class of 2028, producing a 12.88% acceptance rate. The 171 median LSAT and 3.91 median GPA also place the entering class in a very competitive academic range.

An applicant at or above the current median is statistically closer to the academic profile of an enrolled student, but there is no published LSAT or GPA score that guarantees admission.

Duke describes its JD admissions process as involving more than standardized-test scores and grades. Applicants should therefore approach the application as a complete package, including recommendations, essays, academic record, professional experience and other relevant information.

Application Timing

For the 2027 entering class, Duke's current application schedule is:

September 1, 2026: applications open through LSAC
November 6, 2026: Early Decision Round I completion deadline
January 8, 2027: Early Decision Round II completion deadline
February 15, 2027: Regular Decision deadline
August 2027: orientation and beginning of classes

Duke offers two binding Early Decision rounds. The school says the Early Decision option is most appropriate for applicants who have concluded that Duke is their first choice and do not anticipate needing to compare financial-aid offers before deciding where to enroll.

Duke states that applications are reviewed according to the date they become complete and encourages applicants to apply as early as possible without compromising the quality of the application.

Cost, Scholarships, and Debt

Tuition (2026–27)

Duke's current 2026–27 JD budget lists tuition at $83,400.

Expense	2026–27
Tuition	$83,400
Medical insurance	$4,290
Mandatory health fee	$1,048
Law Student Activity Fee	$150
Graduate Student Activity Fee	$40
Graduate Student Services Fee	$28
Recreation Fee	$408
Transcript fee	$120 one-time
Loan fees	$528

The ABA's latest Standard 509 report covers 2025–26 and therefore lists the prior year's tuition at $80,100, with $1,729 in annual fees. For applicants planning for 2026–27, Duke's current $83,400 tuition figure is the appropriate figure to use.

Estimated Living Expenses (2026–27)

Duke's 2026–27 JD budget estimates:

Expense	2026–27 estimate
Rent and utilities	$14,220
Food	$4,428
Books and supplies	$1,532
Personal/miscellaneous	$4,500
Transportation	$2,142
Total estimated cost of attendance	$116,834

The $116,834 figure is Duke's estimated annual JD cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, insurance, loan fees and listed living expenses.

Actual expenses can differ, particularly for housing, transportation and health-insurance arrangements.

Scholarships

The latest ABA Standard 509 report provides scholarship information for Duke.

For 2024–25, among 726 JD students:

685 students (94%) received grants or scholarships
487 students (67%) received less than half tuition
196 students (27%) received half to full tuition
2 students received full tuition
75th-percentile grant: $40,000
Median grant: $35,000
25th-percentile grant: $27,000

Duke does not award scholarships that may be reduced or eliminated based on academic performance other than failure to maintain good academic standing.

Duke also offers named scholarships, including the Mordecai Scholars program, and provides need-based financial assistance.

Duke's Loan Repayment Assistance Program provides assistance to eligible graduates working in public service, subject to program terms and income requirements.

Debt Perspective

Duke's 2026–27 sticker price is substantial. The school's estimated annual cost of attendance is $116,834, before accounting for scholarships and individual financial circumstances.

The scholarship data materially change the picture for many students: the latest ABA report shows that 94% of JD students received grants in 2024–25, with a median grant of $35,000.

Duke's employment outcomes are also strong. The Class of 2025 had 229 employed graduates out of 230, with 229 in bar-passage-required positions. The reported median private-practice salary was $225,000.

Those outcomes do not eliminate debt risk. Applicants should compare their actual scholarship offer, expected borrowing, intended practice area and target market rather than assuming that Duke's employment results will produce the same financial outcome for every graduate.

Employment Outcomes and Bar Passage

Employment (Class of 2025, 10 Months After Graduation)

Duke's latest published employment report covers the Class of 2025.

Employment measure	Class of 2025
Total graduates	230
Employed	229
Employment rate	99.6%
Bar-passage-required positions	229
JD-advantage positions	0
Unemployed, not seeking	1
Unemployed, seeking	0
Employment status unknown	0

Duke reports employment data 10 months after graduation and provides the information to the ABA and NALP.

Employment by Industry

Sector	Graduates	Share
Law firms	181	79%
Government	5	2%
Public interest	11	5%
Judicial clerkships	32	14%
Business and industry	0	0%
Education	0	0%

Of the 181 graduates entering law firms, 163 joined firms with more than 500 attorneys.

Clerkships

Thirty-two members of the Class of 2025 were in judicial clerkships 10 months after graduation:

27 federal clerkships
5 state clerkships
32 total clerkships

Duke also reports a larger number of federal clerkships during the 2025–26 term when clerkships beginning after graduation are included.

Salaries

Duke reports the following median salaries for the Class of 2025:

Private practice: $225,000
Judicial clerkships: $77,926
Government/public interest: $79,900

These are sector-specific medians rather than a median salary for the entire graduating class.

What These Numbers Mean

Duke's employment results are one of the school's strongest measurable characteristics.

The 99.6% overall employment figure is notable, but the distribution matters. The Class of 2025's employment was concentrated in large law firms and clerkships: 181 graduates entered law firms and 32 entered clerkships.

The data therefore appear particularly favorable for students targeting large law firms, federal clerkships and other nationally oriented legal careers.

Employment statistics do not establish that every student will obtain a large-firm position. Individual outcomes can depend on grades, journal participation, interviewing, practice area, geographic preference and other factors.

Bar Passage

For graduates in the 2025 calendar year, Duke reports a 98.23% first-time bar passage rate.

Duke's official bar-admission report states:

226 total first-time takers
222 first-time passers
98.23% school bar-passage rate
84.59% Council weighted-average bar-passage rate
13.64 percentage-point difference

The 97.48% figure sometimes associated with Duke corresponds to the 2024 graduating class, not the 2025 class. The latest figure for the 2025 class is 98.23%.

A school's bar-passage rate is an historical institutional outcome and does not guarantee an individual graduate's result.

Regional Employment

Duke's Class of 2025 employment was geographically distributed across major U.S. legal markets.

The largest reported destinations were:

New York — 34.9%
Washington, D.C. — 11.8%
California — 10.5%
North Carolina — 10.5%
Texas — 7.9%
Florida — 4.4%

The concentration in New York, together with meaningful placement in Washington, D.C., California and Texas, supports describing Duke as a nationally portable school rather than a law school whose graduates primarily remain in North Carolina.

Academics and Programs

Duke offers a broad JD curriculum with formal areas of focus covering corporate law, constitutional law, criminal law, environmental law, health law, international law, technology, legal theory and litigation.

Corporate and Financial Law

Corporate and financial law is a major academic focus at Duke. The school identifies faculty expertise across business, financial and transactional law and regulation.

Students can pursue courses and experiential opportunities involving corporate transactions, finance, entrepreneurship and related areas. Duke also offers a JD/LLM in Law & Entrepreneurship and the Start-Up Ventures Clinic.

The school's strong law-firm employment numbers make corporate and transactional practice a particularly relevant area for applicants considering large-firm careers.

Litigation and the Courts

Duke has a formal Litigation and the Courts area of focus, combining classroom study with extracurricular opportunities and a significant connection to the judiciary.

The school's federal clerkship record is also notable. Twenty-seven members of the Class of 2025 were in federal clerkships 10 months after graduation.

Duke offers practical litigation training through clinics, trial advocacy courses and related experiential offerings.

Technology, Science, and Innovation

Duke has an interdisciplinary technology-and-law program. Its areas of work include innovation policy, artificial intelligence, robotics, bioethics, machine learning and legal issues affecting entrepreneurs and technology companies.

Relevant resources include the Center for Innovation Policy and Center on Law & Technology. Duke also offers the JD/LLM in Law & Entrepreneurship and the Start-Up Ventures Clinic.

International Law and Human Rights

Duke offers an established international and comparative-law curriculum, including a JD/LLM in International & Comparative Law and opportunities involving international law and human rights.

The school's international focus is relevant to students interested in cross-border transactions, international institutions, comparative law and human-rights work.

Constitutional Law and Civil Rights

Constitutional law is part of Duke's first-year curriculum and remains an upper-level area of study. The school offers courses dealing with constitutional theory, doctrine and practice.

Duke also offers experiential opportunities involving constitutional litigation and civil rights, including the First Amendment Clinic.

Environmental Law and Policy

Environmental law and policy is another formal Duke area of focus. The school identifies both domestic and international environmental-law and policy work as part of its academic program.

Duke also offers an Environmental Law and Policy Clinic.

Health Law and Policy

Duke identifies health law and policy as an academic focus involving areas such as regulation, tax, benefits, employment, intellectual property, bioethics, privacy and family law.

The university's broader health-sciences infrastructure provides opportunities for interdisciplinary study for students interested in health policy and regulation.

Other Areas

Duke's formal areas of focus also include:

Criminal Law and Policy
Legal Theory and Critical Legal Studies
International Law and Human Rights
Environmental Law and Policy
Health Law and Policy
Constitutional Law and Civil Rights
Litigation and the Courts
Technology, Science, and Innovation
Corporate and Financial Law

The JD program also supports dual-degree options including JD/MBA, JD/MD, JD/MPP, JD/MEM and JD/MTS programs.

Practical Training

Duke's clinical program currently includes 12 clinical courses, alongside an extensive externship program. Students may begin clinic participation as early as the fall semester of their second year under North Carolina student-practice rules.

The latest ABA Standard 509 report provides additional experiential-learning data for the 2024–25 academic year:

297 clinic seats available
234 clinic seats filled
69 field-placement positions filled
1,564 simulation-course seats available
1,436 simulation-course seats filled

Current clinics include areas such as appellate litigation, children's law, civil justice, community enterprise, criminal defense, environmental law, First Amendment law, immigration and wrongful convictions.

Duke also offers student-edited journals and other co-curricular opportunities as part of its academic and professional development programs.

Student Life and Location

Living in Durham

Duke Law is located on Duke University's West Campus in Durham, North Carolina, within the Research Triangle.

For law students, Durham offers a different environment from schools located directly in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles or Chicago. The city has a major university presence and is part of a broader metropolitan area that includes Raleigh and Chapel Hill.

Duke's 2026–27 budget estimates $14,220 for rent and utilities and $4,428 for food for the academic year.

Transportation is an important practical consideration. Students living farther from campus may find a car useful, although Duke operates campus transportation services.

The location can be attractive to students who prefer a university-centered environment while remaining within a larger research, technology and professional ecosystem.

Student Body

Duke had 723 JD students as of October 5, 2025, according to the latest ABA Standard 509 report. The JD program is full-time; the 2025 entering class contained 227 full-time students and no part-time students.

The Class of 2028 represents 35 U.S. states and territories and eight foreign countries. Students come from 91 undergraduate institutions and a variety of academic and professional backgrounds.

Duke's student community includes journals, student organizations, conferences, professional groups and public-service opportunities.

How Duke Law Compares

Choose Duke Law If

Duke may be particularly attractive if you:

Want a nationally portable JD.
Are targeting large law firms.
Are interested in New York, Washington, D.C., California, Texas or North Carolina.
Are pursuing federal judicial clerkships.
Want a relatively small JD cohort at a nationally prominent university.
Have interests in corporate and financial law, litigation, constitutional law, technology, international law, environmental law or health law.
Want extensive access to clinics, externships and simulation courses.
Value interdisciplinary study at a major research university.
Prefer Durham's university environment to a much larger metropolitan law-school setting.
Receive a scholarship that makes Duke's cost competitive with other schools you are considering.

These considerations are supported by Duke's employment geography, clerkship numbers, academic offerings, experiential-learning data and scholarship statistics.

Consider Alternatives If

Another law school may be worth serious consideration if:

You want to practice primarily in a specific regional market where another school has a particularly deep local network.
You strongly prefer a major-city law-school environment.
Another school offers you substantially more scholarship assistance.
Your preferred legal specialty is particularly strong at another institution.
You want to minimize debt and another school offers a materially lower total cost.
You have a geographic preference that makes another school more convenient for family or career reasons.

Duke's strong employment outcomes make its cost more defensible for some students, but they do not make cost irrelevant.

The TLS Verdict

Duke Law is a nationally oriented law school with a particularly strong combination of large-firm employment, federal clerkships, bar passage and geographic mobility. The Class of 2025 had 229 employed graduates out of 230, with all 229 employed graduates in bar-passage-required positions. The school also placed 32 graduates in clerkships, including 27 federal clerkships.

The school's principal drawback is cost. The current 2026–27 JD budget lists $83,400 in tuition and $116,834 in total estimated annual cost of attendance. The latest ABA scholarship data, however, show that 94% of JD students received grants in 2024–25, with a median grant of $35,000.

Duke is likely to be especially attractive to applicants targeting BigLaw, federal clerkships, corporate practice, litigation or nationally mobile legal careers. It is also a strong option for students seeking interdisciplinary opportunities and substantial experiential learning.

The 2026–27 admissions cycle also comes amid an important federal admissions controversy. On August 6, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice announced investigative findings alleging that Duke Law unlawfully considered race in admissions in prior entering classes. Duke said it was reviewing the findings and remained committed to complying with the law. The matter should be described as an ongoing federal matter and settlement effort, not as a final court judgment.

What Students Say

This section summarizes anecdotal student and applicant/community sentiment from publicly available discussions. These comments should not be interpreted as representative survey data or as established facts about the entire student body.

Frequently Mentioned Positives

Collegiality

Recent student and applicant discussions include descriptions of Duke's student culture as friendly and collaborative. Some students attribute this partly to the relatively small class size and the university setting.

These comments are anecdotal and vary by individual experience.

Career Outcomes

Employment outcomes are frequently mentioned by applicants discussing Duke. In this case, the online perception is supported by official data: Duke's Class of 2025 had 99.6% employment and substantial large-firm and clerkship placement.

Small Class

The 227-person entering class can make Duke appealing to students who prefer a smaller law-school cohort. Duke's current student materials also emphasize opportunities for interaction with peers and faculty.

Academic and Experiential Opportunities

Students and applicants commonly discuss Duke's clinics, journals, interdisciplinary opportunities and broad course selection as advantages. The latest ABA data support the availability of substantial experiential opportunities, including 297 clinic seats and 1,564 simulation-course seats during the 2024–25 academic year.

Frequently Mentioned Concerns

Cost

Cost is a recurring concern in applicant discussions, particularly when Duke is compared with schools offering larger scholarships. The concern is also objectively supported by Duke's current $116,834 annual cost-of-attendance estimate.

Workload

Student discussions generally recognize that Duke remains a demanding law school despite descriptions of its culture as collegial. Prospective students should not interpret "collaborative" as meaning academically light.

Durham Versus Major-City Environments

Some applicants prefer Durham's university environment and lower expected living costs, while others prefer the immediate urban setting of schools in New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago or Los Angeles.

Admissions Uncertainty

The August 2026 DOJ findings concerning Duke's admissions practices have become an additional issue for applicants evaluating the school. Because the matter is ongoing, prospective students should distinguish the government's allegations from final legal findings and monitor developments during the 2026–27 cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Duke Law a good law school?

Duke Law is a nationally oriented law school with strong recent employment, bar-passage and clerkship outcomes. The Class of 2025 had a 99.6% employment rate 10 months after graduation, and Duke reported a 98.23% first-time bar-passage rate for the 2025 examination year.

Whether Duke is a good fit depends on an applicant's career goals, scholarship, preferred market and debt tolerance.

What LSAT score is competitive for Duke Law?

For the Class of 2028, Duke's LSAT middle 50% was 169–172, with a 171 median. These figures describe the enrolled class rather than a guaranteed admissions threshold.

What is Duke Law's acceptance rate?

Duke's acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 was 12.88%, based on 6,240 applications and 804 offers of admission.

How much is Duke Law tuition?

For 2026–27, Duke lists JD tuition at $83,400. The school's estimated total annual JD cost of attendance is $116,834.

What is Duke Law's bar passage rate?

Duke's 2025 first-time bar passage rate was 98.23%, based on 226 first-time takers and 222 passers. The reported Council weighted-average comparison rate was 84.59%.

What is Duke Law known for?

Duke is particularly associated with corporate and financial law, litigation and courts, constitutional law and civil rights, international law and human rights, technology and innovation, environmental law, health law and policy, and judicial clerkships.

Does Duke Law accept the GRE?

Yes. Duke accepts both the LSAT and GRE for JD admission. The 2025 ABA report shows 223 entering students with LSAT admissions scores and four entering students admitted using the GRE.

Does Duke Law offer Early Decision?

Yes. Duke offers two binding Early Decision rounds. For the 2027 entering class, the deadlines are November 6, 2026, and January 8, 2027.

Does Duke Law offer scholarships?

Yes. The latest ABA data show that 94% of JD students received grants or scholarships in 2024–25. The median grant was $35,000. Duke does not condition scholarships on academic performance other than maintaining good academic standing.

Is Duke Law nationally portable?

Recent employment data support a national employment profile. The Class of 2025's largest employment markets included New York, Washington, D.C., California, North Carolina and Texas.

Is Duke Law good for BigLaw?

Duke's Class of 2025 employment data show 181 graduates entering law firms, including 163 at firms with more than 500 attorneys. Duke reported a $225,000 median private-practice salary for that class.

Is Duke Law good for federal clerkships?

Duke has a substantial federal-clerkship pipeline. 27 members of the Class of 2025 were in federal clerkships 10 months after graduation.

How many students attend Duke Law?

The latest ABA Standard 509 report lists 723 JD students as of October 5, 2025. The entering Class of 2028 contains 227 students.

How much scholarship aid does Duke Law provide?

For 2024–25, the median grant among Duke JD students receiving grants was $35,000, with the 25th and 75th percentiles at $27,000 and $40,000, respectively. Ninety-four percent of students received grants.

What is happening with Duke Law's admissions practices in 2026?

On August 6, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice announced findings alleging that Duke Law unlawfully considered race in admissions in prior entering classes. DOJ said it was seeking a voluntary resolution. Duke stated that it was reviewing the findings and remained committed to complying with the law. The matter is ongoing and should not be described as a final court judgment.

Contact and Key Links

Duke University School of Law

210 Science Drive
Durham, NC 27708-0393
(919) 613-7001

Official Links

Sources

Duke Law School

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