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Stanford Law School
Last updated: August 13, 2026
Contents
- 1 Stanford Law School
- 1.1 Stanford Law at a Glance
- 1.2 Introduction
- 1.3 Rankings and Reputation
- 1.4 Admissions: What It Takes to Get In
- 1.5 Cost, Scholarships, and Debt
- 1.6 Employment Outcomes
- 1.7 Academics and Programs
- 1.8 Student Life and Location
- 1.9 How Stanford Compares
- 1.10 The TLS Verdict
- 1.11 What Students Say
- 1.12 Frequently Asked Questions
- 1.13 Contact and Key Links
- 1.14 Sources
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is a private law school located in Stanford, California, and is consistently regarded as one of the leading law schools in the United States. The school is known for its highly selective admissions process, strong placement in federal clerkships and major law firms, and close connections to Silicon Valley and the technology sector. Stanford offers a full-time JD program with extensive clinical opportunities, interdisciplinary study, and a relatively small student body. Graduates achieve exceptionally strong employment outcomes, while the school's cost of attendance is among the highest in the country.
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Stanford Law at a Glance
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Location | Stanford, California |
| School type | Private |
| ABA approved | 1923 |
| Total JD enrollment (2025) | 570 |
| Acceptance rate (2025) | 6.1% |
| Median LSAT (2025) | 173 |
| 75th / 25th LSAT | 176 / 171 |
| Median GPA (2025) | 3.96 |
| 75th / 25th GPA | 4.00 / 3.87 |
| 2026–27 full-time JD tuition | $26,593 per quarter |
| Overall employment (Class of 2025) | 99.1% |
| Bar-required employment (Class of 2025) | 95.0% |
| Primary bar market | California |
Sources: ABA Standard 509 Information Report (2025), Stanford 2026–27 tuition rates, and Stanford employment outcomes.
Introduction
Stanford Law School (SLS) is the law school of Stanford University and is one of the most selective law schools in the United States. Located in Stanford, California, it enrolls a relatively small JD class and is known for strong placement in federal clerkships, technology and intellectual property law, public interest careers, and national law firms.
Because of its small class size and extensive interdisciplinary opportunities, Stanford is often compared with Yale Law School, Harvard Law School, and University of Chicago Law School rather than with regional California law schools.
Rankings and Reputation
Stanford Law is consistently placed among the top law schools nationally. Rankings vary by publication and year, so this profile does not hard-code a numerical rank.
What is more stable is the school's reputation in:
- Federal judicial clerkships
- Technology and intellectual property law
- Constitutional law
- Public interest law
- Legal academia
The school's location in Silicon Valley also creates unusually strong connections to technology companies, venture capital, startups, and innovation-focused legal practice.
Admissions: What It Takes to Get In
Entering class (Fall 2025)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Applications | 5,526 |
| Offers of admission | 337 |
| Acceptance rate | 6.1% |
| Enrollees from applicant pool | 173 |
| Deferred students | 20 |
| Total first-year class | 193 |
| Enrollment rate from offers | 51.34% |
Source: ABA Standard 509 Information Report (2025).
The 2025 ABA report distinguishes between 173 students who enrolled from the current applicant pool and 20 students who had deferred admission from a previous year, producing a total first-year class of 193.
LSAT and GPA
| Percentile | LSAT | GPA |
|---|---|---|
| 75th | 176 | 4.00 |
| Median | 173 | 3.96 |
| 25th | 171 | 3.87 |
Stanford also reported 11 first-year enrollees admitted using the GRE. Among those students, the median GRE scores were 167 in Verbal Reasoning, 168 in Quantitative Reasoning, and 5.0 in Analytical Writing.
Source: ABA Standard 509 Information Report (2025).
Interpreting the numbers
For applicants targeting Stanford, the published medians provide a useful benchmark, but they should not be treated as formal admissions cutoffs.
- 176+ LSAT and 4.00 GPA: above the 2025 entering-class medians.
- 173 LSAT and 3.96 GPA: at the reported medians.
- 171 LSAT: at the 25th percentile and therefore below the median, making the rest of the application especially important.
Stanford's admissions process is holistic. Academic performance is central, but work experience, research, entrepreneurship, public service, advanced degrees, leadership, and other accomplishments may contribute to an applicant's overall profile.
Application timing
Stanford uses a single annual JD admission cycle.
For the 2025–26 admissions cycle, the ABA Standard 509 report lists:
- Application deadline: February 16, 2026
- Application fee: $85
- Financial aid deadline: March 15, 2026
As of August 13, 2026, applicants should consult Stanford's official admissions materials for the upcoming Fall 2027 application cycle and its newly published deadlines.
Cost, Scholarships, and Debt
Tuition
| Academic year | Full-time JD tuition |
|---|---|
| 2025–26 | $77,454 annually |
| 2026–27 | $26,593 per quarter |
The 2025 ABA Standard 509 report lists 2025–26 full-time 1L tuition of $77,454, plus $2,253 in annual fees.
Stanford's current 2026–27 tuition schedule lists Stanford Law School tuition at $26,593 per quarter.
Sources: ABA Standard 509 Information Report (2025) and Stanford 2026–27 Graduate and Professional Tuition Rates.
Cost of attendance
Total cost of attendance is substantially higher than tuition alone and includes housing, food, health insurance, books, transportation, and personal expenses.
For 2025–26, the ABA report estimated living expenses for a single student at:
- $49,719 living on campus
- $51,102 living off campus
These figures should be treated as year-specific estimates rather than permanent costs.
Financial aid
Stanford provides grants and scholarships to a substantial portion of its JD students. The 2025 ABA report for the 2024–25 academic year shows:
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Students receiving grants | 285 of 565 (50%) |
| 25th percentile grant | $34,240 |
| Median grant | $52,797 |
| 75th percentile grant | $72,247 |
| Students receiving full-tuition grants | 2 |
| Students receiving more-than-full-tuition grants | 64 |
Stanford reported that it does not award scholarships that may be reduced or eliminated based on law-school academic performance, other than failure to maintain good academic standing. The school's financial aid therefore should not simply be described as having "no scholarships"; rather, Stanford provides substantial grant and scholarship assistance while its aid policies should be reviewed directly by applicants.
Source: ABA Standard 509 Information Report (2025).
Debt perspective
Although Stanford is one of the most expensive law schools in the country, graduates also have exceptionally strong employment outcomes. Applicants should compare Stanford's financial-aid offer and expected borrowing with offers from peer institutions before making an enrollment decision.
Employment Outcomes
Employment (Class of 2025)
| Outcome | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Overall employment | 99.1% |
| Bar-required employment | 95.0% |
| Federal clerkships | 28.0% |
Source: Stanford Law School employment outcomes, Class of 2025.
What these numbers mean
Stanford's employment outcomes are among the strongest in the country. The combination of:
- very low unemployment,
- exceptionally high bar-required employment,
- and unusually high federal clerkship placement
distinguishes Stanford from most law schools.
Bar passage
Bar passage statistics should be reported by examination cycle because the California Bar Examination publishes separate results for each administration.
The State Bar of California currently provides separate statistics for February and July examinations. As of August 13, 2026, July 2026 results are scheduled for release on November 6, 2026.
Source: State Bar of California Exam Statistics and California Bar Exam Results.
Stanford's bar-passage performance should therefore be updated whenever a new official Stanford-specific examination result is available rather than using an undated "most recent" figure.
Where graduates go
Common destinations include:
- major national and international law firms,
- federal judicial clerkships,
- technology companies,
- government,
- public interest organizations,
- academia and fellowships.
Academics and Programs
Stanford operates on the university's quarter system and requires 111 quarter units for the JD.
For students entering in 2019 and thereafter, the JD degree requires completion of the first-year curriculum plus additional elective coursework, along with residency, ethics, writing, experiential-learning, and other degree requirements.
Source: Stanford Law School JD Degree Requirements.
Technology and Intellectual Property
Stanford is particularly well known for:
- patent law,
- copyright,
- trademark,
- privacy,
- cybersecurity,
- artificial intelligence and law.
The proximity to Silicon Valley provides extensive opportunities for externships, research, and industry engagement.
Interdisciplinary education
A major distinguishing feature is the ability to take courses across Stanford's graduate schools, including:
- Computer Science
- Business (GSB)
- Public Policy
- Medicine
- Engineering
Clinics and experiential learning
The 2025 ABA report indicates that Stanford offered:
- 301 course titles beyond the first-year curriculum in 2024–25,
- 287 law-clinic seats, with 241 filled,
- 63 field-placement positions filled,
- 485 simulation-course seats, with 471 filled,
- 11 co-curricular offerings.
Stanford offers clinical opportunities in areas including:
- Supreme Court litigation,
- environmental law,
- criminal defense,
- immigrants' rights,
- entrepreneurship,
- international human rights.
Source: ABA Standard 509 Information Report (2025).
Student Life and Location
Stanford Law is located on Stanford University's campus in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Living in Stanford/Palo Alto
Compared with most law-school markets, the area generally offers:
- extensive university resources,
- access to technology employers,
- Bay Area transportation connections,
- proximity to major legal and technology centers,
but also:
- very high housing costs,
- significant overall living expenses.
Student body
The 2025 ABA report lists 570 JD students as of October 5, 2025:
| Class | Students |
|---|---|
| JD1 | 193 |
| JD2 | 191 |
| JD3 | 186 |
| Total JD enrollment | 570 |
Source: ABA Standard 509 Information Report (2025).
How Stanford Compares
| School | Typical strength | Relative selectivity |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford | Clerkships, tech law, interdisciplinary | Elite |
| Yale Law School | Academia, clerkships | Elite |
| Harvard Law School | Scale, global reach | Elite |
| University of Chicago Law School | Economics, clerkships | Elite |
| Columbia Law School | New York BigLaw | Elite |
Choose Stanford if
- You want strong access to federal clerkships.
- You are interested in technology, startups, or venture capital.
- You value small class size.
- You want extensive interdisciplinary opportunities.
- You are considering academia, public interest, or elite litigation.
Consider alternatives if
- You prefer a larger alumni network and class size.
- You want stronger New York-centered firm placement.
- You receive significantly different financial aid offers from peer schools.
The TLS Verdict
Stanford Law combines extreme selectivity, exceptional employment outcomes, and unusual interdisciplinary flexibility. Its strongest differentiators are:
- very small JD class,
- elite federal clerkship placement,
- Silicon Valley access,
- technology and innovation focus,
- substantial grant and scholarship support.
The key tradeoff is cost. For applicants admitted to multiple elite schools, the decision often turns on financial aid, preferred geographic market, and whether they prioritize technology/interdisciplinary opportunities or a larger national alumni network.
What Students Say
Common themes from student discussions and alumni commentary include:
Frequently mentioned positives
- Small class size
- Accessible faculty
- Collaborative culture
- Strong clerkship support
- Strong technology-law opportunities
Frequently mentioned concerns
- Very high living costs
- Intense competition for certain opportunities
- Limited housing relative to demand
As with all anonymous online commentary, these observations are anecdotal rather than representative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stanford Law the hardest law school to get into?
Stanford is among the most selective law schools in the United States, with a 6.1% acceptance rate for the 2025 entering class.
What LSAT score is competitive for Stanford?
The 2025 entering class had a 173 median LSAT, with a 176 score at the 75th percentile and 171 at the 25th percentile. Applicants should not treat these figures as formal admissions cutoffs.
What GPA do Stanford Law applicants typically have?
The 2025 entering class had a 3.96 median undergraduate GPA, with a 4.00 75th percentile and 3.87 25th percentile.
Does Stanford give scholarships?
Yes. Stanford provides grants and scholarships to JD students. In the 2024–25 academic year, the ABA reported that 285 of 565 students (50%) received grants, with a median grant amount of $52,797.
Stanford also reported that it does not award scholarships that may be reduced or eliminated based on law-school academic performance, other than failure to maintain good academic standing.
What is Stanford's bar passage rate?
Bar passage rates vary by examination cycle. Stanford-specific results should be cited to the applicable California Bar Examination administration rather than presented as an undated current figure.
What is Stanford best known for?
Federal clerkships, technology and intellectual property law, constitutional law, public interest law, and interdisciplinary education.
Contact and Key Links
Stanford Law School
559 Nathan Abbott Way
Stanford, CA 94305
(650) 723-2465
Official links
- Stanford Law School
- JD application process
- ABA required disclosures
- Employment outcomes
- 2026–27 Stanford tuition rates
