University Of Connecticut School Of Law – History, Rankings, Acceptance Rate & More
UConn Law sits at a rare intersection: a low-cost public law school with a national reputation in one specialty above all others. Based in Hartford, the insurance capital of the United States, it is the only school in the country with an LLM dedicated to insurance law.
This guide covers what a prospective applicant needs: the acceptance rate, LSAT and GPA numbers, tuition, bar passage, rankings, the famous Insurance Law Center, and how UConn compares to its in-state peers. For broader context, see our Connecticut law schools hub and the national law school rankings.
The table below summarizes the key UConn Law admission and outcome numbers at a glance.
| Metric | UConn School of Law (recent data) |
|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | About 20% |
| Median LSAT | 162 (25th-75th: 160-164) |
| Median GPA | 3.78 (25th-75th: 3.55-3.90) |
| In-state tuition and fees | About $31,600 |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | About $62,642 |
| First-time bar passage | About 84% (2024 graduates) |
| U.S. News 2026 rank | Around #50 nationally |
| Application fee | $60 |
These figures come from recent ABA-509-aligned reporting and shift each admissions cycle. Confirm the current numbers on the school’s official ABA-509 disclosure before you apply.
What is the UConn Law School acceptance rate?
The UConn Law School acceptance rate is about 20% for the most recent entering class. The school received roughly 2,299 applications and extended about 461 offers of admission, enrolling 149 students. This makes UConn Law selective and competitive, well below the national law-school average acceptance rate near 36%.
UConn Law admits about 1 in 5 applicants. The rate has tightened over the past several years as the school’s profile has risen, so older figures showing acceptance near 28% to 30% no longer reflect the current, more selective picture.
Selectivity depends on the applicant pool each year. Because UConn Law reviews applications holistically, your individual odds turn on your LSAT, GPA, and the strength of your full application rather than the headline rate alone. Strong numbers relative to the medians make you a competitive candidate.
What LSAT score and GPA do you need for UConn Law?
To be competitive at UConn Law, aim for an LSAT score around the median of 162 and a GPA near 3.78. The middle 50% of admitted students scored between 160 and 164 on the LSAT and held GPAs between 3.55 and 3.90. Scores at or above these medians make you a strong candidate.
The LSAT median of 162 is the target number. A 162 places you at the class midpoint, while a 164 or higher strengthens both your admission odds and your scholarship prospects. The 25th percentile of 160 shows that scores in the low 160s remain competitive with a strong overall file. Our guide to LSAT scores explains what each band means.
The GPA median of 3.78 reflects a strong applicant pool. A GPA below the median is not disqualifying, because UConn Law weighs work experience, leadership, personal background, and the personal statement alongside the numbers. UConn also accepts the GRE in addition to the LSAT.
Strengthen a below-median file in 3 ways. Prepare thoroughly for the LSAT, because even a few points shift your odds; write a focused personal statement; and highlight professional and leadership experience.
How much does UConn Law School cost?
UConn Law costs about $31,600 per year for Connecticut residents and $62,642 for out-of-state students in tuition and fees. As the state’s only public law school, it offers a strong value for residents, with in-state tuition roughly half the out-of-state rate and far below most private peer schools. The application fee is $60.
Affordability is one of UConn Law’s biggest draws for in-state students. Its resident tuition sits well below the private law schools of the Northeast, making it a high-value option for Connecticut residents who want a respected degree without private-school debt.
Out-of-state students pay more but still find value. The roughly $62,642 non-resident rate is competitive with private programs, and many students reduce the real cost through scholarships. Compare typical figures in our guide to law school cost, and remember that non-residents may establish Connecticut residency for later years at some public schools.
What is UConn Law School ranked?
UConn Law is ranked around #50 nationally by U.S. News & World Report for 2026, placing it in the top tier of American law schools and among the stronger public options in the Northeast. It is consistently regarded as the leading law school in Connecticut after Yale and a respected choice throughout New England.
The roughly #50 national ranking places UConn Law solidly in the upper third of the nearly 200 ABA-accredited law schools. As Connecticut’s only public law school, it anchors the state’s legal education outside of Yale, which sits in a different, elite tier.
Specialty strength lifts the school beyond its overall rank. UConn Law is nationally recognized in insurance law, where it is the acknowledged leader, and it is well regarded in fields such as intellectual property, tax, energy and environmental law, and human rights. See how it compares to peers in the national law school rankings.
Is UConn a good law school?
Yes, UConn Law is a good law school. It ranks around #50 nationally, offers low in-state tuition, posts strong bar passage and employment numbers, and is the national leader in insurance law. Its combination of value, specialty strength, and a Hartford location full of legal employers makes it especially strong for students targeting the Northeast.
The value case is compelling. UConn Law pairs a top-tier public ranking with in-state tuition well below private peers, and it ranks strongly for the return graduates get on their investment. For Connecticut residents in particular, few schools offer this mix of quality and affordability.
The outcomes back it up. UConn Law posts an 84% first-time bar passage rate, well above the Connecticut state average, and around 90% of graduates are employed within 10 months. Its Hartford location, steps from courts, firms, insurers, and government offices, feeds students directly into the regional legal market.
What is the UConn Law School bar passage rate?
UConn Law’s first-time bar passage rate is about 84% for 2024 graduates, roughly 8 points higher than Connecticut’s statewide average of 75.8%. Its two-year ultimate bar passage rate is about 91.4%, showing that the large majority of graduates become licensed attorneys within two years of finishing.
Bar passage is a clear measure of how well a school prepares its graduates. UConn Law’s first-time rate near 84% not only clears the bar comfortably but outperforms the state average by a meaningful margin, one of the stronger positive differentials in its region.
The two-year ultimate rate confirms the strength. At roughly 91.4%, it shows that nearly all UConn graduates who pursue licensure succeed within two years. Passing the bar is the gateway to practice, so this margin matters directly to your career. Our guide to bar exam passing rates gives national context.
Strong bar results also reflect the school’s teaching and support. Small classes, a low student-faculty ratio, and academic-support programming help students prepare for the exam, which shows up in a first-time pass rate that consistently beats the state average.
What is UConn Law School known for?
UConn Law is known above all for insurance law, hosting the nation’s only LLM in Insurance Law through its world-renowned Insurance Law Center in Hartford. It is also recognized for clinical and experiential education, intellectual property, tax, energy and environmental law, and its status as Connecticut’s only public law school.
Insurance law is UConn’s signature strength. The 4 things the school is best known for are the following:
- Insurance Law Center: opened in 1998 and recognized worldwide, it supports the only LLM in insurance law in the country and holds the most comprehensive insurance-law collection of any U.S. university.
- Experiential education: a pioneer in clinical legal education, UConn offers around 19 clinics and field placements where students handle real cases and clients.
- Public value: as Connecticut’s only public law school, it delivers a respected degree at low in-state cost.
- Specialty breadth: strong programs in intellectual property, tax, energy and environmental law, and human rights, supported by four student-edited journals.
The Hartford location amplifies all of this. Sitting in the insurance capital of the United States places students beside major insurers such as Aetna, Chubb, The Hartford, and MassMutual, and near the Connecticut Department of Insurance, which turns classroom study into externships and jobs.
What is the UConn Insurance Law Center?
The UConn Insurance Law Center is a globally recognized academic center at UConn Law that focuses on insurance law and risk regulation. Opened in 1998 in Hartford, it supports the nation’s only LLM in Insurance Law, publishes the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal, and holds the most comprehensive insurance-law research collection in the United States.
The center is UConn Law’s crown jewel. It was founded on the initiative of a former Connecticut insurance commissioner and has grown into the focal point for insurance-law scholarship in the country, drawing lawyers, regulators, and scholars from the United States and abroad.
Its programs reach both students and professionals. JD students can earn an insurance-law certificate, while lawyers and regulators pursue the specialized LLM full-time, part-time, or through distance learning. Externships place students at major insurers and the state insurance department, giving them direct entry into a field where UConn graduates hold a distinct advantage.
Where is UConn Law School located?
UConn Law is located in Hartford, Connecticut, about 2 miles from the city center, on a 17-acre Collegiate Gothic campus listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The main University of Connecticut campus is in Storrs, about 25 miles away, while Boston and New York City are each roughly a two-hour drive.
The Hartford location is a strategic asset. As Connecticut’s capital and the historic insurance capital of the United States, Hartford surrounds students with courts, firms, insurers, and government agencies, supporting the externships and clinics the school emphasizes.
The campus itself is distinctive. Its Collegiate Gothic buildings, constructed in 1925, sit on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Thomas J. Meskill Law Library is one of the largest law libraries in the country. Proximity to Boston and New York widens where graduates can build careers across the Northeast.
What degrees does UConn Law School offer?
UConn Law offers the Juris Doctor (JD), six specialized LLM (Master of Laws) programs, and the SJD (Doctor of the Science of Laws). JD students choose from around 10 certificates and more than 150 upper-level courses, and can combine the JD with degrees such as an MBA, MPA, or the insurance-law LLM.
The JD is the core degree. The Juris Doctor covers the standard first-year curriculum, then lets upper-level students specialize through certificates in insurance law, intellectual property, tax, energy and environmental law, human rights, compliance, and more. Joint-degree options let students pair the JD with business, public policy, or social work degrees.
The graduate programs are a major strength. UConn Law’s LLM offerings include the nation’s only insurance-law LLM plus programs in U.S. Legal Studies, energy and environmental law, human rights and social justice, and financial services compliance. Full-time JD students can add an insurance-law LLM in as few as seven semesters through an advanced-standing pathway.
How does UConn Law compare to other Connecticut law schools?
UConn Law is the top public law school in Connecticut and ranks second in the state only to Yale, which sits in a separate elite tier. Against in-state peers like Quinnipiac, UConn offers a higher ranking, lower in-state cost, and its unmatched insurance-law programs, making it the strongest value option in the state.
Connecticut’s law schools occupy distinct tiers. Yale Law School is an elite national program in a category of its own, while UConn Law leads the state’s public and mid-tier field, and Quinnipiac serves as a respected private alternative. UConn’s public status gives it a decisive cost edge for residents.
Choose based on your goals and budget. For an affordable, well-ranked degree with unmatched insurance-law strength, UConn Law is the clear choice among Connecticut’s public options; compare the private alternative in our guide to Quinnipiac University School of Law, and the elite option in our Yale Law School overview. The Northeast region law schools guide widens the comparison.
How do you get into UConn Law School?
To get into UConn Law, submit an application through LSAC with an LSAT or GRE score, a competitive GPA, a personal statement, a resume, and letters of recommendation. Target an LSAT near 162 and a GPA near 3.78, apply early on the rolling basis, and emphasize fit with UConn’s strengths, especially insurance law.
The application is holistic. Beyond the LSAT and GPA, the admissions committee weighs professional experience, leadership, community involvement, and personal background, so a well-rounded file can offset a below-median number. UConn accepts either the LSAT or the GRE.
Apply strategically to strengthen your odds. Submit early, because rolling review rewards earlier applicants, and use the personal statement to connect your goals to UConn’s programs, such as insurance law or its clinics. Our guides on how to apply to law school and general law school requirements walk through the full process, and the best East Coast law schools guide helps you build a balanced school list.
