Roger Williams University School of Law
Roger Williams University · Bristol, RI
The school received 1,003 applications for a first-year class of 189, and 69.2% of the class of 2025 held full-time, long-term bar-passage jobs.
- 61.32% Acceptance rate More selective than 5% of schools
- 150 Median LSAT Beats 4% of schools
- 3.43 Median GPA Beats 17% of schools
- 65.2% First-time bar pass Beats 7% of schools
About
About Roger Williams University School of Law
Roger Williams University School of Law (RWU Law) is a private, American Bar Association-accredited law school based in Bristol, Rhode Island. Established in 1993, it is the state’s only law school and also operates an experiential campus in downtown Providence. RWU Law offers a Juris Doctor (JD), a Master of Studies in Law (MSL), and joint-degree programs in fields such as business administration, criminal justice, and marine affairs. Its curriculum combines foundational legal coursework with practical training for careers in law, government, and public service.
Students gain hands-on experience through faculty-supervised legal clinics, clinical externships, and other experiential learning opportunities. Areas of study and practice include criminal defense, immigration, environmental law, and maritime law. The Marine Affairs Institute supports education in ocean and coastal law and policy, while the Feinstein Center for Pro Bono and Experiential Education connects students with community-based legal service opportunities. RWU Law also requires JD students to complete at least 50 hours of approved, unpaid pro bono legal work before graduating, emphasizing access to justice and service to underserved communities.
At a glance
- Location
- Bristol, RI
- Type
- Private
- Part of
- Roger Williams University
- JD students
- 486
- Full-time faculty
- 35
Admissions
Acceptance rate 61.32%, higher than 95% of schools
1,003 applications, 615 offers, and 30.6% of those admitted enrolled.
Key takeaway: Applications rose about 18% from 2017 to 2025, while the acceptance rate fell from 71.50% to 61.32%.
LSAT and GPA of the entering class
LSAT 25th · median · 75th: 147 · 150 · 154
GPA 25th · median · 75th: 3.02 · 3.43 · 3.73
The blue band is the middle 50% of the fall-2025 entering class. The line is the median. 0 first-year students were admitted with a GRE score. 0 were admitted with a JD-Next score. 188 of the 615 admitted students enrolled. The first-year class of 189 also includes 1 other first-year enrollee.
Data ranks: acceptance rate #187 of 196, median LSAT #183 of 196 (tie), median GPA #163 of 196.
Applying and the academic calendar
- Application fee
- $60
- Application deadline
- April 1
- Financial aid deadline
- March 15
- Calendar
- Semesters
- Classes start in
- August
- Credits to graduate
- 90
Where is Roger Williams University School of Law trending?
9 entering classes, 2017–2025. Shaded band = middle 50% of the class. A gap means no figure was reported for that year.
Year-by-year numbers
| Fall | Applications | Acceptance | LSAT | GPA | First-year class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,003 | 61.32% | 147 / 150 / 154 | 3.02 / 3.43 / 3.73 | 189 |
| 2024 | 928 | 67.67% | 146 / 149 / 153 | 3.10 / 3.44 / 3.71 | 152 |
| 2023 | 951 | 65.19% | 147 / 150 / 154 | 2.93 / 3.30 / 3.65 | 148 |
| 2022 | 1,042 | 67.27% | 148 / 150 / 154 | 3.02 / 3.33 / 3.62 | 181 |
| 2021 | 1,006 | 63.02% | 148 / 150 / 155 | 2.89 / 3.17 / 3.52 | 185 |
| 2020 | 1,022 | 64.87% | 146 / 149 / 153 | 2.91 / 3.21 / 3.56 | 183 |
| 2019 | 964 | 65.35% | 146 / 149 / 152 | 2.93 / 3.21 / 3.54 | 169 |
| 2018 | 919 | 69.31% | 145 / 148 / 151 | 3.00 / 3.28 / 3.51 | 168 |
| 2017 | 849 | 71.50% | 144 / 147 / 151 | 2.80 / 3.15 / 3.47 | 161 |
Students
486 JD students, 61.3% women
Students of color make up 29.4% of JD students in fall 2025, and 169 JD degrees were awarded in 2024-25.
Key takeaway: 6 of the 165 students who were in their first year in fall 2024 left the school during 2024-25 (3.6%), not counting transfers.
Roger Williams University School of Law enrolled 486 JD students in fall 2025. It awarded 169 JD degrees in 2024-25.
- Women 61.3%
- Men 38.3%
- Another gender identity 0.4%
Race and ethnicity
| Group | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hispanic of any race | 79 | |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0 | |
| Asian | 19 | |
| Black or African American | 32 | |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 0 | |
| Multiracial | 13 | |
| All students of color | 143 | |
| White | 325 | |
| Race and ethnicity unknown | 18 |
First-year students who left or transferred out, 2024-25
| Why they left | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Academic reasons | 4 | 2.4% |
| Other reasons | 2 | 1.2% |
| Transferred to another law school | 8 | 4.8% |
Out of 165 first-year students enrolled in fall 2024. Upper-level students who left: 5 of 315 (1.6%). 1 student transferred in.
Try it
Where do your numbers fall?
See where your LSAT and GPA sit against the school's fall-2025 class. This shows position only, not your odds.
Key takeaway: The median LSAT is 150 and the median GPA is 3.43, and the middle 50% of the class had 147–154 and 3.02–3.73.
:
LSAT 25th · median · 75th: 147 · 150 · 154
:
GPA 25th · median · 75th: 3.02 · 3.43 · 3.73
Shaded band = middle 50% of the fall-2025 class; line = median.
Jobs · Class of 2025
69.2% in bar-passage jobs, lower than 90% of schools
169 graduates, status on March 16, 2026. 69.2% held full-time, long-term bar-passage jobs.
Key takeaway: In full-time, long-term jobs, 39.6% of graduates joined law firms, and 13.6% took a state or local clerkship.
- Bar-passage jobs118
- School-funded jobs0
- JD-advantage jobs17
- Other jobs16
- Further study1
- Seeking work14
- Unknown, not seeking or deferred3
Full-time, long-term jobs by number of lawyers at the firm.
- Bar-passage jobs, not school-funded
- Firms of 501+ lawyers
- Federal clerkships
Jobs by sector
| Sector | Share | Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Law firms | 39.6% | |
| State, local & international clerkships | 13.6% | |
| Business & industry | 11.8% | |
| Public interest | 10.7% | |
| Government | 6.5% | |
| Federal clerkships | 0.0% | |
| Education | 0.0% |
Clerkships by type
| Type | Graduates | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Federal | 0 | 0.0% |
| State or local | 23 | 13.6% |
| International | 0 | 0.0% |
Top states for jobs
- Rhode Island 76
- Massachusetts 19
- New York 19
Bar passage
65.2% pass on their first try, lower than 93% of schools
2025 exams: 103 of 158 first-time takers passed, 12.3 points below the average for the same states.
Key takeaway: In Rhode Island, 50 of 65 first-time takers passed (76.9%), against a state average of 73.1%.
- Roger Williams
- Average in the same jurisdictions
Compared with the average in each place
| Jurisdiction | Takers | Rate | Avg. | Diff. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | 65 | 76.9% | 73.1% | +3.8 |
| Massachusetts | 29 | 75.9% | 85.4% | −9.5 |
| New York | 20 | 50.0% | 87.3% | −37.3 |
| Connecticut | 14 | 57.1% | 67.6% | −10.5 |
| 16 other jurisdictions | 30 | 43.3% | 78.4% | −35.1 |
Cost & aid
About $74,706 a year before aid
12 of the 89 students who entered with a conditional scholarship in 2024-25 had it reduced or eliminated (13.5%).
Key takeaway: 65% of students receive a grant, and the median grant is $28,000 a year.
- Grants: 25th percentile $18,562, median $28,000, 75th percentile $34,804 a year.
- Tuition and fees minus the median grant: about $21,090 a year. A rough guide only, since grants vary by student.
- Living costs (school estimate): on campus $25,716, off campus $25,616, at home —.
Faculty & classes
13.7 JD students per full-time faculty member in 2024-25
In 2024-25, the school had 35 full-time faculty members and 65 who were not full-time.
Key takeaway: Students filled 76 law clinic positions in 2024-25, 16 for every 100 JD students.
- Full-time faculty: 71.4% women, 20.0% people of color.
- Librarians: 5 full-time.
- 136 course titles offered beyond the first year.
- Teachers, class sizes and hands-on courses are for the 2024-25 academic year.
Students per section; legal research and writing not counted.
Students per section.
Alumni
Roger Williams University School of Law Alumni on Lexinter
Practicing attorneys who earned their law degree at Roger Williams University School of Law. Each name links to the lawyer's full Lexinter profile.
Morgan AlgerMarin & Murphy Law Firm · East Greenwich, Rhode IslandCriminal Defense- Amanda AllardNew Legacy Law, LLC · Cumberland, Rhode IslandBusiness
- Angela AmaralChisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD · Providence, Rhode Island
- Todd D. AmaralAdler Pollock & Sheehan P.C. · Providence, Rhode IslandBusiness
- Joceline Rocha AndradeAndrade, Barbosa & Santos, LLC · Central Falls, Rhode IslandFamily
- Geoffrey M. ApttAptt Law LLC · East Greenwich, Rhode IslandBusiness
- Chad F BankThe RI DUI Guy - Chad F Bank · West Warwick, Rhode IslandCriminal Defense
- Nicole J. BenjaminAdler Pollock & Sheehan P.C. · Providence, Rhode IslandIntellectual Property
- Andrew R. BilodeauBilodeau Capalbo LLC · Warwick, Rhode IslandInsurance
- Danilo A. BorgasSinapi Law Associates, Ltd. · Warwick, Rhode IslandCivil Rights
- Hans J. BremerBremer Law & Associates, LLC · Providence, Rhode IslandCriminal Defense
- Caitlin CabralCabral Law · North Providence, Rhode IslandEstate Planning
Keep exploring
Compare with similar schools
The schools whose median LSAT and GPA are closest to this school's.
-
Northern Illinois University College of LawIL · LSAT 150 · GPA 3.41 - Capital University Law SchoolOH · LSAT 151 · GPA 3.44
- University of North Dakota School of LawND · LSAT 151 · GPA 3.48
- SIU Simmons Law SchoolIL · LSAT 149 · GPA 3.38
- St. Thomas University College of LawFL · LSAT 152 · GPA 3.42
- University of South Dakota Knudson School of LawSD · LSAT 152 · GPA 3.47
- Law schools in Rhode Island
- Other schools
- Roger Williams
Median LSAT (across) against median GPA (up) for 196 ABA-approved schools, fall-2025 entering classes.
Hover over a dot to see the school.
FAQ
What is the acceptance rate at Roger Williams University School of Law?
Roger Williams University School of Law had an acceptance rate of 61.32% for the fall 2025 entering class. The school received 1,003 completed applications and offered admission to 615 applicants, with a total first-year class of 189 students.
What LSAT score do you need for Roger Williams University School of Law?
The median LSAT score for RWU Law's fall 2025 entering class was 150, with a 25th percentile score of 147 and a 75th percentile score of 154. These figures represent the scores of enrolled students, not minimum admission requirements.
What GPA is required for admission to Roger Williams University School of Law?
The median undergraduate GPA for RWU Law's fall 2025 entering class was 3.43. The 25th percentile GPA was 3.02, and the 75th percentile was 3.73. These figures serve as admissions benchmarks rather than fixed GPA requirements.
How much does Roger Williams University School of Law cost?
For the 2026–2027 academic year, full-time JD tuition at Roger Williams University School of Law is $48,584 per year, with an additional $1,720 in student fees. The school's estimated annual total cost of attendance, including living expenses, ranges from $78,646 to $78,920, depending on housing arrangements.
Is Roger Williams University School of Law ABA-accredited?
Yes. Roger Williams University School of Law is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). The school received provisional ABA approval in February 1995 and full approval in February 1997. It is Rhode Island's only law school.
Does Roger Williams University School of Law offer a part-time JD program?
Yes. RWU Law offers a part-time daytime JD option that allows students to complete their degree over four years instead of the traditional three. Part-time students generally attend classes two to three days per week and may take some evening courses. However, the school does not offer a dedicated night JD program.
Where is Roger Williams University School of Law located?
Roger Williams University School of Law is located in Bristol, Rhode Island, at 10 Metacom Avenue. The school also operates an experiential campus in Providence, providing opportunities for students to gain practical legal experience near courts, government agencies, law firms, and public interest organizations.