University of Cincinnati College of Law
The information on this page was provided by the law school.
Official Guide to ABA-Approved JD Programs
A few miles north of the Ohio River lies the University of Cincinnati College of Law, one of the nation’s top public law schools. As the fourth oldest continuously operating law school in the country, students benefit from an intimate collegial environment and personal attention from faculty while having access to groundbreaking centers and institutes like the Center for Race, Gender, and Social Justice; the Corporate Law Center; the Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights; the Ohio Innocence Project (OIP); and the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic.
Reflecting on its mission, the College of Law’s new home will be a place “to educate and inspire.” A $45.6 million renovation will transform an existing 84,443-square-foot campus facility to create open, modern, light-filled spaces for the College of Law’s close-knit student community. A prominent location along Martin Luther King Drive will place UC Law in the heart of campus and adjacent to the primary connector in the new Innovation Corridor, strengthening connections to university partners and providing unparalleled access and opportunity to our community partners including the more than 800 law firms, Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit organizations, agencies, and state and federal courts that call Cincinnati home.
Completely upgraded classroom technology, expanded library facilities, and centralized student services will make this a best-in-class law school like no other, serving as a launchpad for student success. For our faculty, centers, and institutes, UC Law’s new home expands spaces for impactful learning and research to thrive, while providing a place to honor the important accomplishments of our past.
Forbes magazine rated the UC’s campus as one of the most beautiful in the world. While the university is one of America’s top public research institutions and boasts a total student population of over 45,000, Cincinnati Law remains one of the smallest public urban law schools in the nation with approximately 110 students per incoming class.
Accolades
- Recognized as one of the nation’s top public law schools
- Known as one of the top law schools in the Midwest for job placement
- Nationally regarded as a top school for criminal law, corporate law, public interest law, and trial advocacy law
- Recognized as one of the nation’s best value law schools
- An 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, one of the lowest in the nation for an urban school
The JD Program
In the center of Cincinnati, OH lies one of the nation’s oldest and most reputable law schools, the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Steeped in history and tradition, students benefit from a deeply rooted network of loyal alumni and friends located in all 50 U.S. states and across the globe.
Cincinnati Law offers a combination of advantages not available at most law schools. We are one of the nation’s smallest urban law colleges, with around 125 students enrolling each fall. Small class sections and even smaller structure study groups facilitate a high level of collaboration and community. Our placement as the only law school within the City of Cincinnati, one of the fastest-growing cities between coasts, means less competition for jobs and internships, and is what allows us to guarantee externships and clinics for every interested student. To top it off, our return on investment is unparalleled, ranking as one of the nation’s longstanding Best Value Law Schools.
At Cincinnati Law, you can elevate justice by immersing yourself in a community dedicated to educating and inspiring leaders to pursue justice and advance the role of law in society. As a student, you will have access to our groundbreaking centers and institutes like the Nathaniel R. Jones Center for Race, Gender, and Social Justice; the Corporate Law Center; the Urban Morgan Institute for International Human Rights; the Ohio Innocence Project (OIP); and the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic. Dive into these unique opportunities to defend the wrongfully convicted, fight for human rights around the globe, combat the economic inequalities of today, and lift members of underserved communities.
At graduation, having a competitively robust résumé full of experiences, you will have direct access to the region's more than 800 law firms, Fortune 500 corporations, and state, county, and federal courts, including the US Sixth Circut Court of Appeals. This is one of the many reasons our employment outcomes historically exceed both state and national averages.
Come explore for yourself and visit our new 84,000 square foot state-of-the-art building located in the heart of campus. Learn more at law.uc.edu.
Accolades
· One of the nation’s leading social justice law schools
· Recognized as a top 14 Public Service law school
· Ranked as a top 25 Criminal Law program and a leading school for Corporate Law and Trial Advocacy
· Ranked 2nd in Ohio for first-time and overall bar passage rates for July 2021 examination
· 4th oldest law school and Ohio’s first
· Recognized as a seven-time "Best Value Law Schools"
· Graduate debt levels nearly $80,000 less than the average for public and private law schools
· An 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, one of the lowest in the nation for an urban school
Student Life
Career Placement and Bar Passage
Tuition and Aid
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition |
$24,010.00
|
| Fees |
$800.00
|
| Expected Cost of Attendance |
$42,878.00
|
The College of Law provides low comparative tuition rates and competitive scholarship offers. In addition to receiving a world-class legal education, UC students are able to take advantage of fellowships and work-study options to help lower the price of law school.
Earning a JD leads to life-changing opportunities, which is why we believe in making our programs financially accessible. Cincinnati Law is proud to boast one of the lowest debt-upon-graduation rates in the nation. For the Class of 2021, the average debt at graduation was $63,608. This is a stark difference from the national average for public and private law schools, which recently stood at nearly $145,500 according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Not only have our students graduated with less debt, but our tuition has also been frozen for the last seven years.
Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers
Admission to the college is based upon a careful evaluation of each individual's application file by the Admission Committee. Although the Admissions Committee, composed of faculty, students, and administrators, relies on the undergraduate grade point average and the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score to determine the applicant's academic potential, other non-quantitative factors believed to be relevant to success in law school are considered. These factors include the applicant's personal statement, diversity statement, academic major, graduate education, trend of academic performance, record of leadership, participation in community service or significant extracurricular activities, employment experience, and letters of recommendation.
The educational philosophy of the College reflects a belief that quality legal education is enhanced by having a heterogeneous student body. The Committee, therefore, considers a multiple factors including LGBTQ status, disability, age, socioeconomic status, and nationality. By maintaining and enhancing diversity in the student body, all students have the opportunity to learn from a myriad of perspectives and, in the long run, improve their own capabilities as attorneys and upholders of the law.
Admitted Applicant Profile
