Law Schools in the D.C. Area, Ranked by Government Careers
George Mason University’s law school sent the largest share of its 2025 graduates into full-time, long-term government jobs of the nine ABA-approved law schools in the D.C. area: 44 of 167, or 26.3%, the third-highest share in the country. George Washington placed 78 graduates in government jobs, more than any other ABA-approved law school, according to ABA data.
D.C. is the seat of the federal government, and for many applicants that’s the reason to go to law school here. This page ranks the nine D.C.-area law schools by how many of their 2025 graduates went straight into government jobs, then answers the practical questions students raise in Reddit’s law school communities: what it costs to live near campus, whether they can keep a full-time job and which bar exam to take. For the licensing steps after law school, see our guide to becoming a lawyer in D.C.
Why the D.C. Area Gets Its Own List
Washington, D.C., is home to Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court and many federal agencies, and it employs more lawyers than most states. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 33,070 lawyers worked in D.C. as of May 2025, more than in 45 of the 50 states and more than Maryland (13,810) and Virginia (18,580) combined. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area counted 46,840. These BLS counts don’t include self-employed lawyers.
Where local graduates start their careers points the same way. Across the 195 ABA-approved law schools that reported where their 2025 graduates went to work, 10.9% of graduates took full-time, long-term government jobs, and six of the nine D.C.-area schools beat that rate. George Washington placed 78 graduates in government jobs, more than any other law school in the country, American’s 53 ranked fourth and George Mason’s 26.3% share ranked third nationally.
Pay is high, too. Lawyers in D.C. earned a median annual salary of $195,190 as of May 2025, second only to New York ($207,860) among the states and D.C., compared with $159,670 nationally, according to the BLS. To see where other states fall, check our lawyer salary guide by state.
The D.C. bar also draws graduates from far beyond these nine schools. In the ABA’s 2026 bar passage report, 30 of the 194 law schools listed D.C. by name as a jurisdiction where their first-time takers sat in 2025, more than any jurisdiction except New York, California and Texas. Eight of those 30 are on this list, so 22 are schools from outside the area. For you, that cuts both ways: legal employers are close by while you’re in school, and graduates of schools across the country also sit for the D.C. bar.
How We Chose These Schools
This list includes every ABA-approved law school in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington Combined Statistical Area, a region the federal Office of Management and Budget defines in OMB Bulletin No. 23-01 (July 2023). The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the counties and cities in it: the District of Columbia, Baltimore city and Maryland counties such as Montgomery, Howard and Anne Arundel, and Northern Virginia jurisdictions such as Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun. That gives nine schools: six in D.C., two in Baltimore and one in Arlington. Virginia’s other ABA-approved law schools, in cities such as Charlottesville, Richmond and Williamsburg, are outside that area, so they aren’t listed. We checked each school’s name and city on its own website.
Schools are ranked by the share of their 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term government jobs: the number each school reported in the ABA employment summary for 2025 graduates, divided by its total 2025 graduates, rounded to one decimal place. The ABA’s government category covers government employers at every level and doesn’t report federal jobs separately, so a high share doesn’t mean every job was federal. Judicial clerkships are a separate ABA category, so each profile also lists federal clerkships and public interest jobs. The national rate of 10.9% is all full-time, long-term government jobs at the 195 ABA-approved schools that reported outcomes for 2025 graduates, divided by all of their 2025 graduates. National ranks compare each school with those 195 schools, and schools with the same share would share a rank.
Every figure comes from the ABA: the 2025 Standard 509 reports (tuition, living budgets, admissions and part-time enrollment), the ABA employment summary for 2025 graduates and the 2026 first-time bar passage report. You can read each school’s own report at abarequireddisclosures.org.
Tuition and fees means full-time annual tuition plus required annual fees, as each school reported them. At the four public schools, the resident rate is for residents of the school’s own jurisdiction: D.C. for the University of the District of Columbia, Maryland for the University of Baltimore and the University of Maryland, and Virginia for George Mason. Each school decides who qualifies, so check its residency rules before you count on the lower rate.
First-time bar passage (2025) counts graduates who took a bar exam for the first time in 2025, including graduates from earlier years. Each school’s rate appears next to its Council weighted average: the average pass rate for graduates of ABA-approved law schools in the jurisdictions where that school’s graduates tested, weighted so jurisdictions with more of the school’s takers count more. The employment figure is the number of 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage, divided by the school’s total 2025 graduates, rounded to one decimal place.
This ranking covers one graduating class and one career path, so read it alongside the other figures in each profile. Nothing here is estimated, and the sponsored listings on this page have no effect on which schools appear, how they rank or what we report about them.
The Ranking: Government Jobs for 2025 Graduates
The table ranks the nine schools by the share of 2025 graduates who started full-time, long-term government jobs, with federal clerkships alongside.
| Rank | School | Full-time, long-term government jobs (2025 graduates) | Federal clerkships (2025 graduates) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Mason University | 44 of 167 (26.3%) | 13 |
| 2 | University of the District of Columbia | 16 of 80 (20.0%) | 0 |
| 3 | Catholic University | 21 of 113 (18.6%) | 2 |
| 4 | George Washington University | 78 of 569 (13.7%) | 15 |
| 5 | American University | 53 of 399 (13.3%) | 4 |
| 6 | University of Maryland | 23 of 208 (11.1%) | 4 |
| 7 | Howard University | 13 of 155 (8.4%) | 1 |
| 8 | University of Baltimore | 16 of 204 (7.8%) | 1 |
| 9 | Georgetown University | 39 of 703 (5.5%) | 34 |
Ranked by share, George Mason leads and Georgetown is last. Ranked by count, George Washington’s 78 government placements lead the country, and Georgetown’s 39 rank 20th of 195 schools. Georgetown also placed 34 graduates in federal clerkships and 71 in public interest jobs, the most of the nine schools in both categories, so this ranking measures one path into public service, not overall results.
D.C.-Area Law Schools at a Glance
These tables keep the ranked order. The first compares cost and bar results, and the second compares acceptance rates, median LSAT scores and GPAs for the class that entered in fall 2025. For acceptance rates at every ABA-approved school, see our list of the easiest law schools to get into.
Cost and Bar Passage
| School | Public or private | Full-time resident tuition and fees | First-time bar passage (2025) vs. Council weighted average |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Mason University | Public | $27,832 | 86.34% vs. 83.39% |
| University of the District of Columbia | Public | $13,438 | 57.89% vs. 82.82% |
| Catholic University | Private | $63,280 | 90.38% vs. 81.92% |
| George Washington University | Private | $75,420 | 87.66% vs. 84.87% |
| American University | Private | $69,172 | 86.61% vs. 84.29% |
| University of Maryland | Public | $40,009 | 81.69% vs. 75.59% |
| Howard University | Private | $41,412 | 78.01% vs. 84.74% |
| University of Baltimore | Public | $36,418 | 70.53% vs. 73.99% |
| Georgetown University | Private | $83,576 | 94.55% vs. 85.21% |
Private schools charge residents and nonresidents the same rate. Nonresident rates for the four public schools are in the profiles and in the cost section.
Admissions (2025 Entering Class)
| School | Acceptance rate | Median LSAT | Median undergraduate GPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Mason University | 15.87% | 169 | 3.93 |
| University of the District of Columbia | 36.98% | 151 | 3.28 |
| Catholic University | 32.4% | 161 | 3.68 |
| George Washington University | 27.21% | 168 | 3.86 |
| American University | 33.28% | 162 | 3.63 |
| University of Maryland | 26.08% | 164 | 3.72 |
| Howard University | 24.05% | 156 | 3.63 |
| University of Baltimore | 49.5% | 155 | 3.45 |
| Georgetown University | 15.75% | 171 | 3.93 |
Profiles of the Nine D.C.-Area Law Schools, in Ranked Order
Each profile uses the same ABA sources as the tables. The application deadlines and fees in these profiles are historical figures from the schools’ 2025 ABA disclosures, not confirmed deadlines for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle, so check each school’s current admissions page before you apply. The conditional scholarship line counts awards a student keeps only by meeting a grade or class-rank requirement. To compare how often students lose them at schools nationwide, see our list of where students keep their law school scholarships.
1. George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School
- Type: Public
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term government jobs: 44 of 167 (26.3%), 3rd-highest share of 195 schools
- Federal clerkships and public interest jobs (2025 graduates): 13 and 7
- Full-time resident tuition and fees: $24,864 tuition + $2,968 fees = $27,832
- Full-time nonresident tuition and fees: $40,978 tuition + $2,968 fees = $43,946
- Part-time tuition (as reported): $888 a credit resident, $1,464 nonresident, plus $2,226 in fees
- Off-campus living budget: $38,342 a year
- Part-time first-year students (2025): 27
- Acceptance rate: 15.87%
- Median LSAT and undergraduate GPA: 169 and 3.93
- First-time bar passage (2025): 86.34%, compared with a Council weighted average of 83.39%
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term bar-passage-required jobs: 136 of 167 (81.4%)
- Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): None awarded
- Application deadline and fee (2025 report): March 1 (priority) and April 30 (regular), $0
George Mason’s 26.3% government share is the third-highest of the 195 ABA-approved schools that reported 2025 outcomes, and it also placed 13 graduates in federal clerkships. Its law school is in Arlington, Virginia, and its part-time Flex-JD combines remote, hybrid and in-person classes over four years, according to the school.
2. University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law
- Type: Public
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term government jobs: 16 of 80 (20.0%), 16th-highest share of 195 schools
- Federal clerkships and public interest jobs (2025 graduates): 0 and 11
- Full-time resident tuition and fees: $12,438 tuition + $1,000 fees = $13,438
- Full-time nonresident tuition and fees: $24,874 tuition + $1,000 fees = $25,874
- Part-time tuition (as reported): $422 a credit resident, $843 nonresident, plus $1,000 in fees
- Off-campus living budget: $34,035 a year
- Part-time first-year students (2025): 32
- Acceptance rate: 36.98%
- Median LSAT and undergraduate GPA: 151 and 3.28
- First-time bar passage (2025): 57.89%, compared with a Council weighted average of 82.82%
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term bar-passage-required jobs: 42 of 80 (52.5%)
- Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): None awarded
- Application deadline and fee (2025 report): June 1 for first-year applicants, $40 for first-year applicants
UDC sent 16 of its 80 graduates into government jobs and 11 into public interest jobs. It has the lowest full-time tuition and fees of the nine schools for both residents and nonresidents, and its part-time evening J.D. takes four years.
3. The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law
- Type: Private
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term government jobs: 21 of 113 (18.6%), 27th-highest share of 195 schools
- Federal clerkships and public interest jobs (2025 graduates): 2 and 1
- Full-time tuition and fees: $61,580 tuition + $1,700 fees = $63,280
- Part-time tuition (as reported): $2,125 a credit, plus $1,130 in fees
- Off-campus living budget: $32,374 a year
- Part-time first-year students (2025): 43
- Acceptance rate: 32.4%
- Median LSAT and undergraduate GPA: 161 and 3.68
- First-time bar passage (2025): 90.38%, compared with a Council weighted average of 81.92%
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term bar-passage-required jobs: 90 of 113 (79.6%)
- Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): 45 awarded, 12 reduced or eliminated
- Application deadline and fee (2025 report): June 30, $0
Catholic placed 21 of its 113 graduates in government jobs, the 27th-highest share nationally. Its part-time J.D. is designed to take four years and includes a hybrid evening track that meets on campus two nights a week for the first two years, according to the school. Catholic reported awarding 45 conditional scholarships to students entering in 2024-2025, with 12 reduced or eliminated.
4. The George Washington University Law School
- Type: Private
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term government jobs: 78 of 569 (13.7%), 65th-highest share of 195 schools
- Federal clerkships and public interest jobs (2025 graduates): 15 and 44
- Full-time tuition and fees: $75,420 tuition + $0 fees = $75,420
- Part-time tuition (as reported): $55,650 a year or $2,650 a credit, plus $0 in fees
- Off-campus living budget: $25,240 a year
- Part-time first-year students (2025): 36
- Acceptance rate: 27.21%
- Median LSAT and undergraduate GPA: 168 and 3.86
- First-time bar passage (2025): 87.66%, compared with a Council weighted average of 84.87%
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term bar-passage-required jobs: 511 of 569 (89.8%)
- Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): None awarded
- Application deadline and fee (2025 report): March 1, $0
GW placed 78 graduates in full-time, long-term government jobs, more than any other ABA-approved law school, along with 15 federal clerkships. Its part-time students normally take eight semesters plus one summer session, according to the school.
5. American University Washington College of Law
- Type: Private
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term government jobs: 53 of 399 (13.3%), 72nd-highest share of 195 schools
- Federal clerkships and public interest jobs (2025 graduates): 4 and 22
- Full-time tuition and fees: $66,990 tuition + $2,182 fees = $69,172
- Part-time tuition (as reported): $2,481 a credit, plus $702 in fees
- Off-campus living budget: $33,832 a year
- Part-time first-year students (2025): 51
- Acceptance rate: 33.28%
- Median LSAT and undergraduate GPA: 162 and 3.63
- First-time bar passage (2025): 86.61%, compared with a Council weighted average of 84.29%
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term bar-passage-required jobs: 277 of 399 (69.4%)
- Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): None awarded
- Application deadline and fee (2025 report): March 1, $70
American’s 53 government placements were the fourth-most of any ABA-approved law school. In its part-time evening program, the required first-year courses meet Monday through Thursday from 6 p.m. to about 8 p.m.
6. University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
- Type: Public
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term government jobs: 23 of 208 (11.1%), 104th-highest share of 195 schools
- Federal clerkships and public interest jobs (2025 graduates): 4 and 9
- Full-time resident tuition and fees: $37,830 tuition + $2,179 fees = $40,009
- Full-time nonresident tuition and fees: $55,844 tuition + $2,179 fees = $58,023
- Part-time tuition (as reported): $24,831 a year resident, $36,556 nonresident, plus $2,163 in fees
- Off-campus living budget: $32,842 a year
- Part-time first-year students (2025): 21
- Acceptance rate: 26.08%
- Median LSAT and undergraduate GPA: 164 and 3.72
- First-time bar passage (2025): 81.69%, compared with a Council weighted average of 75.59%
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term bar-passage-required jobs: 166 of 208 (79.8%)
- Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): None awarded
- Application deadline and fee (2025 report): July 31, $70
Maryland’s 11.1% government share is slightly higher than the national rate of 10.9%. Its part-time evening program takes four years, according to the school, and most of its 2025 first-time bar takers sat in Maryland (160 of 213).
7. Howard University School of Law
- Type: Private
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term government jobs: 13 of 155 (8.4%), 138th-highest share of 195 schools
- Federal clerkships and public interest jobs (2025 graduates): 1 and 16
- Full-time tuition and fees: $39,780 tuition + $1,632 fees = $41,412
- Part-time tuition (as reported): No part-time program
- Off-campus living budget: $38,251 a year
- Part-time first-year students (2025): None
- Acceptance rate: 24.05%
- Median LSAT and undergraduate GPA: 156 and 3.63
- First-time bar passage (2025): 78.01%, compared with a Council weighted average of 84.74%
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term bar-passage-required jobs: 110 of 155 (71.0%)
- Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): 261 awarded, none reduced or eliminated (as reported, not reconciled with Howard’s enrollment figures)
- Application deadline and fee (2025 report): March 1, $60
Howard placed 13 graduates in government jobs and 16 in public interest jobs. Its admissions FAQ says it offers only a full-time day program, and it has the lowest full-time tuition and fees of the five private schools on this list.
8. University of Baltimore School of Law
- Type: Public
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term government jobs: 16 of 204 (7.8%), 146th-highest share of 195 schools
- Federal clerkships and public interest jobs (2025 graduates): 1 and 13
- Full-time resident tuition and fees: $33,944 tuition + $2,474 fees = $36,418
- Full-time nonresident tuition and fees: $50,624 tuition + $2,548 fees = $53,172
- Part-time tuition (as reported): $25,290 a year resident, $35,640 nonresident, plus $1,874 in fees
- Off-campus living budget: $25,024 a year
- Part-time first-year students (2025): 62
- Acceptance rate: 49.5%
- Median LSAT and undergraduate GPA: 155 and 3.45
- First-time bar passage (2025): 70.53%, compared with a Council weighted average of 73.99%
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term bar-passage-required jobs: 150 of 204 (73.5%)
- Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): 127 awarded, 20 reduced or eliminated
- Application deadline and fee (2025 report): August 1, $60
The University of Baltimore placed 16 of its 204 graduates in government jobs. It offers a part-time evening program, taught in a mix of in-person and asynchronous classes, and a part-time day program, and it enrolled 62 part-time first-year students in 2025, the second-most of the nine.
9. Georgetown University Law Center
- Type: Private
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term government jobs: 39 of 703 (5.5%), 173rd-highest share of 195 schools
- Federal clerkships and public interest jobs (2025 graduates): 34 and 71
- Full-time tuition and fees: $83,576 tuition + $0 fees = $83,576
- Part-time tuition (as reported): $2,950 a credit, plus $0 in fees
- Off-campus living budget: $33,905 a year
- Part-time first-year students (2025): 78
- Acceptance rate: 15.75%
- Median LSAT and undergraduate GPA: 171 and 3.93
- First-time bar passage (2025): 94.55%, compared with a Council weighted average of 85.21%
- 2025 graduates in full-time, long-term bar-passage-required jobs: 644 of 703 (91.6%)
- Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): None awarded
- Application deadline and fee (2025 report): March 2, $85
Georgetown ranks last here on share, but its 39 government placements rank 20th nationally by count, and it placed 34 graduates in federal clerkships and 71 in public interest jobs, the most of the nine schools in both. Its Evening Program is designed to take four years, and evening students can ask to finish in three and a half or three years, according to the school.
What You’ll Pay at Public and Private D.C.-Area Schools
The five private schools charge everyone the same full-time rate, from $41,412 in tuition and fees at Howard to $83,576 at Georgetown. The four public schools charge their own residents much less. To see how these rates compare with ABA-approved schools nationwide, see our list of the lowest-tuition law schools.
Resident vs. Nonresident Rates at the Four Public Schools
Each public school charges its lower rate only to residents of its own jurisdiction, so where you live now affects what you’ll pay. The difference column is nonresident tuition and fees minus resident tuition and fees.
| School | Resident tuition and fees | Nonresident tuition and fees | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Mason University | $27,832 | $43,946 | $16,114 |
| University of the District of Columbia | $13,438 | $25,874 | $12,436 |
| University of Maryland | $40,009 | $58,023 | $18,014 |
| University of Baltimore | $36,418 | $53,172 | $16,754 |
Each school sets its own residency rules, so confirm with it before you apply.
Living Costs: Off Campus vs. at Home
In a July 2024 Reddit post, one incoming full-time student in Baltimore weighed commuting from a family home against paying about $1,500 a month for a studio near campus. That’s one person’s rent estimate, not a market survey, but the trade-off shows up in the schools’ own budgets.
Every school reports a yearly living budget to the ABA. Three of them set a lower budget for students who live at home, and the other six use the same budget either way.
| School | Off-campus living budget | Living-at-home budget |
|---|---|---|
| George Mason University | $38,342 | $27,587 |
| Catholic University | $32,374 | $16,222 |
| University of Maryland | $32,842 | $15,133 |
Ask each school’s financial aid office how its budget is calculated and whether it changes if you live at home.
Part-Time J.D. Options in the D.C. Area
Eight of the nine schools enrolled part-time first-year students in 2025. Howard is the exception: it offers only a full-time day program, according to the school.
| School | Part-time first-year students (2025) | Part-time tuition (as reported) |
|---|---|---|
| George Mason University | 27 | $888 a credit resident, $1,464 nonresident, plus $2,226 in fees |
| University of the District of Columbia | 32 | $422 a credit resident, $843 nonresident, plus $1,000 in fees |
| Catholic University | 43 | $2,125 a credit, plus $1,130 in fees |
| George Washington University | 36 | $55,650 a year or $2,650 a credit, plus $0 in fees |
| American University | 51 | $2,481 a credit, plus $702 in fees |
| University of Maryland | 21 | $24,831 a year resident, $36,556 nonresident, plus $2,163 in fees |
| Howard University | None | No part-time program |
| University of Baltimore | 62 | $25,290 a year resident, $35,640 nonresident, plus $1,874 in fees |
| Georgetown University | 78 | $2,950 a credit, plus $0 in fees |
The schools report part-time tuition in two ways. Five charge part-time students by the credit, so what you pay each year depends on how many credits you take. Two report an annual part-time rate, and George Washington reports both. Because the units differ, the table doesn’t rank them.
Most of these programs are built around four years of evening classes. The University of Maryland, the University of Baltimore and UDC each describe a four-year part-time evening program, George Mason’s Flex-JD takes four years, and George Washington’s part-time students normally take eight semesters plus one summer session, according to each school. Some programs allow a faster finish. In a March 2026 Reddit post, one second-year evening student in D.C. who works full time described using summer classes to build enough credits to finish in three and a half years instead of four, partly because the job was guaranteed only until graduation. Whether that’s possible depends on the school: Georgetown, for example, says its evening students can ask to finish in three and a half or three years. Ask each school how many credits a part-time student takes a semester and whether summer credits count toward finishing early.
Where D.C.-Area Graduates Take the Bar
Going to law school in D.C. doesn’t mean you’ll take the D.C. bar exam. The ABA’s 2026 bar passage report lists where each school’s first-time takers sat in 2025. D.C. was the most common jurisdiction for seven of the nine schools, and Maryland was the most common for the two Baltimore schools. The ABA groups jurisdictions with only a few of a school’s takers together, so the table shows only jurisdictions it reported by name.
| School | Most common jurisdiction (of all first-time takers) | Second most common jurisdiction |
|---|---|---|
| George Mason University | District of Columbia (65 of 161) | Virginia (59) |
| University of the District of Columbia | District of Columbia (42 of 76) | Maryland (17) |
| Catholic University | District of Columbia (47 of 104) | Maryland (26) |
| George Washington University | District of Columbia (257 of 559) | New York (131) |
| American University | District of Columbia (199 of 366) | New York (45) |
| University of Maryland | Maryland (160 of 213) | District of Columbia (19) |
| Howard University | District of Columbia (62 of 141) | New York (36) |
| University of Baltimore | Maryland (180 of 207) | None reported separately |
| Georgetown University | District of Columbia (255 of 679) | New York (217) |
The three nearby jurisdictions use different exams, and all three are changing. D.C. adopted the legacy Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) in July 2016 and Maryland in July 2019, according to the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). Virginia doesn’t give the legacy UBE. All three are moving to the NextGen UBE on different schedules: according to NCBE’s adoption table, updated November 6, 2026, Maryland began in July 2026, D.C. plans to start in February 2028 and Virginia in July 2028. Whether a score transfers, and what else you’ll need for admission, depends on the exam version and the receiving jurisdiction’s rules.
Passing a bar exam or earning a transferable score doesn’t automatically license you to practice in another jurisdiction. D.C., Maryland and Virginia each have their own admission authority and eligibility rules. Depending on the jurisdiction and how you apply, you may need to meet its legal education requirements, pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), complete a jurisdiction-specific requirement and pass character and fitness review, the bar’s check of your background, conduct and honesty. In a November 2025 Reddit post, one graduate who passed the July 2025 D.C. exam described accepting a Maryland job that required admission in both jurisdictions, which meant starting a second application.
Maryland’s extra step has a name. The Maryland State Board of Law Examiners won’t admit anyone, whether they took the exam in Maryland or transferred a UBE score there, until they complete the Maryland Law Component, an online test on Maryland law and procedure. Check the Board’s site for its current requirements, and check each admission authority’s rules for every jurisdiction where you plan to practice. Our guides to becoming a lawyer in Maryland and Virginia walk through each state’s steps.
On legal education, some jurisdictions require a J.D. from an ABA-approved law school to sit for the bar exam, and others allow other paths. All nine schools on this list are ABA-approved. For a jurisdiction’s current rules, use NCBE’s jurisdiction directory, and for pass rates by state, see our page on bar exam pass rates.
How to Use This List
Start with the career you want. If it’s government, the ranking shows which schools sent the largest share of 2025 graduates there, and the counts show where the largest groups went. Our guide to becoming a government lawyer covers what that work involves. If it’s a federal clerkship or public interest law, check those lines in each profile, since a school can rank low on one path and high on another.
Next, consider format. If you plan to keep a full-time job, your choices narrow to the eight schools with part-time programs, and you’ll compare them on schedule (evening, hybrid or day) and on how they charge, by the credit or by the year.
Then check residency. If you live in D.C., Maryland or Virginia, the public school in your jurisdiction may cost far less than the others for you. If you don’t, compare the nonresident rates in the profiles, since they’re higher than the resident rates in the tables.
Think about where you want to practice, too. The bar jurisdiction table shows where each school’s graduates actually tested, and pass rates sit next to the Council weighted average, so you can see how a school’s graduates did compared with graduates of other ABA-approved schools in the same jurisdictions. For more on what that approval means, see our guide to ABA approval and bar eligibility.
Finally, read each school’s full Standard 509 report and employment summary at abarequireddisclosures.org, and confirm tuition, deadlines and program details with the school before you apply. Figures on this page are current as of November 2026 and change each year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which D.C.-area law school sends the most graduates into government jobs?
By share, George Mason: 44 of its 167 graduates in 2025 (26.3%) took full-time, long-term government jobs, according to ABA data. By count, George Washington’s 78 government placements were the most of any ABA-approved law school in the country.
Which law schools are in Washington, D.C.?
Six ABA-approved law schools are in D.C. They are American University Washington College of Law, The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, The George Washington University Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, Howard University School of Law and the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law. George Mason’s law school is nearby in Arlington, Virginia, and two more are in Baltimore.
What is the least expensive law school in the D.C. area?
The University of the District of Columbia has the lowest full-time tuition and fees of the nine schools: $13,438 for D.C. residents and $25,874 for nonresidents, according to its 2025 ABA report. Among the private schools, Howard is the least expensive, at $41,412.
Which D.C.-area law schools have part-time J.D. programs?
Eight of the nine do: American, Catholic, George Mason, George Washington, Georgetown, the University of Baltimore, the University of Maryland and UDC. Howard offers only a full-time day program. Most part-time programs here are designed to take about four years.
Do you have to take the D.C. bar exam if you go to law school in D.C.?
No. You can take the bar exam in any jurisdiction whose education rules you meet, and graduates of D.C. schools test in many places. In 2025, for example, 255 of Georgetown’s first-time takers sat in D.C. and 217 sat in New York. Each jurisdiction sets its own eligibility rules, so check NCBE’s jurisdiction directory for the one you’re considering.
- Government careers: George Mason sent 26.3% of its 2025 graduates into government jobs, the top share of the nine and third nationally, and George Washington’s 78 placements led the country.
- Why D.C.: 33,070 lawyers worked in D.C. as of May 2025, more than in Maryland and Virginia combined, and they earned a median of $195,190, according to the BLS.
- Cost range: Full-time resident tuition and fees run from $13,438 at UDC to $83,576 at Georgetown, and the four public schools charge nonresidents more.
- Part-time options: Eight of the nine schools enrolled part-time first-year students in 2025, and Howard offers only a full-time program.
- Licensing: D.C. was the most common bar jurisdiction for seven of the nine schools, and passing in one jurisdiction doesn’t license you in another.
2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Lawyers. Figures reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed November 2026.
If a government career is what’s drawing you to D.C., compare programs on the outcomes that match it, then on schedule and cost, including whether you’d qualify for an in-state rate at one of the public schools. The schools listed on this page include full-time and part-time J.D. options for students who are already working.
