University of Maryland School of Law Overview
The University of Maryland School of Law, formally the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, is an ABA-accredited public law school. Built in 1813 as the Maryland Law Institute, it is the second-oldest law school in the US. It was not until 2011, after receiving a $30 million donation from the W. P. Carey Foundation, that it came to be known under its current name.
Maryland Carey Law's location in the Baltimore-Washington legal and business community provides several opportunities to students. These include access to several externships and employment opportunities within the second-largest legal market in the US.
The University of Maryland School of Law offers various options for acquiring a JD. Applicants can opt for the part-time JD program, which ranks #5 in the US in terms of quality. Another option is the 3+3 Dual Degree Program, which gives students an undergraduate and law degree in six years instead of seven or more. The school also offers LLM and MSL programs.
Maryland Carey Law is highly ranked for its specialty courses, including:
- Healthcare Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- International and Comparative Business Law
- Clinical Law
- Cybersecurity and Crisis Management
- Environmental Law
- Dispute Resolution
- Public Health Law
The school's 6.1:1 student-to-faculty ratio is another attractive feature. This and the school's small class sizes translate into more opportunities for one-on-one interactions with professors.
Aside from academics, the school teaches students how to excel in the legal world. It accomplishes this through its externships, trial teams, and clinical law programs. Currently, the University of Maryland School of Law has over 25 clinics providing free legal services to Maryland's poorest residents. Participating in the Clinical Law Program is necessary to graduate.
The school also has an extensive scholarship and grant program. During the application review process, all JD applicants receive automatic consideration for merit-based scholarships. These scholarships are renewable, but only if the recipients continue to meet certain academic requirements. JD students can also apply for the Leadership Scholars Program scholarship.
Regarding first-time bar passage rates, the University of Maryland School of Law has maintained an impressive track record. Its 2019 bar passage rate was 88% for first-time takers in Maryland. When it comes to employment after graduation, the school performs well—95% of its 2017 graduates gained employment within ten months.
Social life within the school is vibrant, consisting of many campus organizations and community activities. Students also have the option to stay on or off campus, depending on their preference and budget.
University of Maryland School of Law Rankings
Law school rankings are useful for identifying which schools are a good fit for your goals and preferences. Highly ranked law schools are the most sought after for their high bar passage rates. Also, the most attractive law firms and companies are more enthusiastic about hiring graduates from such schools.
That said, getting into a top-ranked law school is very competitive, and tuition rates are generally higher. You can avoid these hurdles by applying to a lower-ranked law school.
A lower rank does not necessarily mean poor quality. For example, the US News & World Report 2021 ranks the University of Maryland School of Law #47 on its list of best US law schools. PublicLegal's 2020 Raw Data Law School Rankings place the school at #64.
Despite not being in the top ten, the University of Maryland School of Law has had a bar passage rate of over 76% since 2017. Most of its graduates find satisfactory employment within a year of graduation.
University of Maryland School of Law Admissions
What is the University of Maryland School of Law's Acceptance Rate?
Like rankings, acceptance rates are useful for determining how difficult it is to get into a law school. Highly ranked schools like Harvard and Yale are fiercely competitive, as reflected in their low acceptance rates of 16.9% and 6.9%, respectively.
At the University of Maryland School of Law, the acceptance rate was 53.7% for 2017 applicants and 47.7% for 2020. These figures indicate that Maryland Carey Law accepts about half of its applicants, making it an averagely competitive school.
To determine which applicants to accept or reject, schools consider several factors. The biggest of these are an applicant's GPA and LSAT score. Law schools take GPA into account as a viable indicator of academic competence.
The LSAT (Law School Admission Test) is a standardized exam that tests your ability to cope with the law school curriculum. It accomplishes this by testing reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning. Most schools prioritize LSAT scores over GPAs. That means if your GPA is less than satisfactory, a high LSAT score can get you into your desired school.
To get into the University of Maryland School of Law, you need at least a 3.25 GPA and an LSAT score of 154. That said, the school receives around two thousand applications each session, and of those accepts only about half. These figures indicate scoring the minimum may not be enough to get you a slot.
You can increase your chances by scoring between 157 and 160 on the LSAT and having a GPA of 3.46 to 3.70. Accompanying your scores with a compelling personal statement will further increase your chances of receiving an offer of admission.
The following tables paint a clearer picture of the University of Maryland School of Law's acceptance rate.
| Applications | Offers | Matriculated | |
| Class of 2019 | 2406 | 1055 (43.8%) | 192 (7.98%) |
| 25% | Median | 75% | |
| GPA | 3.49 | 3.66 | 3.79 |
| LSAT | 153 | 159 | 161 |
| Applications | Offers | Matriculated | |
| Class of 2023 | 1953 | 1049 (53.71%) | 204 (10.4%) |
| 25% | Median | 75% | |
| GPA | 3.25 | 3.46 | 3.63 |
| LSAT | 154 | 157 | 160 |
University of Maryland School of Law LSAT Percentiles
| 75th percentile | 160 |
| 50th percentile | 157 |
| 25th percentile | 154 |
Promotional Opportunity: "Want to get into the University of Maryland School of Law? Sign up for LSATMax"
2023 Entering Class Profile
| Number of Students | 644 |
| LSAT Score | 157 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.46 |
| % Women | 49.50% |
| % Students of Color | 11.9% |
What is the Tuition for the University of Maryland School of Law?
| In-state Resident | Non-resident | |
| Full-time | $30,177 | $43,657 |
| Part-time | $23,175 | $33,284 |
What are the Living Expenses at the University of Maryland School of Law?
| On-campus | $23,075 |
| Off-campus | $23,075 |
What are the Housing Options at the University of Maryland School of Law?
| On-campus | Yes |
| Off-campus | Yes |
BAR Passage Rates at the University of Maryland School of Law
| Reporting | 82.9% |
| First-time Takers | 280 |
| University of Maryland School of Law Average | 78.0% |
| Maryland Average | 76.5% |
| 2019 National Average | 79.64% |
Application Deadlines
What Materials do I Need When Applying to the University of Maryland School of Law?
When applying to the University of Maryland School of Law, you need the following materials:
- LSAT score
- Two letters of recommendation
- Undergraduate and graduate transcripts
- Personal statement
You will submit these materials via the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS). You can submit materials as soon as the school begins accepting applications.
When does the University of Maryland School of Law Begin Accepting Applications?
You can submit applications to the University of Maryland School of Law as long as there are spaces left in its first-year class.
How are Applications to the University of Maryland School of Law Submitted?
You can submit your University of Maryland School of Law first-year JD application form online through the LSAC. There is also the option of paper applications by contacting admissions@law.umaryland.edu.
Does the University of Maryland School of Law Have an "Early Admission" or "Early Decision" Process?
Yes, the University of Maryland School of Law has an early decision program. Applicants who choose the early decision process will receive an admission decision before the end of the month they applied. For the application to be valid, however, the candidate must withdraw their applications to other schools.
How Much is the Application Fee and When is the Deadline?
| Application Fee | $70 |
| Early Decision Deadline | November 1 |
| Regular Decision Deadline | December 1 |
Does the University of Maryland School of Law Grant Interviews?
Yes, the admissions committee at Maryland Carey Law grants interviews to determine a candidate's suitability for admission. Note, however, that you cannot request an interview invitation. Only the admissions committee can decide who receives an interview invitation.
Employment After the University of Maryland School of Law
| 2020 Median Salary – Private Sector | $70,000 |
| 2020 Median Salary – Public Sector | $49,000 |
The law school you attend can influence your employment opportunities after graduating. This is why many prospective lawyers aim for highly ranked law schools. But getting into a top-ten law school is fiercely competitive. If you cannot get into one, apply to a law school with a high post-graduation employment rate.
The University of Maryland School of Law has an impressive track record of graduates getting employment within a year of graduating. According to Law.com, the school is ranked 27th in national employment outcomes. Most graduates easily find jobs because of the institution's location within the second-largest legal market in the US.
Over 50% of graduates from the class of 2019 received employment within a month of graduating. Within nine months after graduation, 82.9% of graduates had jobs. Of those graduates, 22% got jobs in the public sector, including in courts and federal, state, and local government positions.
Of the 2019 graduates, 30% ended up in law firms, while 18% began a career in business. Overall, 69% of those graduates found jobs in Maryland, while the rest relocated to Virginia and the District of Columbia.
In addition to getting jobs within a year of graduating, most Maryland Carey Law graduates are well paid. Statistics from 2020 indicate those in the private sector have a median salary of $70,000, while those in the public sector have a median salary of $49,000. These figures are significant improvements over 2017, when graduates had starting salaries of $65,000 in the private sector and $46,000 in the public sector.
According to PublicLegal, these figures place Maryland Carey Law 95th out of 200 in the Law School Rankings by Median Salary.
