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Atlanta's John Marshall Law School vs South Dakota
Atlanta's John Marshall Law School · Atlanta, GA | University of South Dakota Law School · Vermillion, SD
This pairing is listed because these two schools are closest selectivity match — see the note below for what this pairing does and does not mean.
One of these schools is the only law school in its state, so there is no local alternative to compare it against. This pairing matches the closest selectivity level found nationwide. The two are not practical alternatives for most applicants — the comparison is here so that every school on this site can be compared with something.
Side by side
All figures from the 2025 ABA 509 reporting cycle. Bold marks the stronger figure on each row where a direction exists.
| Measure | Atlanta's John Marshall Law School | South Dakota | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 32.65% | 62.62% | −30.0 |
| Median LSAT | 152 | 152 | identical |
| Median GPA | 3.13 | 3.47 | −0 |
| Annual tuition | $52,536 | $12,076 | +40,460 |
| 3-year total cost | $267,036 | $100,695 | +166,341 |
| Median grant / year | $4,500 | $5,000 | −500 |
| Net tuition after grant | not reported | not reported | — |
| First-year class size | 138 | 88 | +50 |
| Offer yield | not reported | not reported | — |
| Class fill | 96.4% | 94.3% | +2.1 |
| Bar pass (1st time) | 63.8% | 69.2% | −5.4 |
Bold is not a recommendation. On cost and acceptance it marks the lower number; on grant aid and bar passage the higher one. Where no direction applies — median LSAT, GPA and class size — nothing is bolded, because a higher median LSAT is not obviously better than a lower one for a given applicant.
Where the two differ most
Ranked by the size of the gap relative to South Dakota's figure. These are the differences most likely to change a decision.
| Measure | Atlanta's John Marshall Law School | South Dakota | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual tuition | $52,536 | $12,076 | +40,460in dollars |
| 3-year total cost | $267,036 | $100,695 | +166,341in dollars |
| First-year class size | 138 | 88 | +50 |
| Acceptance rate | 32.65% | 62.62% | −30.0percentage points |
Cost compared
Both schools report tuition, mandatory fees and living costs, so a full three-year figure can be computed for each. This is the comparison that tuition-only rankings cannot make.
| Component (per year) | Atlanta's John Marshall Law School | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Annual tuition | $52,536 | $12,076 |
| 3-year total cost | $267,036 | $100,695 |
| Median grant / year | $4,500 | $5,000 |
| Net tuition after median grant | — | — |
Net tuition subtracts the median grant from annual tuition. It is an optimistic floor: the median covers only students who received aid, and it assumes the same award holds for all three years. See the full cost ranking for every school.
Outcomes compared
| Measure | Atlanta's John Marshall Law School | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| First-time bar passage | 63.8% | 69.2% |
| Offer yield | 32.0% | 32.8% |
| Class fill | 96.4% | 94.3% |
| Students enrolled | 133 | 83 |
| First-year class size | 138 | 88 |
The national median offer yield is 31.6%. Offer yield measures how many admitted students chose each school; class fill measures whether the class was filled. A low yield is common and usually reflects a wide offer policy rather than a school students avoid.
Choosing between them
- There is no better school here, only a different one. These figures describe cohort averages. Where your own profile falls relative to a school's admitted range matters more than any published median.
- Cost is a family question, not a ranking. The three-year figure covers tuition, fees and published living costs. It does not include books, a laptop, travel home, or the income lost to three years of not working.
- Grant figures are history, not offers. Both medians describe past cohorts. Your award depends on your circumstances, the school's policy and its aid budget that year.
- Bar passage is heavily shaped by selectivity. A school that admits broadly and passes fewer of its own admittees is not necessarily providing a weaker education; the comparison is confounded by who each school chooses.
Full details on each school
| Atlanta's John Marshall Law School | South Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| Admissions data | All Atlanta's John Marshall Law School admissions data | All South Dakota admissions data |
| Admissions funnel | Funnel & yield | Funnel & yield |
| Financial aid | Grants & aid bands | Grants & aid bands |
| Cost | Cost of attendance | Cost of attendance |
Other comparisons
Other South Dakota pairings, and other alternatives to Atlanta's John Marshall Law School.
- No further pairings available for these two schools.
Common questions
What is the acceptance rate at Atlanta's John Marshall Law School vs South Dakota?
Atlanta's John Marshall Law School admitted 32.65% of applicants while South Dakota admitted 62.62%.
Which is cheaper, Atlanta's John Marshall Law School or South Dakota?
Over three years, South Dakota costs $166,341 less. Atlanta's John Marshall Law School runs $267,036 and South Dakota runs $100,695, including tuition, mandatory fees and disclosed living costs.
Which school offers more financial aid, Atlanta's John Marshall Law School or South Dakota?
Atlanta's John Marshall Law School reports a median grant of $4,500 per year for full-time students, compared with $5,000 at South Dakota. Median figures describe past cohorts and are not aid offers.
Source: ABA Standard 509 Required Disclosures, 2025 reporting cycle, for Atlanta's John Marshall Law School and University of South Dakota Law School. Three-year cost totals multiply one year of disclosed tuition, mandatory fees and living costs by three; the 509 does not disclose program length. Figures describe the most recent entering class and past aid cohorts. Not financial advice and not a recommendation of either school.