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Law Schools Where Most Aid Stops at Half Tuition
196 schools · share of grant recipients at half tuition or less · ABA 509, 2025 cycle
This is the opposite measurement to full-tuition scholarships. Ranking high here means most grant recipients do not have their full tuition covered. It signals a need-driven programme or a thin award budget — not generosity.
How the four bands split the country
Median share of grant recipients in each reported band across all 196 schools. The bands are mutually exclusive and share one denominator, so they sum to roughly 100.
| Band | Median share of grant recipients | What it implies |
|---|---|---|
| Half tuition or less | 41% | Partial awards; the family still carries most of the bill |
| Above half, below full | 30% | The most common outcome at most schools |
| Full tuition | 1% | Only 161 schools award this to anyone |
| Above full tuition | 1% | Awards above full tuition are rare |
The band with the highest median share is the one most students actually fall into. At the median school that is the partial-award band, which is why award size matters more than coverage when estimating a real net price.
Full ranking
| # | School | State | Half or less | Half to full | Full+ | Median grant | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta's John Marshall Law School | GA | 80.0% | 0.0% | 4.0% | $4,500 | Broad but shallow |
| 2 | California-Irvine | CA | 78.0% | 17.0% | none | $25,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 3 | Kentucky | KY | 77.0% | 17.0% | 4.0% | $11,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 4 | South Texas College of Law Houston | TX | 76.0% | 8.0% | none | $11,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 5 | Boston College | MA | 74.0% | 13.0% | 1.0% | $24,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 6 | St. Mary's University | TX | 72.0% | 9.0% | none | $12,500 | Broad but shallow |
| 7 | Montana | MT | 71.0% | 9.0% | 9.0% | $10,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 8 | Cleveland State University | OH | 69.0% | 29.0% | none | $11,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 9 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | IN | 69.0% | 25.0% | 6.0% | $15,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 10 | Missouri-Kansas City | MO | 69.0% | 12.0% | 4.0% | $7,270 | Broad but shallow |
| 11 | Cornell University | NY | 67.0% | 22.0% | 2.0% | $30,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 12 | Duke University | NC | 67.0% | 27.0% | none | $35,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 13 | Tennessee | TN | 67.0% | 18.0% | 4.0% | $10,550 | Broad but shallow |
| 14 | California College of the Law, San Francisco | CA | 66.0% | 19.0% | 1.0% | $20,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 15 | Willamette University | OR | 66.0% | 24.0% | 4.0% | $20,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 16 | Campbell University | NC | 64.0% | 34.0% | none | $21,771 | Broad but shallow |
| 17 | Chicago | IL | 64.0% | 5.0% | 9.0% | $15,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 18 | Southern Methodist University | TX | 64.0% | 27.0% | 4.0% | $26,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 19 | Vermont Law School | VT | 64.0% | 27.0% | 8.0% | $28,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 20 | Connecticut | CT | 62.0% | 27.0% | 3.0% | $15,177 | Broad but shallow |
| 21 | Washington | WA | 62.0% | 9.0% | none | $14,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 22 | South Carolina | SC | 61.0% | 25.0% | 4.0% | $12,562 | Broad but shallow |
| 23 | Vanderbilt University | TN | 61.0% | 24.0% | 5.0% | $32,792 | Broad but shallow |
| 24 | Houston | TX | 60.0% | 11.0% | 3.0% | $11,500 | Broad but shallow |
| 25 | Massachusetts Dartmouth | MA | 60.0% | 17.0% | 8.0% | $15,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 26 | Nova Southeastern University | FL | 60.0% | 18.0% | none | $15,000 | Broad but shallow |
| 27 | Akron | OH | 59.0% | 33.0% | 2.0% | $9,000 | Mixed |
| 28 | Barry University | FL | 58.0% | 19.0% | 1.0% | $16,000 | Mixed |
| 29 | Boston University | MA | 58.0% | 27.0% | 6.0% | $29,000 | Mixed |
| 30 | California-Davis | CA | 58.0% | 40.0% | 1.0% | $25,000 | Mixed |
| 31 | Charleston School of Law | SC | 58.0% | 34.0% | 3.0% | $20,000 | Mixed |
| 32 | Michigan | MI | 58.0% | 30.0% | 3.0% | $32,000 | Mixed |
| 33 | Oklahoma | OK | 58.0% | 29.0% | 2.0% | $12,000 | Mixed |
| 34 | Capital University Law School | OH | 57.0% | 39.0% | none | $21,000 | Mixed |
| 35 | Colorado | CO | 57.0% | 26.0% | 3.0% | $15,000 | Mixed |
| 36 | Jacksonville University | FL | 57.0% | 43.0% | none | $18,000 | Mixed |
| 37 | Mitchell/Hamline School of Law | MN | 57.0% | 39.0% | 5.0% | $34,730 | Mixed |
| 38 | Saint Louis University | MO | 57.0% | 39.0% | 1.0% | $25,000 | Mixed |
| 39 | Widener University Commonwealth Law School | PA | 57.0% | 37.0% | none | $25,000 | Mixed |
| 40 | Marquette University | WI | 56.0% | 38.0% | none | $23,000 | Mixed |
| 41 | Syracuse University | NY | 56.0% | 34.0% | 1.0% | $24,351 | Mixed |
| 42 | Appalachian School of Law | VA | 55.0% | 19.0% | 13.0% | $10,250 | Mixed |
| 43 | Texas Tech University | TX | 55.0% | 28.0% | 5.0% | $12,000 | Mixed |
| 44 | Wyoming | WY | 55.0% | 27.0% | 6.0% | $8,000 | Mixed |
| 45 | Hawaii | HI | 54.0% | 14.0% | 1.0% | $7,000 | Mixed |
| 46 | Lewis & Clark Law School | OR | 54.0% | 41.0% | none | $26,000 | Mixed |
| 47 | Notre Dame | IN | 54.0% | 31.0% | 6.0% | $30,000 | Mixed |
| 48 | Rutgers University | NJ | 54.0% | 31.0% | 1.0% | $16,000 | Mixed |
| 49 | Suffolk University | MA | 54.0% | 24.0% | 2.0% | $22,445 | Mixed |
| 50 | Duquesne University | PA | 53.0% | 27.0% | 17.0% | $30,000 | Mixed |
| 51 | Seattle University | WA | 53.0% | 23.0% | 11.0% | $30,000 | Mixed |
| 52 | Fordham University | NY | 52.0% | 35.0% | none | $35,000 | Mixed |
| 53 | George Washington University, The | DC | 52.0% | 23.0% | 2.0% | $28,000 | Mixed |
| 54 | Northern Illinois University | IL | 52.0% | 25.0% | none | $8,274 | Mixed |
| 55 | Oklahoma City University | OK | 52.0% | 18.0% | 7.0% | $14,000 | Mixed |
| 56 | Tulsa | OK | 52.0% | 42.0% | 4.0% | $12,500 | Mixed |
| 57 | California-Los Angeles | CA | 50.0% | 24.0% | 9.0% | $24,456 | Mixed |
| 58 | Mercer University | GA | 50.0% | 34.0% | 3.0% | $20,000 | Mixed |
| 59 | Stetson University | FL | 50.0% | 37.0% | 1.0% | $25,000 | Mixed |
| 60 | California-Berkeley | CA | 49.0% | 28.0% | 9.0% | $31,158 | Mixed |
| 61 | Catholic University of America, The | DC | 49.0% | 49.0% | none | $26,000 | Balanced |
| 62 | Mississippi | MS | 49.0% | 33.0% | 5.0% | $7,000 | Mixed |
| 63 | New York University | NY | 49.0% | 5.0% | 11.0% | $20,000 | Mixed |
| 64 | Northeastern University | MA | 49.0% | 34.0% | 11.0% | $31,000 | Mixed |
| 65 | Quinnipiac University | CT | 49.0% | 32.0% | 5.0% | $25,000 | Mixed |
| 66 | Samford University | AL | 49.0% | 43.0% | none | $20,000 | Mixed |
| 67 | Southern California | CA | 49.0% | 45.0% | 1.0% | $40,092 | Balanced |
| 68 | Arkansas | AR | 48.0% | 37.0% | 2.0% | $9,000 | Mixed |
| 69 | Kansas | KS | 47.0% | 17.0% | 21.0% | $15,000 | Mixed |
| 70 | Pace University | NY | 47.0% | 42.0% | 5.0% | $29,000 | Mixed |
| 71 | the Pacific (McGeorge) | CA | 47.0% | 21.0% | 25.0% | $30,426 | Mixed |
| 72 | Pepperdine University | CA | 47.0% | 25.0% | 5.0% | $30,000 | Mixed |
| 73 | Puerto Rico | PR | 47.0% | 4.0% | none | $1,000 | Mixed |
| 74 | San Diego | CA | 47.0% | 41.0% | 3.0% | $32,000 | Mixed |
| 75 | Baltimore | MD | 45.0% | 22.0% | 1.0% | $15,000 | Mixed |
| 76 | Brooklyn Law School | NY | 45.0% | 42.0% | 5.0% | $34,000 | Mixed |
| 77 | Cardozo School of Law (Yeshiva University) | NY | 45.0% | 50.0% | 2.0% | $40,000 | Balanced |
| 78 | Creighton University | NE | 45.0% | 28.0% | 16.0% | $25,600 | Mixed |
| 79 | Emory University | GA | 45.0% | 52.0% | 1.0% | $36,000 | Balanced |
| 80 | Regent University | VA | 45.0% | 51.0% | 1.0% | $22,500 | Balanced |
| 81 | Widener University Delaware Law School | DE | 45.0% | 53.0% | 2.0% | $32,000 | Balanced |
| 82 | Arizona State University | AZ | 44.0% | 39.0% | 13.0% | $20,000 | Mixed |
| 83 | North Texas at Dallas | TX | 44.0% | 8.0% | 2.0% | $5,000 | Mixed |
| 84 | Ohio Northern University | OH | 44.0% | 27.0% | 8.0% | $17,250 | Mixed |
| 85 | Cooley Law School | MI | 43.0% | 13.0% | 1.0% | $13,746 | Mixed |
| 86 | Idaho | ID | 43.0% | 3.0% | none | $8,000 | Mixed |
| 87 | Minnesota | MN | 43.0% | 50.0% | 1.0% | $35,000 | Balanced |
| 88 | Western State College of Law (Westcliff University) | CA | 43.0% | 35.0% | none | $23,616 | Mixed |
| 89 | Faulkner University | AL | 42.0% | 30.0% | none | $15,960 | Mixed |
| 90 | Liberty University | VA | 42.0% | 58.0% | none | $24,000 | Balanced |
| 91 | Touro University | NY | 42.0% | 33.0% | 1.0% | $22,000 | Mixed |
| 92 | Baylor University | TX | 41.0% | 29.0% | 27.0% | $33,518 | Mixed |
| 93 | University at Buffalo | NY | 41.0% | 11.0% | none | $7,500 | Mixed |
| 94 | Elon University | NC | 41.0% | 42.0% | 7.0% | $23,571 | Mixed |
| 95 | Hofstra University | NY | 41.0% | 20.0% | 23.0% | $35,793 | Mixed |
| 96 | Louisville | KY | 41.0% | 33.0% | none | $12,000 | Mixed |
| 97 | Loyola University-New Orleans | LA | 41.0% | 36.0% | 1.0% | $26,000 | Mixed |
| 98 | Nevada-Las Vegas | NV | 41.0% | 25.0% | 11.0% | $22,998 | Mixed |
| 99 | Tulane University | LA | 41.0% | 45.0% | none | $37,500 | Balanced |
| 100 | Wilmington University School of Law | DE | 41.0% | 11.0% | 2.0% | $6,000 | Mixed |
| 101 | Denver | CO | 40.0% | 23.0% | 14.0% | $30,000 | Mixed |
| 102 | St. Thomas (Minnesota) | MN | 40.0% | 54.0% | 6.0% | $26,865 | Balanced |
| 103 | Texas | TX | 40.0% | 44.0% | 10.0% | $23,375 | Mixed |
| 104 | Brigham Young University | UT | 39.0% | 14.0% | 46.0% | $11,646 | Full-tuition heavy |
| 105 | Illinois | IL | 39.0% | 58.0% | 2.0% | $32,000 | Balanced |
| 106 | Lincoln Memorial University | TN | 39.0% | 54.0% | 7.0% | $28,000 | Balanced |
| 107 | New Mexico | NM | 39.0% | 13.0% | 8.0% | $10,000 | Mixed |
| 108 | DePaul University | IL | 38.0% | 59.0% | 1.0% | $34,950 | Balanced |
| 109 | North Carolina | NC | 38.0% | 52.0% | 5.0% | $17,000 | Balanced |
| 110 | North Dakota | ND | 38.0% | 13.0% | 2.0% | $3,875 | Mixed |
| 111 | Wisconsin | WI | 38.0% | 37.0% | 19.0% | $35,000 | Mixed |
| 112 | Albany Law School | NY | 37.0% | 47.0% | 9.0% | $38,000 | Balanced |
| 113 | District of Columbia | DC | 37.0% | 30.0% | 2.0% | $8,292 | Mixed |
| 114 | Oregon | OR | 37.0% | 33.0% | 5.0% | $25,000 | Mixed |
| 115 | Seton Hall University | NJ | 37.0% | 50.0% | 1.0% | $40,000 | Balanced |
| 116 | Southwestern Law School | CA | 37.0% | 32.0% | 3.0% | $29,166 | Mixed |
| 117 | Columbia University | NY | 36.0% | 13.0% | 5.0% | $32,000 | Mixed |
| 118 | Drexel University | PA | 36.0% | 35.0% | 3.0% | $28,667 | Mixed |
| 119 | South Dakota | SD | 36.0% | 12.0% | 7.0% | $5,000 | Mixed |
| 120 | Toledo | OH | 36.0% | 19.0% | 26.0% | $20,000 | Mixed |
| 121 | Washburn University | KS | 36.0% | 26.0% | 17.0% | $15,000 | Mixed |
| 122 | Georgetown University | DC | 35.0% | 23.0% | 3.0% | $35,000 | Mixed |
| 123 | Loyola University-Chicago | IL | 35.0% | 57.0% | 2.0% | $30,000 | Balanced |
| 124 | Florida | FL | 34.0% | 19.0% | 35.0% | $19,000 | Mixed |
| 125 | New Hampshire | NH | 34.0% | 33.0% | 2.0% | $20,000 | Mixed |
| 126 | Northwestern University | IL | 34.0% | 40.0% | 2.0% | $40,000 | Mixed |
| 127 | St. John's University | NY | 34.0% | 50.0% | none | $60,000 | Balanced |
| 128 | Virginia | VA | 34.0% | 26.0% | 7.0% | $35,000 | Mixed |
| 129 | Yale University | CT | 34.0% | 15.0% | 14.0% | $34,747 | Mixed |
| 130 | Maryland | MD | 33.0% | 31.0% | 15.0% | $28,000 | Mixed |
| 131 | North Carolina Central University | NC | 33.0% | 25.0% | 15.0% | $12,982 | Mixed |
| 132 | Texas Southern University | TX | 33.0% | 17.0% | 1.0% | $7,363 | Mixed |
| 133 | Washington and Lee University | VA | 33.0% | 63.0% | 1.0% | $33,500 | Balanced |
| 134 | Cincinnati | OH | 32.0% | 57.0% | 10.0% | $19,000 | Balanced |
| 135 | George Mason University | VA | 32.0% | 46.0% | 6.0% | $21,000 | Balanced |
| 136 | Gonzaga University | WA | 32.0% | 64.0% | 2.0% | $32,000 | Balanced |
| 137 | Memphis | TN | 32.0% | 17.0% | 13.0% | $11,000 | Mixed |
| 138 | New England Law/Boston | MA | 32.0% | 24.0% | 30.0% | $40,000 | Mixed |
| 139 | Southern Illinois University | IL | 32.0% | 29.0% | 2.0% | $9,500 | Mixed |
| 140 | West Virginia University | WV | 32.0% | 36.0% | 9.0% | $17,500 | Mixed |
| 141 | Missouri | MO | 31.0% | 31.0% | 16.0% | $17,500 | Mixed |
| 142 | Alabama | AL | 30.0% | 41.0% | 25.0% | $21,500 | Mixed |
| 143 | Indiana University-Bloomington | IN | 30.0% | 62.0% | 8.0% | $33,000 | Balanced |
| 144 | Georgia | GA | 29.0% | 13.0% | 42.0% | $19,460 | Full-tuition heavy |
| 145 | New York Law School | NY | 29.0% | 56.0% | none | $40,000 | Balanced |
| 146 | St. Thomas University (Florida) | FL | 29.0% | 35.0% | none | $25,320 | Mixed |
| 147 | Arkansas at Little Rock | AR | 28.0% | 23.0% | 9.0% | $7,461 | Mixed |
| 148 | Detroit Mercy | MI | 28.0% | 29.0% | 1.0% | $18,636 | Mixed |
| 149 | Florida International University | FL | 28.0% | 11.0% | 15.0% | $10,365 | Mixed |
| 150 | Mississippi Christian University School of Law (MC Law) | MS | 28.0% | 26.0% | 10.0% | $22,000 | Mixed |
| 151 | Richmond | VA | 28.0% | 26.0% | 28.0% | $40,000 | Mixed |
| 152 | Illinois-Chicago | IL | 27.0% | 33.0% | 1.0% | $23,250 | Mixed |
| 153 | Utah | UT | 27.0% | 47.0% | 17.0% | $28,410 | Balanced |
| 154 | Chicago-Kent College of Law (IIT) | IL | 26.0% | 62.0% | 4.0% | $35,000 | Balanced |
| 155 | Harvard University | MA | 26.0% | 11.0% | none | $27,510 | Mixed |
| 156 | Villanova University | PA | 26.0% | 61.0% | none | $40,000 | Balanced |
| 157 | Florida State University | FL | 25.0% | 25.0% | 28.0% | $15,464 | Mixed |
| 158 | Northern Kentucky University | KY | 25.0% | 32.0% | 1.0% | $18,000 | Mixed |
| 159 | Pennsylvania | PA | 25.0% | 21.0% | 14.0% | $42,246 | Mixed |
| 160 | San Francisco | CA | 25.0% | 36.0% | none | $33,718 | Mixed |
| 161 | California Western School of Law | CA | 24.0% | 24.0% | 12.0% | $37,440 | Mixed |
| 162 | Roger Williams University | RI | 24.0% | 38.0% | 3.0% | $28,000 | Mixed |
| 163 | Western New England University | MA | 24.0% | 45.0% | 12.0% | $30,000 | Balanced |
| 164 | William & Mary Law School | VA | 24.0% | 37.0% | 6.0% | $29,302 | Mixed |
| 165 | Florida A&M University | FL | 23.0% | 15.0% | 6.0% | $7,500 | Mixed |
| 166 | Ave Maria School of Law | FL | 22.0% | 48.0% | 4.0% | $30,000 | Balanced |
| 167 | Drake University | IA | 22.0% | 51.0% | 9.0% | $31,000 | Balanced |
| 168 | Louisiana State University | LA | 22.0% | 29.0% | 27.0% | $19,750 | Mixed |
| 169 | Penn State Dickinson Law | PA | 22.0% | 72.0% | 7.0% | $36,000 | Balanced |
| 170 | Texas A&M University | TX | 22.0% | 48.0% | 25.0% | $26,048 | Balanced |
| 171 | Case Western Reserve University | OH | 21.0% | 76.0% | none | $42,500 | Balanced |
| 172 | Pittsburgh | PA | 21.0% | 57.0% | 3.0% | $30,000 | Balanced |
| 173 | Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico | PR | 20.0% | 2.0% | 1.0% | $1,593 | Mixed |
| 174 | Georgia State University | GA | 19.0% | 17.0% | 13.0% | $7,776 | Mixed |
| 175 | Temple University | PA | 19.0% | 62.0% | 4.0% | $31,334 | Balanced |
| 176 | Howard University | DC | 18.0% | 25.0% | 5.0% | $23,657 | Mixed |
| 177 | Maine | ME | 18.0% | 24.0% | 30.0% | $23,535 | Mixed |
| 178 | Wake Forest University | NC | 18.0% | 54.0% | 4.0% | $40,000 | Balanced |
| 179 | Iowa | IA | 17.0% | 31.0% | 29.0% | $30,043 | Mixed |
| 180 | Nebraska | NE | 17.0% | 61.0% | 7.0% | $20,000 | Balanced |
| 181 | Santa Clara University | CA | 17.0% | 24.0% | 19.0% | $40,000 | Mixed |
| 182 | Dayton | OH | 16.0% | 80.0% | 6.0% | $33,000 | Balanced |
| 183 | The Ohio State University | OH | 16.0% | 37.0% | 36.0% | $29,984 | Mixed |
| 184 | Washington University (St. Louis) | MO | 15.0% | 58.0% | 21.0% | $48,000 | Balanced |
| 185 | Loyola Marymount University-Los Angeles | CA | 14.0% | 46.0% | 1.0% | $45,000 | Balanced |
| 186 | Michigan State University | MI | 14.0% | 34.0% | 52.0% | $42,682 | Full-tuition heavy |
| 187 | Stanford University | CA | 14.0% | 25.0% | 11.0% | $52,797 | Mixed |
| 188 | Wayne State University | MI | 14.0% | 20.0% | 49.0% | $34,636 | Full-tuition heavy |
| 189 | American University | DC | 13.0% | 40.0% | 7.0% | $40,000 | Mixed |
| 190 | Southern University | LA | 13.0% | 7.0% | none | $11,000 | Mixed |
| 191 | Chapman University | CA | 12.0% | 32.0% | 15.0% | $59,500 | Mixed |
| 192 | Arizona | AZ | 11.0% | 32.0% | 44.0% | $25,235 | Full-tuition heavy |
| 193 | City University of New York (CUNY) | NY | 11.0% | 6.0% | none | $8,000 | Mixed |
| 194 | Miami | FL | 10.0% | 55.0% | none | $47,000 | Balanced |
| 195 | Belmont University | TN | 9.0% | 24.0% | 28.0% | $40,710 | Mixed |
| 196 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico | PR | 6.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | $2,379 | Mixed |
What the top of this list actually means
Atlanta's John Marshall Law School tops the ranking with 80.0% of grant recipients at half tuition or less, and a median grant of $4,500. Read that alongside its coverage of 84.0% of students. High coverage plus a low award means broad support at a modest level; high coverage plus a high award would point to a different kind of programme entirely.
Reading this correctly
- Partial aid is not no aid. Half tuition at a $30,000 school is a different number from half tuition at a $90,000 school. The tuition column exists for exactly this comparison.
- Band shares are among recipients, not among all students. A school with 50% coverage and 80% in the lowest band has a very different situation from one with 99% coverage and 80% in the lowest band.
- Conditional awards are included here. Where a grant is contingent on maintaining a GPA it can be reduced after the first year. See retention rates for the 61 schools that disclosed them.
- Cost of attendance exceeds tuition everywhere. Fees and housing add materially, so a half-tuition award covers a smaller share of the real bill than it appears to. Compare against the three-year total cost.
Source: ABA Standard 509 Required Disclosures, 2025 reporting cycle. Band shares are reported for full-time grant recipients. This ranking describes the shape of each programme and is not a judgement of adequacy. Not financial advice.