Northwestern University ABA 509 Report
The 2025 Standard 509 disclosure for Northwestern University, laid out by section: admissions, costs, aid, conditional scholarships, enrolment, bar passage and class composition.
Northwestern University's 2025 Standard 509 disclosure reports that 7,976 applicants received 981 offers (12.3%), the entering class had a median LSAT of 173, the median grant was $40,000 per year, the first-time bar passage rate was 91.8%.
What this is. Every figure below comes from the school's own Standard 509 filing to the ABA, as published in the public disclosure data. Tables follow the report's own sections rather than a reorganisation by topic, so you can line each number up against the original. Where a school did not report a figure, it saysnot reported — nothing here is filled in with an average or an estimate. How to read these numbers →
Chicago, Illinois · Report year 2025 · all Northwestern University data →
Admissions
Applications, offers and enrolment for the entering class, plus the LSAT and GPA percentiles of the students who matriculated.
Source: Standard 509(b)(1)
| Completed applications | 7,976 |
|---|---|
| Offers of admission | 981 |
| Acceptance rate | 12.3% |
| Enrollees from the applicant pool | 245 |
| Enrolled in the first-year class | 253 |
| First-year class size | 250 |
| LSAT 25th percentile | 167 |
| LSAT median | 173 |
| LSAT 75th percentile | 175 |
| Undergraduate GPA 25th percentile | 3.76 |
| Undergraduate GPA median | 3.96 |
| Undergraduate GPA 75th percentile | 4 |
| Students who submitted LSAT scores | 232 |
| Students who submitted GRE scores | 16 |
How Northwestern University compares within Illinois
Among the 9 law schools in Illinois that report acceptance rate, Northwestern University has the 8th highest.
The 9 law schools in Illinois, ordered by acceptance rate. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Acceptance rate | Median LSAT | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Illinois University | 56.2% | 149 | 724 |
| University of Illinois-Chicago | 52.6% | 153 | 2,488 |
| Northern Illinois University | 44.3% | 150 | 951 |
| Chicago-Kent, Illinois Institute of Technology | 38.6% | 161 | 2,212 |
| DePaul University | 34.8% | 158 | 2,643 |
| University of Illinois | 32.9% | 166 | 2,153 |
| Loyola University-Chicago | 28.2% | 161 | 4,244 |
| Northwestern University ← this school | 12.3% | 173 | 7,976 |
| The University of Chicago | 9.7% | 174 | 6,581 |
Tuition, fees and living costs
What the school charges and what it estimates students will spend living.
Source: Standard 509(b)(2)
| Tuition (annual, full-time) | $79,772 |
|---|---|
| Non-resident tuition (annual) | $79,722 |
| Tuition reporting basis | annual |
| Per credit hour | not reported |
| Mandatory fees (full-time) | $861 |
| Living on campus | $28,220 |
| Living off campus | $28,220 |
| Tuition guarantee | no |
How Northwestern University compares within Illinois
Among the 6 law schools in Illinois that report annual tuition, Northwestern University has the 2nd highest.
The 9 law schools in Illinois, ordered by annual tuition. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Annual tuition | Living off campus |
|---|---|---|
| The University of Chicago | $83,316 | $35,418 |
| Northwestern University ← this school | $79,772 | $28,220 |
| Loyola University-Chicago | $58,670 | $32,658 |
| DePaul University | $55,328 | $29,110 |
| University of Illinois | $36,500 | $20,620 |
| Northern Illinois University | $23,667 | $22,742 |
| Chicago-Kent, Illinois Institute of Technology | — | $27,964 |
| Southern Illinois University | — | $18,608 |
| University of Illinois-Chicago | — | $24,976 |
Grants and scholarships awarded
The share of students receiving grant aid, the size of those awards, and how they are distributed across the four funding bands.
Source: Standard 509(b)(2)
| Students receiving grant aid | 76.0% |
|---|---|
| Median grant (per year) | $40,000 |
| 25th percentile grant | $20,000 |
| 75th percentile grant | $50,000 |
| Half tuition or less | 34.0% |
| Above half, below full | 40.0% |
| Full tuition | 0.0% |
| Above full tuition | 2.0% |
How Northwestern University compares within Illinois
Among the 9 law schools in Illinois that report median grant, Northwestern University has the highest.
The 9 law schools in Illinois, ordered by median grant. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Median grant | % receiving aid |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University ← this school | $40,000 | 76.0% |
| Chicago-Kent, Illinois Institute of Technology | $35,000 | 92.0% |
| DePaul University | $34,950 | 99.0% |
| University of Illinois | $32,000 | 99.0% |
| Loyola University-Chicago | $30,000 | 94.0% |
| University of Illinois-Chicago | $23,250 | 61.0% |
| The University of Chicago | $15,000 | 78.0% |
| Southern Illinois University | $9,500 | 64.0% |
| Northern Illinois University | $8,274 | 78.0% |
Enrollment
How many students the school enrolled, and how that breaks down by degree.
Source: Standard 509(b)(4)
| Total students enrolled | 1,205 |
|---|---|
| JD students (all years) | 776 |
| First-year JD students | 253 |
| Non-JD students | 429 |
| First-year class size | 250 |
How Northwestern University compares within Illinois
Among the 9 law schools in Illinois that report jd students, Northwestern University has the 3rd highest.
The 9 law schools in Illinois, ordered by jd students. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | JD students | First-year JD |
|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois-Chicago | 1,015 | 420 |
| Loyola University-Chicago | 848 | 296 |
| Northwestern University ← this school | 776 | 253 |
| Chicago-Kent, Illinois Institute of Technology | 713 | 254 |
| The University of Chicago | 615 | 204 |
| DePaul University | 510 | 187 |
| University of Illinois | 500 | 188 |
| Northern Illinois University | 352 | 134 |
| Southern Illinois University | 313 | 134 |
Bar passage
First-time passage is the share passing on the first attempt; ultimate passage counts retakes over two years.
Source: Standard 509(b)(8)
| First-time takers | 257 |
|---|---|
| First-time passers | 236 |
| First-time passage rate | 91.8% |
| Ultimate passage rate (2023) | 98.1% |
| Ultimate passage rate (2024) | 98.8% |
How Northwestern University compares within Illinois
Among the 9 law schools in Illinois that report first-time rate, Northwestern University has the 3rd highest.
The 9 law schools in Illinois, ordered by first-time rate. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | First-time rate | Ultimate rate |
|---|---|---|
| The University of Chicago | 96.7% | 99.0% |
| University of Illinois | 93.2% | 99.0% |
| Northwestern University ← this school | 91.8% | 98.8% |
| Loyola University-Chicago | 85.7% | 93.0% |
| DePaul University | 83.8% | 90.8% |
| Chicago-Kent, Illinois Institute of Technology | 79.7% | 87.3% |
| Southern Illinois University | 74.2% | 85.7% |
| University of Illinois-Chicago | 68.8% | 80.6% |
| Northern Illinois University | 61.9% | 67.0% |
Entering class composition
Race and gender of the entering class, as reported by the school. Categories follow the school's own reporting.
Source: Standard 509(b)(1)
| Students in the entering class | 250 |
|---|---|
| White | 135 |
| Black | 15 |
| Hispanic | 20 |
| Asian | 62 |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0 |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 |
| Multiracial | 8 |
| Race not reported | 10 |
| Men | 98 |
| Women | 144 |
| Another gender | 0 |
| Gender not reported | 8 |
Where to go next
- Admissions funnel — applications through to enrolment, with yield rates
- Cost of attendance — three-year totals, and what aid changes
- Financial aid breakdown — the four funding bands in detail
- Bar passage — first-time and ultimate rates
- Employment outcomes — where graduates went
- Scholarship calculator — what your own LSAT and GPA would place you in
Common questions
What does the Northwestern University 509 report show?
Northwestern University's 2025 Standard 509 disclosure reports that 7,976 applicants received 981 offers (12.3%), the entering class had a median LSAT of 173, the median grant was $40,000 per year, the first-time bar passage rate was 91.8%.
How does Northwestern University compare with other law schools in Illinois?
Among the 9 law schools in Illinois that report acceptance rate, Northwestern University has the 8th highest.
How many applicants did Northwestern University receive, and how many were admitted?
Northwestern University received 7,976 completed applications and issued 981 offers of admission, an acceptance rate of 12.3%.
What is the tuition and grant aid at Northwestern University?
For Northwestern University, in-state tuition is $79,772 per year, off-campus living costs are estimated at $28,220, the median grant is $40,000 per year, 76% of students receive grant aid.
What is the bar passage rate at Northwestern University?
Northwestern University had a first-time bar passage rate of 91.8% across 257 takers in the most recent cycle. The two-year ultimate passage rate was 98.8%.