LSAT Scores for Top Law Schools
August 12, 2025
While a growing number of law schools now accept the GRE, giving many prospective law students two tests to choose from, the LSAT remains the most common and widely accepted exam for law school applications. Top schools require the highest standardized exam performance, and the LSAT remains the traditional choice. So, what kind of high LSAT scores do elite law schools look for? Finding out how the schools' students did on the test is an essential way to gain insight into what scores they want from applicants.
Do you know that most law schools make information public about their LSAT scores, including the median scores of their most recent incoming class? Many, if not most, students aren't aware that the data is available, so we're sharing important information about it in this article. Having easy access to LSAT scores from some of the top law schools can save you some research time and stress, and perhaps help dispel misconceptions about their scores and what number you need to put admission within reach. Let's jump in!
The 411 on LSAT Scoring
Before examining law schools' LSAT scores, let's first take a look at exactly how the exam is scored. Knowing how the scoring process works will help you better understand score medians and averages, and plan your strategy for taking the test.
Major changes were made to the LSAT in 2024 that eliminated Analytical Reasoning (commonly called Logic Games), added a second Logical Reasoning section in its place, and revamped the Argumentative Writing task. However, none of the revisions affected scoring. There are still four multiple-choice sections, three of which are scored: two Logical Reasoning; one Reading Comprehension; and one unscored Variable, or experimental, section that's either another Logical Reasoning or another Reading Comprehension. The Argumentative Writing task, which is taken separately, remains unscored. However, a copy of the essay is sent with each test taker's score report to the law schools they indicate.
Since scores are not broken out by section, test takers only receive a total score that's on a scale of 120 to 180 with one-point increments, meaning 120 is the lowest possible score and 180 is the highest. The scaled score is adjusted from each person's raw score. Every question has the same value and no points are deducted for wrong responses, so it's worth taking your best guess when you don't know the answer. Test takers also receive a percentile ranking comparing their LSAT score to scores from the previous three years. The percentile is the percentage of test takers who scored lower. For example, a percentile ranking of 75 means 75% of those who took the exam had a lower score.
What are the Average and Median Scores?
The most recent data from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), the developers and administrators of the LSAT, reveals that the average score for 2022-2023 was 152, which is the 46th percentile. It's just one point below the LSAT median score, or 50th percentile, of 153. This information is from before the 2024 changes, when the three scored sections of the exam were Logical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, and Logic Games.
Now that we've reviewed how the LSAT is scored, and learned the overall average and median scores, let's turn our attention to specific schools. This information can help you evaluate where you stand in relation to the kind of LSAT score you'll need to get into your target school, and help shape your preparation plans.
Law School LSAT Median Scores
U.S. law schools report the median LSAT score of their most recent first-year class each year instead of the average. The charts below show the median scores at elite law schools in the U.S., and median or average scores at top Canadian law schools. These are the two countries where the LSAT is mainly accepted as a key component of a prospective student's application. Let's begin with the 2023-24 scores for top U.S. schools.
| U.S. LAW SCHOOLS | Median LSAT Score for 2024 |
| Harvard | 174 |
| Yale | 174 |
| Columbia | 173 |
| Stanford | 173 |
| University of Chicago | 173 |
| Washington University (St. Louis) | 173 |
| Cornell | 173 |
| NYU | 172 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 172 |
| Northwestern | 172 |
| University of Virginia | 172 |
| Georgetown | 171 |
| University of Texas | 171 |
| University of Michigan | 171 |
| UCLA | 170 |
| Duke | 170 |
| Berkeley | 170 |
Harvard and Yale are tied for the top median LSAT score at 174, and five schools are just one point behind at 173. These high numbers are even more impressive when you remember that because they are medians, half of the students scored even higher. These stats make it clear that being admitted to an elite school requires an excellent LSAT score. If your score isn't in this range, you have the option to commit yourself to a rigorous plan of study and preparation and take the exam again.
Considering law schools in Canada? Take a look at the scores for the first-year class at top Canadian law schools in recent years. (We've noted if a school provides an average instead of a median score.)
| CANADIAN LAW SCHOOLS | Median LSAT Score (*average) |
| University of Toronto | 167 |
| University of British Columbia | 166 |
| McGill University | 165* |
| University of Calgary | 164* |
| York University | ~164 |
| Dalhousie University | 161-164* |
| Queen’s University | 161* |
| University of Alberta | 161 |
As you can see, the median (and average) LSAT scores at top Canadian law schools are lower than at their counterparts in the U.S. However, the median score at the University of Toronto, the school with the highest number, is still a very good 167, at the 92nd percentile. Even the lowest median on the chart, 161, is a good score at the 78th percentile. It's evident, however, that your LSAT score doesn't need to be as high in Canada as it does in the U.S. to get into each country's top law schools.
The Takeaway
If you've set your sights on going to a top-tier law school, this data is essential for your study goals, planning, and process, including practice exams that track your progress. Your LSAT tutor or teacher should also be aware of the information as they assist you toward achieving admission to your dream school. Allow plenty of time to study and prepare for the LSAT, and for retakes if needed to help reach your goal score. Keep in mind that while your aim may be to score as well or better than your target school's median, half of its students scored under it, and even the highest score doesn't mean you'll automatically be accepted. All the other components of your application play an important role in addition to your LSAT results.