The School of Law at University of Pittsburgh

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Charmaine C. McCall
Application deadline March 1
Full-time program application fee $55
Part-time program application fee N/A
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

The School of Law at University of Pittsburgh

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 36.5% – Medium
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.45
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 159

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 36.5%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 157-161
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.14-3.66
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.45
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 159

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Applicants N/A
Acceptance rate N/A
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) N/A
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) N/A
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants N/A
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants N/A

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.B.A. J.D./M.A.
J.D./M.P.I.A. J.D./M.S.W
J.D./M.P.H. J.D./MSPPM (CMU)
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
Pitt Law offers 5 programs of specialized study, hands-on experience in 7 clinics, and externship opportunities. Students may earn academic credit by working in public and non-profit organizations through the Semester in D.C. program. The Innovation Practice Institute teaches students how to think entrepreneurially and advise entrepreneurs through internships, courses, and speaker programs.
Programs/courses offered in
appellate advocacy intellectual property law
clinical training international law
dispute resolution tax law
environmental law trial advocacy
health care law

Curricular Offerings (Overall)

Classroom course titles, beyond the first-year curriculum, offered last year 200
Seminars 22
Positions available in seminars 287
Positions available in simulation courses 264
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 188
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Pitt Law has 5 student-edited journals, numerous moot court and trial competitions teams, and over 30 student organizations. All students are members of the Student Bar Association. These organizations diversely range from groups based on cultural or religious backgrounds (e.g. BLSA and Muslim Law Students) to groups with a political or public interest focus (e.g. ACLU or Pitt Law Democrats).

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 87
Is there typically a full-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? No
Typical size of first-year “small section” N/A
Positions filled in full-time program seminars 235
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 209
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 179
Full-time students involved in field placements 205
Full-time students involved in law journals 190
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 112
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 150

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) N/A
Is there typically a part-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? No
Positions filled in part-time program seminars N/A
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses N/A
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses N/A
Part-time students involved in field placements N/A
Part-time students involved in law journals N/A
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions N/A
Part-time students enrolled in independent study N/A

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 14.0:1 – Medium
Full- and part-time faculty 92
Full-time minority faculty 12.5%
Part-time minority faculty 5.8%
Total faculty 114
Total faculty (men) 58.8%
Total faculty (women) 41.2%
Total faculty (minorities) 7.0%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#69 Best Law Schools

(2) Ranking by Specialties

#14 in Healthcare Law
#81 in Law Firms Rank Schools

Law Ranking Scores

Score 48
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.8
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 3.0
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.14-3.66
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.45
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 157-161
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 159
Acceptance rate 36.5% – Medium
Student-faculty ratio 14.0:1 – Medium
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 77.3% – High
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 84.1% – Medium
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 86.5% – Medium
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar PA
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 83.1%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 701

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 701

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) N/A
Gender distribution (part-time) N/A

Attrition Rates for Full- and Part-time Students (2010-2011)

First-year students discontinuing law school 3.9%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 0.9%
Third-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 2.1%
Female students discontinuing law school 0.9%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Meme C. Jeffries
Financial aid phone (412) 648-1415
Financial aid application deadline April 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $27,892 per year (in-state)
Full-time: $34,666 per year (out-of-state)
Room and board $15,738
Books $1,530
Miscellaneous expenses $842
Is the tuition the same for first-, second-, and third-year students? Yes
Does the university offer housing restricted to law students? No
Does the university offer graduate student housing for which law students are eligible? No
Does the university offer a public-interest scholarship program to current J.D. students? Yes

Grants (Full-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 39.9%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 15.5%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.6%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.4%
Median grant amount $12,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $8,000–$14,000
Full-time students receiving grants 56.5%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition N/A
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full N/A
Students receiving grants of full tuition N/A
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition N/A
Median grant amount N/A
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) N/A
Part-time students receiving grants N/A

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $91,498
Proportion who borrowed 83.5%
Does the school offer a loan repayment assistance program for 2011 J.D. graduates? Yes

Law School Library

Library Information Resources

Print titles (excluding nonbook titles) 58,522
Microform titles 207,228
Electronic titles 13,224
Other non-book titles 306
Total titles 279,280
Volumes (excluding microforms) 230,801
Volume equivalent microforms 241,557
Total volumes and volume equivalents 472,358
Number of volumes in the collection that are stored off site and are systematically retrievable 16,670
Library’s online catalog or website includes links to electronic titles or databases made available by another campus library or consortia Yes

Library Schedule of Operation

Number of hours per week library is open on a regular schedule 101
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 60
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 41
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 0
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 86
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 17
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 57
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 49
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 8
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 0
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 46
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 6

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations law school information technology department
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 3
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 20
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 120
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 0
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 0
Does the law school have a wireless network? Yes
Wireless network is available in the law library, in classrooms, in computer labs, in administrative/faculty offices and work areas, elsewhere in the law school
Does the school require entering students to own a computer? No

Physical Library Facilities

Net square feet of space assigned for library purposes 40,117
Total seats available for library users 425
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) Pitt Law occupies its own six story building. The Student Lounge has been newly renovated and contains student organization offices. All classrooms have been renovated and equipped with new electronic equipment. Faculty offices are located in the renovated Law Library, easily accessible to students.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar PA
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 86.5% – Medium
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 83.1%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 207
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 77.3%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 84.1%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 6.8%
Graduates whose employment status is known 93.2%
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 77.3%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.9%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 13.5%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 0.5%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 4.3%
Graduates whose employment status is known 95.7%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 84.1%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.9%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 9.2%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 0.5%

Starting Salaries of Graduates Employed Full-time (Class of 2010)

25th percentile private sector starting salary $55,000
Median private sector starting salary $70,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $120,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 75%
Median public service starting salary $52,500

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 1.1%
Percent employed in business and industry 17.2%
Percent employed in government 9.8%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 8.6%
Percent employed in law firms 56.3%
Percent employed in public interest 5.7%
Percent employed in an unknown field 1.1%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 68%
Graduates employed out-of-state 30.7%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 2%
Number of states where graduates are employed 17
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 1.2%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 73.4%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 2.4%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 20.1%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 0.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 1.2%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 0.0%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations After meeting individually with each 1L student to assess his/her needs and initiate career development goals, the CSO coaches students through the job searching process. In addition to identifying employment opportunities locally, regionally and nationally, the CSO also runs a Pitt Law Attorney Networking Directory and sponsors numerous programs connecting students with practicing attorneys.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 71.8%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 90.3%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 7.4%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 80.0%
Professional other (jobs that require professional skills or training but for which a J.D. is neither preferred nor particularly applicable; e.g., accountant, teacher, business manager, nurse) 4.5%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 77.8%
Non-professional other (job that does not require any professional skills or training or is taken on a temporary basis and not viewed as part of a career path) 3.0%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 83.3%