New York Law Schools
15 ABA-Accredited Law Schools • 187,656 attorneys
All New York Law Schools
Compare all 15 ABA-accredited law schools in New York. Click column headers to sort.
Table Legend
| New York University | #7 | 172 | 3.92 | 13% | 62.1% | 96.9% | $84K |
| Columbia University | #9 | 173 | 3.92 | 12% | 70.1% | 94.7% | $85K |
| Cornell University | #13 | 173 | 3.92 | 18% | 56.9% | 93.7% | $85K |
| Fordham University | #42 | 168 | 3.79 | 16% | 44.8% | 90.8% | $78K |
| Cardozo-Yeshiva University | #59 | 165 | 3.78 | 30% | 20.5% | 87.8% | $74K |
| St. John's University | #62 | 164 | 3.81 | 23% | 22.9% | 87.5% | $75K |
| University at Buffalo | #82 | 157 | 3.71 | 42% | 4.4% | 88.5% | $32K |
| Syracuse University | #100 | 158 | 3.60 | 35% | 7.2% | 84.8% | $65K |
| Brooklyn Law School | #105 | 161 | 3.59 | 44% | 18.3% | 85.5% | $75K |
| New York Law School | #112 | 157 | 3.63 | 40% | 10.9% | 86.5% | $71K |
| Hofstra University | #117 | 157 | 3.65 | 41% | 10.3% | 79.2% | $73K |
| Albany Law School | #120 | 158 | 3.54 | 37% | 3.1% | 86.7% | $64K |
| Pace University | #142 | 154 | 3.54 | 44% | 5.4% | 65.2% | $57K |
| Touro College | #164 | 153 | 3.35 | 46% | 1.4% | 67.9% | $61K |
| CUNY | #171 | 155 | 3.54 | 29% | 1.0% | 69.0% | $26K |
New York Bar Exam 2024: Pass Rates & Difficulty
Bar exam statistics and difficulty rating for New York law school graduates
Pass Rate Comparison
Understanding Bar Exam Difficulty
Rating 1 (Easiest, 88%+): Very high pass rates indicating easier bar exams or exceptional law school preparation.
Rating 2 (Below Average Difficulty, 83-88%): Above-average pass rates showing moderate difficulty.
Rating 3 (Average Difficulty, 76-83%): Pass rates near national average of ~79%.
Rating 4 (Difficult, 70-76%): Below-average pass rates indicating challenging bar exams.
Rating 5 (Most Difficult, <70%): Significantly below national average. California (68%) and Florida (72%) are notably difficult.
Note: Bar difficulty rating based solely on first-time pass rates from ABA 2024 Bar Passage Statistics. Lower pass rates indicate more challenging bar exams. Individual law school preparation quality also affects outcomes.
New York Legal Market Overview
Employment opportunities and top legal employers in New York
Market Overview
New York is the epicenter of BigLaw and finance law, with Wall Street driving massive demand for corporate attorneys. NYC is home to the highest concentration of AmLaw 100 firms in the world. The state offers unparalleled opportunities in M&A, securities, banking, and international law, alongside robust public interest and government sectors.
Top Legal Employers in New York
Includes BigLaw firms, government offices, and public interest organizations. Rankings are not ordered by size or prestige.
Career Paths in New York
Private Sector
- • BigLaw firms (501+ attorneys)
- • Midsize firms (50-100 attorneys)
- • Regional and boutique firms
- • Solo practice and small firms
- • In-house corporate counsel
Public Sector
- • Federal clerkships
- • State and federal prosecutors
- • Public defenders
- • Government agencies
- • Public interest organizations
Frequently Asked Questions
This is backward-looking data that relies on assumptions. Different outcomes are possible. This is not financial advice.