Newly released data for American Bar Association-approved law schools shows that first-year and total enrollment for the current school term are relatively flat, unlike a year ago when the number of 1Ls plunged about 11% from the previous year.
The new statistics, released on Dec. 15 by the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, also indicate that enrollment in both categories for the 196 schools accredited by the ABA has leveled off at about pre-pandemic levels.
Overall, total JD enrollment for 2023 was up by .11% from the previous year to 116,851 students. First-year enrollment declined slightly by 174 students, a decrease of .46%, to 37,886. For the fall opening, 105 schools reported level or increased enrollment while 91 showed decreases compared to the prior year.
“This information was reported to the ABA by law schools and is being made public as a matter of consumer information,” said Bill Adams, managing director of ABA accreditation and legal education. “This series of public reports — including bar passage and employment reports to be released separately next year — provide important consumer information for students considering whether and where to attend law school and for others with an interest in legal education.”
The new report covers admissions, tuition and living costs, financial aid, class and faculty demographics and other areas. The section also released information on non-JD degree programs (LL.M, master’s and certificate programs) showing a decrease of about 1,100 students, or 4.6% from 2022.
The council of the section is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the national accrediting agency for programs leading to the Juris Doctor degree, or JD. While the report counts non-JD students, the council does not accredit those programs. For accreditation purposes, the council serves as an independent arm of the ABA.
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