Ohio is home to nine accredited law schools, so Ohioans should have no trouble finding a school that meets their educational needs. The following is a brief overview of each of Ohio's schools and points of interest for prospective students.
University of Akron School of Law
The University of Akron School of Law hosts one of four constitutional law centers established by Congress in the United States. The school is nationally recognized for its trial advocacy and intellectual property programs and is one of only two schools in the state that offers an LL.M. degree in intellectual property.
Akron was the first public law school in Ohio to begin accepting GRE scores as an alternative to the LSAT for admissions. It also offers a part-time, blended online J.D. program that is a great option for working professionals.
With resident tuition of about $25,000 a year, the University of Akron provides a great value legal education. First-time bar passage rates for Akron grads were slightly below the national average in 2021, but 85% passed within two years of graduation.
Capital University Law School
Capital University Law School, located in downtown Columbus, is a Lutheran-affiliated university. It boasts a solid reputation in the region and is particularly well known for its public-interest program.
Capital emphasizes practical experience, offering students opportunities to develop their skills in several concentrations, including family law, civil litigation, and governmental affairs.
Tuition for full-time students at Captial is around $41,000 a year. Capital Law grads achieve average bar passage rates, with around 85% of first-time test takers passing in 2020.
Case Western Reserve University School of Law
Case Western Reserve University School of Law is located in Cleveland. Among the first schools accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), the school has a proud tradition of inclusiveness and diversity going all the way back to its foundation in 1892.
Case Western grads typically achieve very high bar passage rates, and the school is highly ranked in several areas, including health law, international law, and intellectual property. The school also boasts one of the top mock trial teams in the country.
Tuition at Case Western is on the higher end for Ohio law schools at around $58,000 a year. However, around two-thirds of each J.D. class receive at least some scholarship support. Those who get their applications in before February 1 stand a better chance of getting scholarship funds.
University of Cincinnati College of Law
The University of Cincinnati College of Law is one of the oldest continually operating law schools in the country. The law school's first dean was William Howard Taft, a University of Cincinnati alum and the only person in history to serve as both Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court and President of the United States.
The school's location in Cincinnati provides access to many internship and post-graduation employment opportunities. It is ranked among the top ten schools nationwide for public service and the top 25 for criminal law.
UC College of Law is among the most affordable law school options in the state, with tuition of about $24,000 a year for Ohio residents.
Cleveland State University College of Law
Cleveland State University, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law provided Ohio's first evening law school program and was the first law school in the state to admit women. The school takes pride in its many successful female graduates and students of color who have gone on to hold prominent roles in the judiciary and public offices throughout the state.
CSU Law is highly ranked for health law, business law, tax law, international law, and criminal law and was recently named the best law school in the region for Black law students.
Full-time students at CSU Law pay around $29,000 a year for tuition. Graduates have achieved higher than average bar passage rates in recent years, with around 85% of first-time test takers passing the bar exam in 2021. Around 92% of the Class of 2019 passed the bar within two years of graduation.
University of Dayton School of Law
University of Dayton School of Law is a private Catholic university known regionally for its accelerated law degree program. Students can earn a law degree in two years by starting school in the summer and taking on an increased course load.
Dayton Law also offers an online hybrid J.D. program that offers more flexibility — although it takes four years to complete. And if you're set on law school before you've finished undergrad, you might be able to take advantage of Dayton's 3+3 Program, where students take their first year of law school courses during their final year of college.
Tuition for the traditional three-year J.D. program at Dayton costs about $38,000 a year. The online hybrid program runs about $21,000 per year.
Ohio Northern University Pettit School of Law
Founded in 1855 in Ada, Ohio, Pettit School of Law is one of the oldest law schools in the country. The school is known for its public interest and government law specializations and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.
The school's small size gives students a more personalized legal education experience, and Ada's low cost of living helps keep expenses down. Tuition at Pettit is also low compared to other private schools in the region at about $34,000 a year.
ONU graduates achieved the third highest bar passage rates in the state in 2022, behind Case Western Reserve and Ohio State.
Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
The Moritz College of Law, situated in Columbus, has a remarkable reputation. The school ranks first in the state for post-graduate employment and holds a competitive national ranking for many aspects of its curriculum, including its alternative dispute resolution (ADR) program.
The school offers several joint degree programs, including a J.D./Master of Public Policy in partnership with the John Glenn School of Public Affairs.
Considering its stellar reputation, Moritz Law's resident tuition of about $33,000 a year makes the school a great value for J.D. students.
University of Toledo College of Law
The University of Toledo College of Law is among the most economical law school options in the region, with tuition of about $25,000 a year, and places among the top schools in the nation for lowest student loan debt.
Toledo Law offers new students two start dates for their first year of classes. You can either choose to begin classes in the fall, like most law schools, or get started during the spring semester. To qualify for Spring Start, you must submit your application between September 1 and November 15.
Students completing their undergraduate studies at certain institutions can apply for Toledo Law's accelerated J.D. program, where they can complete their undergrad and law degrees in six years instead of the usual seven.
Learn More About Law School and Beyond
Once you've sorted through your many Ohio law school options, you'll be ready to face the next set of challenges on your path to a legal career. Along the way, you'll need to learn how to succeed in your classes, pass the bar, and find your first law job.
Visit FindLaw for Law Students for helpful articles and advice about these and many other topics to help ensure that you make well-informed decisions that lead to a profitable career.