Dedman School of Law - Southern Methodist University
#43 in Best Law Schools
Founded in 1911, Dedman School of Law - Southern Methodist University is a Private (not-for-profit) school located in Dallas, TX. The next statements briefly introduces Dedman School of Law. The 2026 tuition data is from the school's financial office and admission and other information is based on American Bar Association (ABA) data.
- The average LSAT Score of enrolled students is 167 where the national average LSAT is 160.
- The average GPA of enrolled students is 3.81 where the national average GPA is 3.65.
- The 2027 law school tuition & fees is $70,750 where the national average law school tuition is $55,459.
- The acceptance rate at is 24.6% where the average acceptance rate is 36.1%.
- Total 746 law school students have enrolled.
- The bar exam pass rate (for first-time exam takers) is 90.2% where the average pass rate of all law schools is 80.3%.
2027 Tuition & Fees
The 2026-2027 law school tuition at Dedman School of Law - Southern Methodist University is $70,750. The law school tuition has increased by 3.00% from last year. The undergraduate tuition & fees is $67,040. The graduate school tuition & fees other than law school is $37,278. (2025)
The average living costs including room & board, books, and other personal expenses is $21,862 when living on campus. This amount may not include health insurance fee and exam fees and varies by student's living setting.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law School Tuition & Fees | $66,044 | $68,686 | $70,750 |
| Law School Living Expenses | $23,368 | $21,862 | $21,862 |
| Undergraduate Tuition | $67,040 | - | -a |
| Graduate Tuition | $37,278 | - | -a |
a The amount is not published yet by IPEDS / NCES. It is an estimated amount based on 2024-2025 tuition increase rate.
LSAT Scores & GPA
The 2026 average LSAT score for Dedman School of Law is 167. Compared to the average LSAT of all law schools, Dedman School of Law's LSAT score is average (the average is 160).
The average GPA at the school is 3.81, which is the relatively higher (competitive score) of other law schools (average is 3.65).
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | |||
| 75th Percentile | 166 | 166 | 168 |
| 50th Percentile | 164 | 165 | 167 |
| 25th Percentile | 160 | 161 | 163 |
| GPA | |||
| 75th Percentile | 3.91 | 3.93 | 3.92 |
| 50th Percentile | 3.83 | 3.86 | 3.81 |
| 25th Percentile | 3.67 | 3.6 | 3.52 |
Acceptance Rate & Yield
The 2026 acceptance rate at Dedman School of Law is 24.6% where 3,038 applicants have applied to and 747 students have accepted to admit. The acceptance rate at Dedman School of Law is lower (difficult to get in) compared to other law schools in united states (the average acceptance rate is 36.1%).
The Yield, also known as enrollment rate, is 34.0% where 254 students finally enrolled out of 747 admitted students. The yield Dedman School of Law is average compared to other law schools (the average yield is 36.1%).
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 2,175 | 2,540 | 3,038 |
| Admitted | 711 | 772 | 747 |
| Enrolled | 187 | 223 | 254 |
| Acceptance Rate | 32.7% | 30.4% | 24.6% |
| Yield | 26.3% | 28.9% | 34.0% |
Law School Enrollment
For the academic year 2025-2026, total 746 law school students have enrolled to Dedman School of Law. 672 students have enrolled in JD (Juris Doctor degree) program and 74 students enrolled in Non-JD program.
254 first-time students have enrolled in Dedman School of Law. By gender, 139 male , 114 female, and 1 other/unknown gender first-time students newly enrolled in Dedman School of Law.
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Enrollment | 725 | 717 | 746 |
| JD Enrollment | 663 | 649 | 672 |
| Non-JD Enrollment | 62 | 68 | 74 |
| Non-JD Enrollment (Online) | - | -1 | - |
| 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 227 | 254 |
| Men | 82 | 139 |
| Women | 143 | 114 |
| Other | 0 | 1 |
Bar Exam Pass Rate
For the first time bar exam takers at Dedman School of Law, the bar exam pass rate is 90.2% - 245 students have taken and 221 students have passed the exam. The pass rate is higher than Texas average bar exam pass rate (81.36%).
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Graduates | 216 | 216 | 246 |
| First-Time Bar Exam Takers Total | 218 | 218 | 245 |
| New Graduates | 201 | 201 | 231 |
| Prior Year Graduates | 14 | 14 | 10 |
| Early Exam Takers | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| No Exam Takers | 12 | 12 | 11 |
| Exam Passer | 185 | 185 | 221 |
| Exam Pass Rate | 84.86% | 84.86% | 90.2% |
| Texas Pass Rate | 78.97% | 78.97% | 81.36% |
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