Arkansas is a landlocked southern U.S. state bordering the Mississippi River, home to the mountainous regions of the Ozark and the Ouachita Mountains.

Arkansas is the 33rd most populous U.S. state and the 29th largest by area and has often been satirized for some of its questionable laws. In Arkansas, flirting can land you a 30-day jail sentence and teachers are denied a raise if they cut their hair into a bob. There are also some darker ones, including one concerning spousal abuse, but perhaps that’s future lawyer ammunition for change and law reversal.

Arkansas also happens to be the birthplace of former president Bill Clinton. The capital, Little Rock, is the location of the Presidential Center and Park, which includes the Clinton Presidential Library, the offices of the Clinton Foundation and the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, which might provide an inspiring future study location. Below are the top law schools in this fascinating state filled with contradictions and possibilities.

Top Law Schools in Arkansas

1. 1.   University of Arkansas, Fayetteville School of Law
2. 2.  University of Arkansas, Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law

There are two high-ranking law schools in Arkansas. Each comes with a top-notch law program and a high acceptance rate. Keep reading to see if either one of these law schools is right for you. 

1. 1.   University of Arkansas, Fayetteville School of Law 

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #96

Tuition: $16,604 (full-time)

Average GPA: 3.4

Average LSAT Score: 155

Acceptance Rate: 54.4%

Bar Passage Rate: 79.8%

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville School of Law, offers robust clinics including the Criminal Defense Clinic and the Federal Clinic, in addition to pro bono programs to help you gain practical legal experience. Students interested in earning dual degrees have an option to include a JD/MBA via the school’s Sam M. Walton College of Business or a JD/MA in international law and politics via the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Department of Political Science. 

There’s also an opportunity to become involved in one of the school’s legal organizations including the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association or the Environmental Law Society. Law journals produced here include the Arkansas Law Review, the Journal of Food Law and Policy and the Journal of Islamic Law and Culture.

The Fayetteville School of Law is particularly appealing for its low tuition and high acceptance rate at 54.4%, in addition to a slightly lower LSAT score compared with law schools ranked in the top 50. 

2. 2.   University of Arkansas, Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law  

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #141

Tuition: $16,718 (full-time)

Average GPA: 3.3

Average LSAT Score: 151

Acceptance Rate: 50.6%

Bar Passage Rate: 70.5%

The William H. Bowen School of Law at University of Arkansas, Little Rock is a public law school. The Bowen Student Success Program and the Professional Mentor Program partners students with a practicing lawyer and judge in their first year for guidance and practical experience. Prior to graduation, law school students are required to participate in an externship or clinic, and are also encouraged to participate in the Bowen Concurrent Bar Preparation Program. 

The application deadline falls on April 1 (not a joke, but makes sense given some of the state’s funnier outdated laws. Did we mention how it’s illegal for the Arkansas River to rise above the Main Street Bridge in Little Rock?  Not sure that nature got the memo, but if you see a river flooding the courtroom, you’ll know why). The tuition also falls on the lower end and the acceptance rate gives you a 50/50 chance of getting in. 

How Do I Get Accepted to an Arkansas Law School?

Whether you’re applying to a law school in Arkansas or another part of the country, the process is the same. The first step in the admissions timeline is to take the LSAT. Although there are no required LSAT scores for law school, both of these schools in Arkansas have median LSAT scores that give you a pretty good indication of how you compare to their previous incoming class. Remember, law schools want to attract the best, so make sure you give yourself the ultimate chance by getting a high LSAT score.

Ace the LSAT

Blueprint LSAT Prep has the best LSAT prep courses tailored to your individual learning style. From a DIY Self-Paced Online LSAT Course to a Live LSAT Class and even private LSAT tutoring, we have the LSAT course designed to increase your LSAT score by 15 points, on average! 

Don’t want to commit to a prep course right now? Get access to a bunch of free LSAT resources when you create a Blueprint LSAT account. And when you’re finally ready to make the final jump into LSAT prep, we’ll be here to help!