Your Overview of Online Law Schools

Elle Woods might have never taken virtual classes, but more and more law school applicants are looking for the opportunity to attend online law school. There are many reasons a student might want to pursue online legal studies. Maybe they don’t want to relocate for school. Perhaps they just appreciate the flexibility. While online law schools are not yet mainstream,  there are a few options for those interested. Let’s take a closer look at the rise of online law school and what it means for future law students.

Online Law Schools Overview

Table of Contents

• Are Online Law School Programs Accredited?
• Hybrid vs. Fully Online Law School Programs
• The Pros of Online Law Schools
• The Cons of Online Law Schools
• ABA-Accredited Online Law Schools
• Should You Go to an Online Law School?

Are Online Law School Programs Accredited? 

The ABA (that’s the American Bar Association!) has only recently started accrediting hybrid and online law schools, despite opposition from other law school deans.  In the United States, there are only 19 ABA-approved distance learning J.D. programs. While there are more non-accredited online law school programs, you’re better off sticking to accredited ones. 

Hybrid vs. Fully Online Law School Programs

According to the ABA, there are only six fully online law schools. The rest are hybrid J.D. programs with a mix of in-person requirements and distance learning. Even the fully online law schools might have optional in-person residential components. 

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The Pros of Online Law Schools

1. Flexibility for Busy Students

Online law schools are a game changer for working professionals and individuals with family responsibilities. Instead of being tied to a rigid class schedule, online programs often allow students to attend lectures and complete coursework at their own pace. You also don’t need to worry about commuting to class or relocating for school. This flexibility is immense for those who need to balance their studies with other obligations.

2. Lower Costs

The average cost of traditional law school programs is around $230,163. This includes tuition and living expenses. Some online law schools have lower tuition rates, and because students can study from home, they could save on living and commuting expenses. 

The Cons of Online Law Schools

1. Missed Opportunities and Experiences

One of the biggest advantages of attending a traditional law school is the chance to build a network. From study groups and alumni connections to professor mentors, these relationships can be crucial in securing job prospects post-graduation. Online programs can make networking more challenging since interactions are often limited to virtual platforms and few in-person opportunities. 

Plus, there is that camaraderie that forms with your peers that comes with navigating the brutal challenges of law school together. 

2. Hands-On Training Gaps

The legal profession benefits significantly from hands-on experiences. Activities like moot court, mock trials, legal clinics, and law review help students develop critical advocacy and courtroom skills. While some online schools find innovative ways to replicate these experiences, they could lack the full immersion of in-person programs. Fortunately, many online law school programs allow their remote students to participate in these types of in-person activities. 

3. Bar Exam Restrictions

States have strict rules around who can sit for their bar exam. In some cases, online law school graduates may not be eligible to take the bar or they might need a waiver from the Court to do so. It’s important to double-check the eligibility requirements for your jurisdiction before enrolling in an online law school. 

ABA-Accredited Online Law Schools

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, school stats are based on their in-person program due to limited data on online programs. 

Albany Law School 

Location: Albany, NY
Ranking: 117
Median LSAT Score: 155
Median GPA: 3.47
Acceptance Rate: 54.9%
Bar Passage Rate: 70.8%

Albany Law School’s Flex JD program offers a primarily online learning experience, complemented by an annual in-person gathering. These multi-day sessions provide students with the opportunity to connect with peers, faculty, and members of the Albany Law School community, fostering engagement and collaboration.

Graduates from Albany Law’s Flex JD program can’t currently take the bar exam in New York without getting a waiver from the New York Court of Appeals. 

Case Western Reserve University School of Law

Location: Cleveland, OH
Ranking: 89
Median LSAT Score: 160
Median GPA: 3.7
Acceptance Rate: 41.8%
Bar Passage Rate: 86.8%

Case Western’s distance learning JD program is part-time and completely online, with some optional on-campus opportunities. Remote students can still participate in extracurricular activities, including law journals, moot court, and mock trial. Additionally, students have options for hands-on experiences with nearby or remote externship opportunities. 

Cleveland State University College of Law 

Location: Cleveland, OH
Ranking: 103 (#42 in Part-Time)
Median LSAT Score: 155
Median GPA: 3.42
Acceptance Rate: 35.9%
Bar Passage Rate: 78%

CSU Law’s online law school program has both remote and in-person components. Live classes are scheduled Monday-Thursday evenings. Students also participate in immersive lawyering skills training and residential weekends. 

University of Dayton School of Law

Location: Dayton, OH
Ranking: 108 (#32 Part-Time)
Median LSAT Score: 155
Median GPA: 3.61
Acceptance Rate: 34.3%
Bar Passage Rate: 94% (2024 Hybrid JD Program Grads)

Students at the University of Daytona’s School of Law Hybrid Program attend weekly live and online classes, complete interactive online coursework, and visit campus for in-person experiences. 

Duquesne University Thomas R. Kline School of Law

Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Ranking: 94 (#34 Part-Time)
Median LSAT Score: 152 (Part-Time)
Median GPA: 3.24 (Part-Time)
Acceptance Rate: 55.4%
Bar Passage Rate: 82.6%

Duquesne Kline School of Law began offering a flexible part-time evening program in Fall 2024. The program is hybrid, with all students expected to be available for in-person exams on campus. 

University of Hawai’i William S. Richardson School of Law

Location: Honolulu, HI
Ranking: 127 (#23 Part-Time)
Median LSAT Score: 155 (Part-Time)
Median GPA: 3.37 (Part-Time)
Acceptance Rate: 28.8%
Bar Passage Rate: 74.8%

The University of Hawai’i School of Law’s Flex JD program is completely online. In addition to the required classes and coursework, students are also required to complete 6 credits of experiential learning and 60 hours of pro bono legal services under the supervision of an attorney, law school faculty or dean, or other supervisor. Students may request to transfer to the full-time in-person program after their second year.

Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law

Location: Knoxville, TN
Ranking: 165
Median LSAT Score: 152 (Part-Time)
Median GPA: 3.34 (Part-Time)
Acceptance Rate: 52.2%
Bar Passage Rate: 62.2%

The Lincoln Memorial School of Law offers a flexible online hybrid program, with nearly two-thirds of the coursework completed online. In the final year, all classes are conducted entirely remotely. Students have the flexibility to complete their classes on their own schedules. Apart from mandatory meetings with instructors or peers, they can choose to work at times that suit them best.

Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Location: St. Paul, MN
Ranking: 164 (#49 Part-Time)
Median LSAT Score: 150 (Part-Time)
Median GPA: 3.17 (Part-Time)
Acceptance Rate: 67.4%
Bar Passage Rate: 71.6%

Mitchell Hamline’s Blended Learning program was the first to be approved by the American Bar Association. The program requires students to come to campus twice per semester for their first four semesters, after which on-campus attendance is optional. Mitchell Hamline advertises their online classes as having no synchronous portion, meaning students can complete the work at any time. 

Students can tailor their program to meet the requirements in every state, including New York, making them eligible for the bar in all 50 states. 

University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law

Location: Concord, NH
Ranking: 98 (#51 Part-Time)
Median LSAT Score: 154 (Part-Time)
Median GPA: 3.11 (Part-Time)
Acceptance Rate: 57.4%
Bar Passage Rate: 68.3%

The University of New Hampshire’s Hybrid JD program is unique in that it specializes in intellectual property (IP), technology, and information law. As IP law is a growing field, this program is great for STEM professionals looking to change careers. Students come to campus once or twice each semester for three to five days. 

Northeastern University School of Law

Location: Boston, MA
Ranking: 68
Median LSAT Score: 163
Median GPA: 3.73
Acceptance Rate: 37.3%
Bar Passage Rate: 89.4%

Northeastern’s FlexJD is a part-time program that includes live and asynchronous classwork. During the four-year degree program, students are required to attend six on-campus intensives, each over a long weekend. 

Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law

Location: Ada, OH
Ranking: 153
Median LSAT Score: 148
Median GPA: 3.4
Acceptance Rate: 68.3%
Bar Passage Rate: 73.2%

ONU Law’s online law school program is 100% remote. The online law students have access to the same opportunities and resources as full-time students. This includes academic and career counseling, bar prep, externships, Law Review, Moot Court, and Trial Team. 

St. Mary’s School of Law.

Location: San Antonio, TX
Ranking: 153 (#37 Part-Time)
Median LSAT Score: 157
Median GPA: 3.34
Acceptance Rate: 35.9%
Bar Passage Rate: 71.6%

St. Mary’s School of Law students have the option to take an in-person course. However, it is not required for completion of the degree. St. Mary’s only requires an in-person, two- to three-day personal development program once every other semester. The online cohort will be capped at 25 students. Graduates will be eligible to sit for the Texas Bar Exam, which includes the Uniform Bar Exam.  

Seattle University School of Law 

Location: Seattle, WA
Ranking: 114 (#23 Part-Time)
Median LSAT Score: 158
Median GPA: 3.47
Acceptance Rate: 52.3%
Bar Passage Rate: 76.4%

Seattle U’s Flex JD is a part-time hybrid program. Students can expect a 25-35 hours/week time commitment. Although most classes are held online, students must also attend two to three in-person sessions every semester on campus.

South Texas College of Law-Houston

Location: Houston, TX
Ranking: 150 (#48 Part-Time)
Median LSAT Score: 154
Median GPA: 3.26
Acceptance Rate: 44%
Bar Passage Rate: 77.8%

The South Texas College of Law Part-Time Online program requires one in-person residency at the beginning of each academic year. However, all remaining coursework is delivered online over four years. Students get the full experience, including access to academic and student support services, bar preparation, involvement in student organizations, events, employment interviews, externships, simulation courses, and legal clinics.

Southwestern Law School

Location: Los Angeles, CA
Ranking: 145 (#43 Part-Time)
Median LSAT Score: 154
Median GPA: 3.33
Acceptance Rate: 49.9%
Bar Passage Rate: 60.1%

Southwestern Law School offers the nation’s first accredited online JD program with a full-time and part-time track. All classes are offered online and most are offered asynchronously with optional Zoom sessions. Students also have access to Southwestern’s externship network, providing opportunities to gain hands-on legal experience online, in Los Angeles, or in the area where students live.

Suffolk University Law School

Location: Boston, MA
Ranking: 130 (#26 Part-Time)
Median LSAT Score: 154
Median GPA: 3.55
Acceptance Rate: 64.3%
Bar Passage Rate: 71.1%

Suffolk University Law School opens up its hybrid model to students after their first year. Hybrid JD students take all 1L classes in-person and then choose a mix of online or in-person for the remainder of their JD program. However, students must achieve a 3.0 in their 1L year to take the rest of their classes remotely.  

Syracuse University College of Law

Location: Syracuse, NY
Ranking: 120
Median LSAT Score: 157
Median GPA: 3.58
Acceptance Rate: 42.6%
Bar Passage Rate: 70.1%

Syracuse University’s JDInteractive is a part-time evening program that prioritizes real-time interaction. A typical course includes about 50% live instruction and 50% asynchronous work. Students take six residential courses throughout their time, each of which is a week. The first four must be taken on Syracuse’s central New York campus, while the other two can be taken in other cities, like New York or Washington, D.C. 

Vermont Law School 

Location: South Royalton, VT
Ranking: 168
Median LSAT Score: 151
Median GPA: 3.3
Acceptance Rate: 64.2%
Bar Passage Rate: 53.6%

Classes in Vermont Law’s Online Hybrid JD program take place in the evenings Monday through Thursday. Students also complete asynchronous classes and attend three in-person residences. Additionally, hybrid students can specialize in one of six areas: environmental law, food and agriculture law, general practice, energy law, animal law, or restorative justice. 

Western New England University School of Law

Location: Springfield, MA
Ranking: #178-196 (#62-68 Part-Time)
Median LSAT Score: 151 (Part-Time)
Median GPA: 3.19 (Part-Time)
Acceptance Rate: 59.8%
Bar Passage Rate: 67.2%

Western New England Law’s part-time evening program follows a hybrid model. All evening classes are held on campus on Monday and Wednesday, and online via live, virtual classrooms on Tuesday and Thursday. During their third and fourth years, students can choose between day or evening classes, in on campus or online formats. 

Should You Go to an Online Law School?

Going to an online law school is not the ideal path for everyone. Still, for non-traditional students, it can offer a valuable opportunity to pursue a JD degree. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you consider what law schools you should apply to. 

• Research Accreditation. Confirm the program is ABA-approved and meets the requirements for sitting for the bar exam in your desired jurisdiction. This will make a significant difference in your post-graduate opportunities.  
• Review the Curriculum. Ensure the program offers a balance between theoretical legal coursework and practical learning opportunities, such as externships or simulated court experiences for online students.
• Weigh the Cost vs. Benefit. While online law school programs may offer cost savings, it’s important to weigh the potential drawbacks, such as limited networking opportunities, and how they might affect your long-term career goals. Additionally, explore whether certain lucrative scholarships are exclusively available to in-person students. These scholarships could help offset the cost of traditional programs, making the in-person experience a more worthwhile investment.
• Engage with Alumni. Reach out to graduates of the program to learn about their experience and career trajectory.

Final Thoughts

With online learning becoming more and more popular post-pandemic, it’s likely that the ABA will continue to approve hybrid and online programs, allowing students more flexibility. However, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons carefully. Ensuring the program is accredited, aligns with your learning style, and supports your long-term career goals is key to making the most of your legal education. Understanding what you need and want from a law school experience will help guide your choice.

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