Los Angeles, California
Southwestern Law School
- Accreditation
- ABA approved since 1970
- Institution type
- Private
- J.D. formats
- Full-time and Part-time and Distance education J.D.
- Median LSAT
- 157
- Median GPA
- 3.51
- Resident tuition
- $63,160
- First-year class
- 459
- Bar-required jobs
- 78.6%
- First-time bar passage
- 72.1%
First-time bar passage — 2025 graduates
Source
- Organization
- American Bar Association, Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar
- Document
- ABA Bar Passage compilation — first-time takers (2026 report)
- Covers
- Report year 2026
- Retrieved
- Sep 23, 2026
- Status
- Verified · Sep 23, 2026
School pass rate
72.1%
Weighted jurisdiction rate
82.7%
Difference
-10.60 pts
First-time takers
290
209 passed
The weighted jurisdiction rate is the average first-time pass rate in the jurisdictions where this school’s graduates tested, weighted by the number of takers. It gives context for the school’s own rate.
| Jurisdiction | Takers | Passers | School % | Jurisdiction % | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 276 | 197 | 71.4% | 82.7% | -11.29 |
| 9 Remaining Jurisdictions | 14 | 12 | 85.7% | 81.2% | +4.53 |
Ultimate bar passage — 2023 graduates
Source
- Organization
- American Bar Association, Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar
- Document
- ABA Bar Passage compilation — two-year ultimate (2026 report)
- Covers
- Report year 2026
- Retrieved
- Sep 23, 2026
- Status
- Verified · Sep 23, 2026
Ultimate pass rate
92.5%
Within two years of graduation
Graduates
255
Takers
252
Passers
233
Ultimate passage counts graduates who passed any bar exam within two years of graduating. It is a different measure from first-time passage and covers an earlier graduating class.
First-time passage history
| Graduating class | School | Jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 72.1% | 82.7% |
| 2024 | 64.9% | 77.8% |
| 2023 | 64% | 72.3% |
| 2022 | 60.1% | 72.2% |
| 2021 | 76.1% | 77% |
| 2020 | 82.6% | 77.8% |
| 2019 | 65.4% | 69.4% |
| 2018 | 59.6% | 60.6% |
| 2017 | 53.3% | 66.3% |
