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Law Courses at Columbia University

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#6 in Law in USA

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Dark Clock Icon Last updated on 13 Jan '25, by Loveleen Sharma (Study Abroad Expert)

Columbia University Law
What’s new?

Applications at the Columbia Law School are accepted intake-wise. The Columbia Law School Graduate course application deadlines are as follows:

  • JD (Juries Doctor) Program: Feb 15, 2025
  • M deadlines at Columbia Law School are closed for the year Autumn 2025 intake, notifications of results will be out by Mar 2, 2025

The students are expected planning to be admitted in the Columbia JD program, are expected to register themselves on the CAS portal through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) for credentials evaluation

About Columbia Law School

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Commonly asked questions
On About Law

Q:   Is Columbia better than Harvard law?

A: 

According to the rankings released by the US World and News 2024, the Law studies offered by Harvard University under HLS are ranked #4 among the top 196 Law schools in the world, for Columbia University Law courses, this ranking is #8.

The table compares these two best Business schools in depth:

Criteria

Harvard Law School 

Columbia Law School

Location

Cambridge, Massachusetts

New York, United States

Average Starting Salary (LLM)

USD 215,000 (INR 1.47 Cr)

USD 280,926 (INR 2.42 Cr)

Acceptance Rate (Class 2026)

8.07%

11.7%

First-Year Tuition (MBA)

USD 77,100 (INR 74.6 L)

USD 81,888 (INR 70.8 L)

Top Job Sectors Hiring

Law firms, Judiciary

Law firms, Business & Management

Ranking (US World and News 2024)

#4

#1

Placement Rate (2023) within 10 months after graduation

97.3%

97.8%

  (USD 1 = INR 86.47)

Q:   Does Columbia Law belong to Ivy league?

A: 

Established in 1858, Columbia Law School (CLS) is the Law School of Columbia University which is a private Ivy League university situated in New York City, United States. Columbia Law School is one of the oldest Law Schools in the United States. It was founded as the Columbia College Law School 167 years ago. 

According to the US World and News rankings 2024, Columbia Law School was ranked at #8 among the best 196 Law schools of the world. 

Q:   Is Columbia Law School prestigious?

A: 

Columbia Law School being the Law School of Columbia University which is a world renowned university known for its quality of education. According to the US World and News rankings body in 2025, CLS is ranked #8 in the list of the best 196 Law schools around the world.  

According to the Times Higher Education 2024, the Law courses offered by Columbia University are ranked at number 4 with an overall score of 86.5 out of 100 based on the factors like Teaching research environment, research quality, industry, employer, international outlook, faculty student ratio etc. This overall score has decreased from the score of 90.9 out of 100 in 2023.

Q:   Is Columbia Law School hard to get into?

A: 

Yes, it is considered hard to get into Columbia Law School due to the high competition. The JD Class 2027 acceptance rate of this Law school was 11.7% which means that out of every 100 applications, only 11 to 12 applicants were rolled out an offer letter. 

Although, a student can get admission to this B-School by fulfilling the below mentioned requirements:

Columbia Law School JD Requirements as an International student:

·         A four years Bachelor's Degree from Accredited university

·         Scanned copies of all the Academic Records

·         An online application done through Law School Admissions Council (LSAC)

·         Letters of recommendation (Submit at leas

·         Essay

·         Standardized entrance test scores (LSAT/GRE)

·         English language proficiency (TOEFL)

 

Q:   What is the student-to-faculty rate of Columbia Law School?

A: 

With 450 faculty members, the students to faculty ratio is 5.5:1 at Columbia Law which indicates the level of attention these CLS students receive from their faculty. With an extreme focus of high employability skills, according to American Bar Association, 95.39% of the Columbia School graduates were able to pass the Bar exam in 2023.

Columbia Law School Courses and Fees 2025

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Courses1st Year Tuition FeesDuration & Eligibility
LL.M.(2 courses)
INR 71 L - 73 L
Duration6 months-1 year
Exam AcceptedTOEFL: 105 & Above, IELTS: 8 & Above
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
On Fees and Eligibility

Q:   What courses are available at Columbia Law School?

A: 

Columbia Law School provides a variety of Law Courses across various many areas of studies, under the degree programs including J.D., J.S.D., LL.M. Executive LLM Program. Ph.D. Joint Degree etc.

Columbia Law School Graduate Degrees:

·         Juris Doctor (JD) Degree (4 years' program)

Interdisciplinary Education (Joint Degree and Cooperative Programs with other institutions)

·         JD/Master's

·         JD/MD

·         JD/PhD

Master's Degree Programs

·         The Master of Laws (LLM) Program

·         The Columbia Program in International Legal Studies

·         The Master of Legal Studies (MLS)

·         Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD)

Q:   Is Columbia Law School expensive?

A: 

International students are required to pay tuition fee at Columbia Law School to pursue Law courses. The Columbia Law School tuition fee for the year 2024-25 is USD 81,888 (INR 70.8 L) excluding the living expenses, and the accommodation costs. 

Columbia Law School 2024-2025 Expenses Components

Costs

Tuition

USD 81,888

Student Activity Fee

USD 340

University Services & Support Fee

USD 1,204

Health & Related Services Fee

USD 1,388

Student Health Insurance

USD 4,955

Total University Charges

USD 89,775

Q:   Can I get a full ride to Columbia Law School?

A: 

No, there are limited scholarships or full waivers availble for the Indian students at Columbia Law School. The financial aids are almost never approved by the school. 

The students looking for financial support can look for external scholarships and loans. 

Q:   What are the living expenses at Columbia Law School?

A: 

International students are required to pay tuition fee at Columbia Law School to pursue Law courses. The Columbia Law School tuition fee for the year 2024-25 is USD 81,888 (INR 70.8 L) excluding the accommodation and living expenses. 

Below mentioned is the breakdown of the living expenses for the year 2024-25: 

2024-2025 Living Expenses
(For the 9-month academic year)

Costs for Academic Year

Housing
(Rent/Utilities = USD 2,090/month)

USD 18,810

Food

USD 6,882

Personal Expenses

USD 3,175

Total Living Expenses

USD 28,867

Document Fee

USD 105

Books & Supplies

USD 1,250

Academic Year Budget including CLS tuition and fee

USD 119,997

(USD 1 = INR 86.47)

Columbia University Law
Popular Programs

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Showing 1 Program
2 Courses6 months - 1 year
71 L - 73 L
#6

Columbia University Law
Popular Courses

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Columbia Law School Rankings 2025

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
On Rankings

Q:   What is Columbia Law School ranked in the world?

A: 

Columbia Law School Rankings 2025

Columbia Law School being the Law School of Columbia University which is a world renowned university known for its quality of education. According to the US World and News rankings body in 2025, CLS is ranked #8 in the list of the best 196 Law schools around the world.  

According to the Times Higher Education 2024, the Law courses offered by Columbia University are ranked at number 4 with an overall score of 86.5 out of 100 based on the factors like Teaching research environment, research quality, industry, employer, international outlook, faculty student ratio etc. This overall score has decreased from the score of 90.9 out of 100 in 2023.

Q:   Is Columbia Law School worth it?

A: 

Columbia Law School being the Law School of Columbia University which is a world renowned university known for its quality of education. According to the US World and News rankings body in 2025, CLS is ranked #8 in the list of the best 196 Law schools around the world.  

International students are required to pay tuition fee at Columbia Law School to pursue Law courses. The Columbia Law School tuition fee for the year 2024-25 is USD 81,888 (INR 70.8 L). 

According to American Bar Association, the median salary for an CLS graduate in the class 2023 was USD 280,926 (INR 2.42 Cr) which is higher than any other Law School in the United States.

Q:   Is Columbia Law School good?

A: 

Columbia Law School being the Law School of Columbia University which is a world renowned university known for its quality of education. According to the US World and News rankings body in 2025, CLS is ranked #8 in the list of the best 196 Law schools around the world.  

According to the Times Higher Education 2024, the Law courses offered by Columbia University are ranked at number 4 with an overall score of 86.5 out of 100 based on the factors like Teaching research environment, research quality, industry, employer, international outlook, faculty student ratio etc. This overall score has decreased from the score of 90.9 out of 100 in 2023.

View Ranking DetailsRight Arrow Icon

Columbia Law School Admissions 2025

Columbia Law School Admissions Requirements 2025

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
On Admission Requirements

Q:   What is the LSAT score for Columbia Law School?

A: 

Columbia Law School is one of the toughest schools to get an admission to. There is no minimum requirements mentioned for LSATs, but the median LSAT score of CLS JD 2027 was 173 with a range of 170 to 175

CLS JD Class Average Scores 

Scores 

Median LSAT Score (JD Class 2027)

173 with a range of 170 to 175

Average GRE Quant Score (Class 2027)

164

Average GRE Verbal Score (Class 2027)

164

Median GPA (J.D. Class 2027)

3.90

Q:   What are the admission requirements for JD at Columbia Law school?

A: 

Columbia Law School is considered quite competitive to get into as the, where the This Law School is considered quite competitive to get into as the, where the school received 7,782 applications, and only 394 students were extended an offer, which gives a Columbia Law School acceptance rate of 11.7% meaning out of every 100 applications, only 11 to 12 are accepted making it an ambitious school to get into.

Although, a student can get admission to this B-School by fulfilling the below mentioned requirements:

Columbia Law School JD Requirements as an International student:

·         A four years Bachelor's Degree from Accredited university

·         Scanned copies of all the Academic Records

·         An online application done through Law School Admissions Council (LSAC)

·         Letters of recommendation (Submit at leas

·         Essay

·         Standardized entrance test scores (LSAT/GRE)

·         English language proficiency (TOEFL)

 

Q:   What GPA is required for Columbia Law School?

A: 

The Columbia Law School has no minimum requirements mentioned in their admission requirements. 

The table below mentions the average scores received by the JD Class of 2027

Columbia Law School Average Scores JD School 2027

Scores 

Median LSAT Score (JD Class 2027)

173 with a range of 170 to 175

Average GRE Quant Score (Class 2027)

164

Average GRE Verbal Score (Class 2027)

164

Median GPA (J.D. Class 2027)

3.90

(USD 1 = INR 86.47)

Columbia Law School Placements 2025

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Commonly asked questions
On Placements

Q:   What is the average salary in Columbia Law School?

A: 

Columbia law School gave 427 graduates in the year 2023, out of which 418 students were able to secure placements which gives us a Columbia Law School placement rate of 97.8%. This Law school under the Columbia University is ranked at no. 8 among the best 196 Law schools around the world, according to the rankings released by the US World and News 2024.

According to American Bar Association, the median salary for an CLS graduate in the class 2023 was USD 280,926 (INR 2.42 Cr) which is higher than any other Law School in the United States.

 

Q:   Where are the Columbia Law School graduates placed?

A: 

According to official data release by the Law School, most of the Columbia School graduates secured placements at Law firms of different sizes which was 339 for the year 2023.

Below are the detailed Job Sectors the Columbia Law School graduates were placed after graduation:

Columbia Law School Graduates Job Sectors (2023)

Number of Columbia Law School Graduates 2023

Law Firms

339

Business & Industry

3

Government

15

Public Interests

30

Clerkships - Federal

22

Clerkships - State, Local, and Territorial

6

Education

2

Q:   Is Columbia better than Harvard law for placements?

A: 

Columbia law School gave 427 graduates in the year 2023, out of which 418 students were able to secure placements which gives us a Columbia Law School placement rate of 97.8%. 

According to American Bar Association, the median salary for an CLS graduate in the class 2023 was USD 280,926 (INR 2.42 Cr) which is higher than any other Law School in the United States.

With an extreme focus of high employability skills, Harvard Law School placement rate stands at 97.3% for the HLS class of 2023 with an average package of USD 215,000 (INR 1.81 Cr). 

Columbia Law School or Harvard Law School: Which is better?

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Columbia Law School Campus Life

Columbia Law School Notable Alumni

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Columbia University Law
Students Ratings & Reviews

4.6/5
Verified Icon1 Verified ReviewInfo Icon
Vibe of Campus
  • Multi-dimensional
  • Friendly
  • Academically oriented
Student Views
  • 100% students never faced discrimination in this university
Internships4
Part time work5
Post study jobs5
Quality of faculty5
Student Life5
Value for money4
Public transportation5
Safety5
Indian Food4
Permanent Immigration4
N
Nithishma Allu Verified Icon
MS in Computer Science - Batch of 2024
4.6
Columbia University: Fostering Brilliance and Innovation
Tips: Networking is the key. Make as many connections as possible. New York is an amazing place to be and make the most of it. There is a Shardarshish scholarship which waves 50% tuition fees and also numerous graduate research assistant roles available if interested.
Likes (Quality of faculty): The diversity of faculty is amazing with most of them graduating from the top universities. Their knowledge on the subject is remarkable and they challenge you to be better and work harder. They let you engage in projects and conduct many office hours for discussions
Dislikes (Internships): The coursework and the brand value added because of Columbia University is great which lands you in a good internship but there are comparatively fewer career fairs than other universities. The career advisors are super helpful in guiding and suggesting changes to resumes and cover letters.
Reviewed on 11 Feb 2024Read more
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Columbia University

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 3 weeks ago

Both universities are good in own way you choose to your priority based so I give some points in given below it help to choose right to your priority.

1.if you choose columnbia this programme is reserch oriented and provide to you varieties of laps and projects.

 And if you choose ummass it is mainly

...Read more

a

akanksha pandey

Beginner-Level 3

Answered 3 weeks ago

Columbia University's Columbia Business School offers Master of Science in Financial Economics Degree program. The duration of this programme is 2 years. The application deadline for MS in Financial Economics at Columbia University is January 15, 2025 for the Fall semester. 

M

Misha

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 weeks ago

Columbia University is one of the finest universities in the United States of America for continuing higher education. The University offers a variety of programs for its international and domestic students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The University graduates work for top-notch compani

...Read more

R

Rachit Sharma

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 3 weeks ago

The application deadline for the MS in Financial Engineering programme at Columbia University is January 15, 2025, and the decision timeline ranges from Late February to Late March. The programme does not have rolling admissions so students are advised to submit all application materials by the re

...Read more

M

Misha

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 weeks ago

The Financial Economics program at Columbia University is a two-year STEM-eligible master's degree programme offered by the Finance Division of Columbia Business School. Columbia University's MSFE programme has an acceptance rate of 8% for the class of 2023 and 9% for the class of 2024. 

M

Misha

Contributor-Level 10

About the author

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Loveleen Sharma

Study Abroad Expert

Loveleen is a seasoned content writer with 4+ years of experience, currently writing for Shiksha. When he is not writing and helping students, he can be found at the movies, reading fiction, and learning a new language.

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Columbia University
Location

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University CityNew York, New York, USA
Size of cityLarge
Population of City86,22,697

Columbia University
Contact Information

Address

116th and Broadway, New York, NY 10027

New York

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