Duke University School of Law
early decision Nov 6, 2026 · early decision Jan 8, 2027 · regular Feb 15, 2027
0 of 8 required items complete· next deadline in 20 days
Your numbers against the class of 2025
This is a comparison against published numbers, not a prediction. Admissions committees weigh essays, letters, and experience that no percentile captures.
6,240 applications, 804 offers, 227 enrolled · Verified 2026-08-13 · view source
What it costs, how graduates fare
- Tuition2025-26
$80,100 full-time · plus $1,729 annual fees
Tuition and the fees the school certifies alongside it — not a full cost of attendance.
Verified 2026-08-27 · ABA Standard 509 report
- Bar passageclass of 2025
98.2%first-time+13.6
84.6% is the average for all ABA-accredited schools’ graduates in the same jurisdictions this school’s graduates sat in · 222 of 226 first-time takers passed
99.2% of the class of 2023 were admitted within two years of graduating
A pass rate on its own says as much about which states a school feeds as about the school, so the ABA’s own like-for-like average is shown with it.
Verified 2026-08-27 · ABA bar passage report
- Employmentclass of 2025
227 of 230 (98.7%) in full-time, long-term jobs requiring bar admission
Ten months after graduation · 0 more in JD-advantage jobs · 0 still seeking · 3 of the bar-admission jobs are funded by the school
The ABA collects employment status and job type only. It collects no salary, so no salary figure comes from this filing.
Verified 2026-08-27 · ABA employment summary
- First-year attrition2024-25
1.0% of the first-year class · 3 students
No law school publishes a graduation rate, so this is not one. It is the students who left in their first year, academic and other, as filed. Transfers out are reported separately and are not counted here.
Verified 2026-08-27 · ABA Standard 509 report
- EarningsCollege Scorecard
Not a starting salary.
$205,891 median one year after finishing · $261,230 after four
$105,518 is the national median at four years for the same credential
A College Scorecard median for 2017-18 and 2018-19 completers who received federal aid, measured a fixed number of years after they finished — not what this year’s graduates are being paid, and not a figure the school or the ABA publishes. The ABA collects no salary data at all.
Verified 2026-08-27 · College Scorecard
Essays
- Personal statementRequired · 3 pgstart by Oct 16, 2026
The personal statement is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and should include what you think have been your most significant personal experiences beyond what may be reflected in your academic transcripts and on your resume. You might choose to address your interest in legal studies and a career as a lawyer here, or you might do so in the optional Duke Essay #1.
- Perspective statementRequired · 500 wstart by Oct 23, 2026
Required short-answer essay: choose from six prompts addressing the rule of law, equal justice, diversity of perspectives, public service, a collaborative learning environment, and ethical leadership.
Notes & source
Summarized. Applicants are required to submit one essay and may submit up to two; each essay should be approximately 250-500 words.
Verified 2026-08-12 · source page
- Why this schoolOptional · 2 pgschool-specificstart by Oct 27, 2026
You may submit an essay providing additional information about why you have chosen to apply to law school in general and Duke in particular.
- Optional essayOptional · 1 pgschool-specificstart by Oct 30, 2026
Optional Duke Essay #2: share what you would want the admissions committee to learn about you in a personal interview that is not covered elsewhere in your application (Duke is unable to offer interviews due to large application volume).
Letters & documents
- Letter of recommendation (1 of 2)Requiredstart by Oct 9, 2026
Notes & source
Two letters required, submitted through the LSAC letter of recommendation service; at least one should be from an academic instructor, the second from a supervisor or professional advisor. Up to four letters accepted.
Verified 2026-08-12 · source page
- Letter of recommendation (2 of 2)Requiredstart by Oct 9, 2026
Notes & source
Two letters required, submitted through the LSAC letter of recommendation service; at least one should be from an academic instructor, the second from a supervisor or professional advisor. Up to four letters accepted.
Verified 2026-08-12 · source page
- RésuméRequiredstart by Oct 30, 2026
Notes & source
Resume required; should include work experience, education, activities, and honors with dates.
Verified 2026-08-12 · source page
- Transcripts via LSAC CASRequiredstart by Oct 16, 2026
Notes & source
Transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate work must be submitted to the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS).
Verified 2026-08-12 · source page
- LSAT or GRERequiredstart by Sep 7, 2026
Notes & source
All applicants must take the LSAT or the GRE; both tests are accepted equally. All valid scores must be reported; self-reported scores are not accepted.
Verified 2026-08-12 · source page
- Dean's certificationOptionalstart by Oct 23, 2026
Notes & source
Not required for all applicants; if disclosing school-related disciplinary conduct under character and fitness, a letter from the dean must be sent directly to the admissions office.
Verified 2026-08-12 · source page
Administrative
- Application feeRequiredat submission
Notes & source
$85 non-refundable application processing fee. Waivers available (LSAC-based, Candidate Referral Service, need-based by form, and service-based for military, Teach for America, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps); waiver requests due by February 15, 2027 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Verified 2026-08-12 · source page
- InterviewOptionalat submission
Notes & source
Duke states it is unable to offer interviews due to large application volume. Exception: non-U.S. citizens whose native language is not English and whose undergraduate degree was not taught in English must complete an InitialView interview or submit TOEFL scores to LSAC (institution code 8395).
Verified 2026-08-12 · source page
Every item above was verified against law.duke.edu on 2026-08-12. Expand any item for its own source. Always confirm against the school before you submit — and if we have something wrong, report an error.