• Law school applications have increased nearly 6% this year, reaching a total of 64,912 applicants.

• The 2024 pool is the largest since 2021, which had 71,035 applicants.

• This year's applicants are more racially diverse, accounting for 48% of the pool.

Law school applications are on the rise in 2024, with a 5.7% increase in number of candidates compared to last year, according to figures from the Law School Admission Council, cited by Reuters.

The total number of applicants this year reached 64,912, with overall 3,478 more people seeking a seat at the 197 American Bar Association-accredited law schools this year than in 2023.

This is the second-largest applicant pool since the peak in 2021, which saw a total of 71,035 candidates, an increase that was driven primarily by the pandemic.

A More Diverse Applicant Pool

This year’s applicants are also more racially diverse than previous years. Applicants of color accounted for nearly 48% of the pool, up from about 47% in 2023.

• Number of Black applicants increased 7.4% compared to 2023.

• Number of Hispanic applicants rose 9.6%.

• Number of Asian applicants was up 6.7%.

• Number of white applicants increased 3.3%.

What’s behind the growth: The increase is a result of a stronger push to promote legal education among historically underrepresented groups, including via targeted advertising on social media platforms, said Susan Krinsky, interim president of the Law School Admission Council.

Why This Matters

The increase in applications shows a continued interest in the legal profession and opportunities in the industry, especially among underrepresented groups. 

More applications also means that law schools can be choosier about whom they admit, Reuters notes. Lower acceptance rates and higher Law School Admissions test scores and grades among admitted applicants can also help bolster a school’s U.S. News & World Report ranking.

Future outlook: The current application cycle being already off to a strong start suggests that the growing trend is likely to continue, and the national applicant pool could expand further in 2025.