2023-24 U.S. News Law School Rankings: This Year vs. Last Year (+/-)

After a long, winding, grueling path to get here, we finally have the 2023-2024 U.S. News & World Report law school rankings. The new rankings (with +/-) are below, but first, we want to also look at how the T14 shifted since U.S. News announced them prior to the delay and the later modifications they made.

You can find the original 2023-2024 T14 law schools, as U.S. News published them on April 11, here. After that release (and, more importantly, after they released an embargoed copy of the full rankings to law schools), U.S. News ended up delaying publication for almost a month, citing unprecedented feedback from ranked institutions. Our understanding is that this time was likely needed to hire an outside auditor and fix multiple errors in the data.

Now, with the mistakes fixed, here are the new T14 schools, with +/- relative to the April 11 released version (not relative to last year's rankings—that's next).

(1) Stanford University (0)
(1) Yale University (0)
(3) University of Chicago (0)
(4) University of Pennsylvania (Carey) (0)
(5) Harvard University (-1)
(5) New York University (+1)
(5) Duke University (+1)
(8) Columbia University (0)
(8) University of Virginia (0)
(10) University of California, Berkeley (0)
(10) Northwestern University (Pritzker) (0)
(10) University of Michigan--Ann Arbor (0)
(13) Cornell University (0)
(14) University of California--Los Angeles (0)


As you can see, most of these law schools' rankings remained the same, but 3 of the 14 did see a shift in their rank. We expect many more schools below the T14 changed in ranking between the original (embargoed) release and the delayed/corrected release.

As always, we want to disclaim that it is our strong opinion that rankings should not be a significant factor in where you decide to attend law school—and you should never put much stock in year-to-year changes, especially this year given all the controversy and delays due to errors. This year, an unprecedented 67 law schools saw an increase or decrease of 10+ places in the rankings, and an incredible 31 law schools saw an increase or decrease of 20+ places. We assure you, the actual quality and reputability of all of these law schools did not swing so drastically.

You can watch our video on how best to use rankings to decide on a law school here, and you can always visit our site My Rank to create your own custom law school rankings based on the metrics you prioritize.

Here's the full list with +/- from last year:


2023-2024 U.S. News Law School Rankings with +/-

(1) Stanford University (+1)
(1) Yale University (0)
(3) University of Chicago (0)
(4) University of Pennsylvania (Carey) (+2)
(5) Harvard University (-1)
(5) New York University (+2)
(5) Duke University (+6)
(8) Columbia University (-4)
(8) University of Virginia (0)
(10) University of California, Berkeley (-1)
(10) Northwestern University (Pritzker) (+3)
(10) University of Michigan--Ann Arbor (0)
(13) Cornell University (-1)
(14) University of California--Los Angeles (+1)
(15) Georgetown University (-1)
(16) University of Southern California (Gould) (+4)
(16) University of Minnesota (+5)
(16) Vanderbilt University (+1)
(16) University of Texas--Austin (+1)
(20) University of Georgia (+9)
(20) Washington University in St. Louis (-4)
(22) University of Florida (Levin) (-1)
(22) University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill (+1)
(22) Wake Forest University (+15)
(22) Ohio State University (Moritz) (+8)
(22) Brigham Young University (Clark) (+1)
(27) University of Notre Dame (-2)
(27) Boston University (-10)
(29) Boston College (+8)
(29) Fordham University (+8)
(29) Texas A&M University (+17)
(32) Arizona State University (O'Connor) (-2)
(32) University of Utah (Quinney) (+5)
(32) George Mason University (Scalia) (-2)
(35) University of Alabama (-10)
(35) George Washington University (-10)
(35) Emory University (-5)
(35) University of Iowa (-7)
(35) University of California--Irvine (+2)
(40) University of Kansas (+27)
(40) Washington and Lee University (-5)
(40) University of Wisconsin--Madison (+3)
(43) University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (-8)
(43) Villanova University (Widger) (+13)
(45) Pepperdine University (Caruso) (+7)
(45) Indiana University--Bloomington (Maurer) (-2)
(45) SMU (Dedman) (+13)
(45) William & Mary Law School (-15)
(49) Baylor University (+9)
(49) University of Washington (0)
(51) University of Maryland (Carey) (-4)
(51) University of Oklahoma (+37)
(51) University of Tennessee--Knoxville (+5)
(54) University of Arizona (Rogers) (-9)
(54) Temple University (Beasley) (+9)
(56) University of Colorado--Boulder (-7)
(56) Florida State University (-9)
(56) Wayne State University (+2)
(56) Seton Hall University (+17)
(60) Loyola Marymount University (+7)
(60) University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly known as University of California--Hastings) (-9)
(60) University of California--Davis (-23)
(60) University of Kentucky (Rosenburg) (+7)
(60) St. John's University (+24)
(60) University of South Carolina (+24)
(60) University of Houston Law Center (-2)
(60) University of Richmond (-8)
(60) Florida International University (+38)
(69) Georgia State University (+9)
(69) Yeshiva University (Cardozo) (-17)
(71) University of Connecticut (-7)
(71) University of Miami (+2)
(71) Tulane University (-16)
(71) Northeastern University (+2)
(71) University of Missouri (-4)
(71) Texas Tech University (+34)
(71) Marquette University (+34)
(78) University of San Diego (-14)
(78) University of Oregon (-11)
(80) University of Denver (Sturm) (-2)
(80) Case Western Reserve University (-2)
(80) Drexel University (Kline) (-2)
(80) Pennsylvania State University--University Park (-16)
(84) Stetson University (+27)
(84) Loyola University Chicago (-11)
(84) University of Cincinnati (+4)
(84) Lewis & Clark College (Northwestern) (+4)
(88) Drake University (+23)
(89) American University (Washington) (-16)
(89) Saint Louis University (+9)
(89) University of Nebraska--Lincoln (-11)
(89) Duquesne University (Kline) (+40)
(89) University of Pittsburgh (-11)
(89) University of Nevada--Las Vegas (Boyd) (-22)
(89) Pennsylvania State University Dickinson Law (-31)
(96) University of Montana (Blewett) (+7)
(96) University of New Mexico (-5)
(96) University of St. Thomas (-31)
(99) Mercer University (George) (+23)
(99) Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent (-5)
(99) Indiana University--Indianapolis (McKinney) (-1)
(99) University of Louisville (Brandeis) (-5)
(99) Louisiana State University--Baton Rouge (Hebert) (+6)
(99) Gonzaga University (+17)
(105) University of Arkansas--Fayetteville (-19)
(105) University of New Hampshire (Pierce) (0)
(105) Albany Law School (+17)
(105) Belmont University (+28)
(109) Chapman University (Fowler) (-9)
(109) Rutgers University (-23)
(111) Washburn University (-6)
(111) Loyola University New Orleans (+22)
(111) Michigan State University (-20)
(111) University of Mississippi (0)
(111) Brooklyn Law School (-13)
(111) Cleveland State University (Cleveland-Marshall) (+16)
(111) University of Dayton (+11)
(111) University of Tulsa (+7)
(111) Seattle University (+5)
(111) West Virginia University (+7)
(111) University of Wyoming (+18)
(122) The Catholic University of America (-28)
(122) Syracuse University (-19)
(122) University of South Dakota (Knudson) (+11)
(125) Howard University (-27)
(125) New York Law School (+4)
(125) University at Buffalo--SUNY (-31)
(125) Campbell University (Wiggins) (+≥22) (previously ranked 147-192)
(125) University of Memphis (Humphreys) (+17)
(125) Regent University (+17)
(131) Samford University (Cumberland) (+8)
(131) Pace University (Haub) (+11)
(133) Suffolk University (-11)
(133) Elon University (+≥14) (previously ranked 147-192)
(135) University of Hawaii--Manoa (Richardson) (-44)
(135) DePaul University (-30)
(135) University of Baltimore (-13)
(135) University of Missouri--Kansas City (-21)
(135) Liberty University (+≥12) (previously ranked 147-192)
(140) Hofstra University (Deane) (-22)
(141) University of the Pacific (McGeorge) (-8)
(141) Southwestern Law School (+≥6) (previously ranked 147-192)
(141) University of Idaho (+1)
(141) University of Detroit Mercy (-2)
(141) University of Toledo (+≥6) (previously ranked 147-192)
(146) Quinnipiac University (+≥1) (previously ranked 147-192)
(146) University of Maine School of Law (-32)
(146) Ohio Northern University (Pettit) (+≥1) (previously ranked 147-192)
(149) Northern Kentucky University (Chase) (0) (previously ranked 147-192)
(150) University of Arkansas--Little Rock (Bowen) (previously ranked 147-192)
(150) University of Akron (previously ranked 147-192)
(150) Oklahoma City University (previously ranked 147-192)
(153) St. Mary's University (previously ranked 147-192)
(154) CUNY School of Law (-21)
(155) New England Law Boston (previously ranked 147-192)
(155) Creighton University (-16)
(155) Willamette University College of Law (-26)
(158) Santa Clara University (-25)
(159) Faulkner University (Jones) (previously ranked 147-192)
(159) Widener University--Pennsylvania (Commonwealth) (previously ranked 147-192)
(159) University of Illinois--Chicago (previously ranked 147-192)
(162) Northern Illinois University (previously ranked 147-192)
(162) South Texas College of Law Houston (previously ranked 147-192)
(164) Vermont Law School (-22)
(165) University of San Francisco (previously ranked 147-192)
(165) Mississippi College (previously ranked 147-192)
(167) Touro College (Fuchsberg) (previously unranked)
(167) University of Massachusetts--Dartmouth (previously ranked 147-192)
(167) Mitchell Hamline School of Law (previously ranked 147-192)
(167) University of North Texas--Dallas (previously ranked 147-192)
(171) Nova Southeastern University (Broad) (previously ranked 147-192)
(171) Roger Williams University (previously ranked 147-192)
(171) Atlanta's John Marshall Law School (previously ranked 147-192)
(174) Southern Illinois University--Carbondale (previously ranked 147-192)
(175) California Western School of Law (previously ranked 147-192)
(175) North Carolina Central University (previously ranked 147-192)
(175) Capital University (previously ranked 147-192)
(175) Lincoln Memorial University (Duncan) (previously ranked 147-192)
(175) Widener University--Delaware (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) Appalachian School of Law (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) Ave Maria School of Law (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) Barry University (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) Charleston School of Law (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) Florida A&M University (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) Golden Gate University (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) Inter-American University (previously unranked)
(180-196) Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico (previously unranked)
(180-196) Southern University Law Center (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) St. Thomas University (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) Texas Southern University (Marshall) (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) University of North Dakota (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) University of Puerto Rico (previously unranked)
(180-196) University of the District of Columbia (Clarke) (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) Western Michigan University (Cooley) (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) Western New England University (previously ranked 147-192)
(180-196) Western State College of Law at Westcliff University (previously ranked 147-192)