For the 11th consecutive year, the University of Iowa College of Law is named a Best Value Law School by the National Jurist's PreLaw Magazine.
Dean Kevin Washburn highlights the continued strength of Iowa law, stating, “With strong funding from the State of Iowa and generous donors who have endowed the College of Law with funds exceeding $100 million, the College of Law is fortunate to have significant resources to support our mission and our students.”
Iowa Law has consistently been among the top contenders, once again securing a position among the nation’s top 20 law schools this year.
The 2024 Best Value report includes 53 ABA-accredited public universities and six private law schools. These institutions have collectively earned cumulative grades of B+ or higher for their commitment to providing students with an exceptional return on investment.
The methodology for identifying top-value law schools includes assessments in three areas: bar exam, employment outcomes, and tuition costs. Each area is given a grade and then the weight of each grade is used to determine a final GPA. The bar exam is weighted at 15%, employment at 30%, and costs at 55% providing the most significant impact on the final GPA.
Given the strong bar passage rates for Iowa Law graduates, it is no surprise the school's Best Value ranking remains high. For the July 2024 bar exam, Iowa Law graduates achieved an exceptional 98% first-time passage rate, with 53 out of 54 first-time test takers successfully passing.
Iowa Law also remains competitive in graduate employment outcomes to benefit their Best Value score. For the graduating class of 2023, at least 98.8% secured employment within ten months of graduation. This continues the trend of near-perfect job placement numbers over the last three years for graduating Iowa law students.
Finally, tuition costs were the most influential on the Best Value ranking, and Iowa continues to stand out for maintaining low costs. Thanks to scholarship funding, the Class of 2024 experienced a decrease in overall debt compared to 2023 graduates.
So, what's behind Iowa Law's success in bar passage, graduate employment outcomes, and tuition costs? Affordable tuition, significant investments in top-tier academic resources, and the ability to attract exceptionally talented faculty. These factors equip graduates to perform well on the bar exam and, ultimately, enhance their employability.
To explore the wealth of resources available at Iowa Law, including the Writing and Academic Success Center and the Career Services Office, please visit our website at law.uiowa.edu.
Click here for a detailed list of Best Value honorees and a comprehensive insight into the scoring methodology.