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Law Courses at Columbia University

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#6 in Law in USA

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

  • JD (Juries Doctor) Program: Feb 15, 2026 

Students planning to be admitted to 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:   Does Columbia Law belong to Ivy league?
A: 

Established in 1858, Columbia Law School is private Ivy League university in New York, US. Columbia Law School is one of oldest Law Schools in USA. It was founded as the Columbia College Law School 167 years ago. 

According to the US World and News rankings 2025, Columbia Law School was ranked at #10 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 #10 in the list of the best 196 Law schools around the world.  

According to the Times Higher Education 2025, the Law courses offered by Columbia University are ranked #5 with an overall score of 83.6 out of 100 based on the factors like Teaching research environment, research quality, industry, employer, international outlook, faculty student ratio etc. 

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 11.84% 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)

 

Columbia Law School Courses and Fees 2025

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Courses1st Year Tuition FeesDuration & Eligibility
LL.M.(2 courses)
INR 77 L - 78 LGet Fee Details
Duration6 months-1 year
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 8 & Above, TOEFL: 105 & Above, PTE
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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 must pay tuition fee at Columbia Law School to pursue Law courses. The Columbia Law School tuition fee for the year 2025-26 is USD 85,368 (INR 76.77 L) excluding the living expenses, and the accommodation costs. 

Columbia Law School 2024-2025 Expenses Components

Costs

Tuition

USD 85,368 (INR 76.77 L)

Student Activity Fee

USD 340 (INR 30.5 K)

University Services & Support Fee

USD 1,236 (INR 1.11 L)

Health & Related Services Fee

USD 1,446 (INR 1.30 L)

Student Health Insurance

USD 5,367 (INR 4.82 L)

Total University Charges

USD 93,757 (INR 84.31 L)

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 2025-26 is USD 85,368 (INR 76.77 L) excluding the accommodation and living expenses. 

Below mentioned is the breakdown of the living expenses for the year 2025-26: 

2025-2026 Living Expenses

Costs for Academic Year

Housing

USD 19,602 (INR 17.62 L)

Food

USD 7,192 (INR 6.46 L)

Personal Expenses

USD 3,510 (INR 3.15 L)

Total Living Expenses

USD 30,304 (INR 27.25 L)

Document Fee

USD 105 (INR 9.4 K)

Books & Supplies

USD 1,250 (INR 1.12 L)

Academic Year Budget including CLS tuition and fee

USD 125,416 (INR 1.12 Cr)

(USD 1 = INR 89.93)

Columbia University Law
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Columbia Law School Rankings 2025

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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 #10 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 #5 with an overall score of 83.6  out of 100 based on the factors like Teaching research environment, research quality, industry, employer, international outlook, faculty student ratio etc.

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 #10 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 2025-26 is USD 85,368 (INR 76.77 L). 

According to American Bar Association, the median salary for an CLS graduate in the class 2024 was USD 225,000 (INR 2.02 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 #10 in the list of the best 196 Law schools around the world.  

According to the Times Higher Education 2025, the Law courses offered by Columbia University are ranked #5 with an overall score of 83.6 out of 100 based on the factors like Teaching research environment, research quality, industry, employer, international outlook, faculty student ratio etc.

Columbia Law School Admissions 2025

Columbia Law School Admissions Requirements 2025

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Commonly asked questions
On Admission Requirements
Q:   What is the LSAT score for Columbia Law School?
A: 

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

CLS JD Class Average Scores 

Scores 

Median LSAT Score for 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 11.84% 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 for 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 89.93)

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 523 graduates in the year 2024, out of which 515 students were able to secure placements which gives us a Columbia Law School placement rate of 98.5%. This Law school under the Columbia University is ranked at #10 among the best 196 Law schools around the world, according to the rankings released by the US World and News 2025.

According to American Bar Association, the median salary for an CLS graduate in the class 2024 was USD 225,000 (INR 2.02 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 76.5% for the year 2024.

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

Columbia Law School Graduates Job Sectors (2024) 

Percentage of Columbia Law School Graduates 2024

Law Firms

76.5%

Business & Industry

1%

Government

5%

Public Interests

10.7%

Clerkships - Federal

5.6%

Clerkships - State, Local, and Territorial

0.8%

Education

0.2%

Q:   Is Columbia better than Harvard law for placements?
A: 

Columbia law School gave 523 graduates in 2024, out of which 515 students were able to secure placements which gives us Columbia Law School placement rate of 98.5%

According to American Bar Association, the median salary for an CLS graduate in the class 2024 was USD 225,000 (INR 2.02 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 97.6% for the HLS class of 2024 with an average package of USD 215,000 (INR 1.93 Cr). 

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

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Commonly asked questions
On Comparisons
Q:   Is Columbia better than Harvard law?
A: 

According to the rankings released by the US World and News 2025, the Law studies offered by Harvard University under HLS are ranked #6 among the top 196 Law schools in the world, for Columbia University Law courses, this ranking is #10.  

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 1.93 Cr)

USD 189,915 (INR 1.70 Cr) 

Acceptance Rate (Class 2026) 

8.07% 

11.84% 

Top Job Sectors Hiring 

Law firms, Judiciary 

Law firms, Business & Management 

US World and News Ranking 2024 

#6

#10

Placement Rate (2023) within 10 months after graduation 

97.3% 

98.5%

USD 1 = INR 89.93

Columbia Law School Campus

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Commonly asked questions
On Campus Life
Q:   What is the student-to-faculty rate of Columbia Law School?
A: 

With 482 faculty members, students to faculty ratio is 1:17 at Columbia Law which shows level of attention these CLS students receive from their faculty. With extreme focus of high employability skills, according to ABA, 95.8% of the Columbia School graduates were able to pass the Bar exam in 2024.

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. 

Columbia Law School Notable Alumni

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Columbia University Law
Students Ratings & Reviews

3.8/5
Verified Icon2 Verified ReviewsInfo Icon
Student Views (Based on Reviews)
  • 67% students never faced discrimination in this university
Vibe of Campus
Academically oriented
Multi-dimensional
Friendly
Liberal
Internships3.5
Part time work3.5
Post study jobs4
Quality of faculty5
Student Life3.5
Value for money2.5
Public transportation5
Safety4
Indian Food3.5
Permanent Immigration3.5
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.
Total Monthly ExpenseUSD 1500
Prepping time for classes30 hours/Week
Expected Annual SalaryUSD 150000
Reviewed on 11 Feb 2024Read more
Thumbs Up Icon(1) Thumbs Down Icon1 person found this helpful
A
Anonymous
MS in Data Science - Batch of 2026
3.6
Columbia is an expensive school, and the competition is very fierce.
Tips: Be mentally prepared before coming, the scholarships are rare, you need to be best at what you do. The competition is fierce, and things are not so dreamy anymore in the USA. But if you are good at it, you can make it. I am satisfied, hopefully I will get a job, and it will be easier for me.
Likes (Quality of faculty): Mostly, the faculty are adjunct faculty, giving a more practical experience. The faculty is diverse and well-rounded, and the way things are done here is different from in India. They are more concerned with practicality than with theoretical knowledge, so you need to study and prepare on your own.
Dislikes (Value for money): Columbia is an expensive school, and the competition is very fierce. Off-campus jobs don't pay well compared to the living costs. There are better private schools that offer scholarships you can attend. Brand value still matters in today's world, though.
Total Monthly ExpenseUSD 2300
Prepping time for classes27 hours/Week
Expected Annual SalaryUSD 87000
Reviewed on 1 May 2025Read more
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A
AnonymousVerified Icon
Computer Science Master's Degree - Vision, Graphics, Interaction and Robotics - Batch of 2026
3
Ivy League Tag does not work anymore.
Tips: No overwhelming cultural shift that I have experienced as of now. I didn't get any scholarship, they pay you nothing, no on campus jobs and even if you get any, you'll be paid peanuts. You basically take a crore rupees loan, study and work like a machine and still end up with no internship call, no certainty about jobs.
Likes (Quality of faculty): Excellent faculty, coursework, teaching and most importantly research. But don't expect to get paid for your research. They won't pay you. They'll ask you to take it for credit. All professors are great researchers and top in their domain but not all are good teachers.
Dislikes (Value for money): It's very expensive with zero or very few on campus jobs paying you peanuts. No proper career fair for internships. Uncertainty of jobs, constantly changing government regulations, disregarding all the effort and money we put to study here. Disregard for your skill and knowledge.
Total Monthly ExpenseUSD 2125
Prepping time for classes50 hours/Week
Expected Annual SalaryUSD 80575
Reviewed on 28 Sep 2025Read more
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Columbia University

Student Forum

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

Answered 4 days ago

Chandigarh University has better placement record as compare to the Lovely Professional University. Chandigarh University has become only university to hold Limca book of record for placements. CU has been ranked 1st Among Private Engineering Institutes of North India THE OUTLOOK. Chandigarh Univers

...Read more

V

Vridhi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 6 days ago

The highest salary earned by graduates of the Columbia Uni USA is USD 450,000 (INR 4.1 Cr) in the Real Estate industry. This is three times the average salary package students got offered in the Real Estate industry. The average package for students in Real Estate was USD 150,000 (INR 1.34 Cr) for t

...Read more

A

Akash Gaur

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 6 days ago

Consulting, Investment Management, Real Estate, Private Equity, and Investment Banking are the top 5 best paying industries for MBA graduates at Columbia Uni. Given below is the average salary offered by these industries to students.

Industry

the highest Salary offered in USD

the highest Salary offered in INR

Real Estate

USD 450,000

INR 4.1 Cr

Private Equity

USD 400,000

INR 3.6 Cr

Investment Management

USD 290,000

INR 2.6 Cr

Consulting

USD 250,000

INR 2.25 Cr

Investment Banking

USD 225,000

INR 2.02 Cr

1 USD = INR 89.90

A

Akash Gaur

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 weeks ago

JEE Main percentile is supportive but not mandatory for admission to growth-oriented B.E. branches like ECE, Electrical, or Mechatronics at Chandigarh University. A strong percentile improves merit recognition, scholarship eligibility, and counseling priority, especially in branches with high demand

...Read more

J

JEEVAN JYOTI

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 3 weeks ago

There is no minimum JEE main rankor percentile required to get admission into B.E. Computer Science Engineering at Chandigarh University.JEE scores are mainly used for scholarship eligibility, not as a strict admission cutoff. Students with higher All India Ranks can qualify for fee waivers under CU

...Read more

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sannam bhatia

Beginner-Level 1

About the author

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Kanishka Gambhir

Study Abroad Expert

Kanishka Gambhir is a Content Creator and Writer working for Shiksha.com. Her role includes developing and maintaining web pages for international universities at the Shiksha Study Abroad Portal, maintaining precision, thoroughness, and consistency w...Read Full Bio

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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, United States

New York

Phone
212-854-4400

(For general query)

212-854-2522

(For admission query)

Email
registrar@columbia.edu

(For general query)

ugrad-ask@columbia.edu

(For admission query)

Go to College Website ->