Introduction
The LSAT has been a cornerstone of law school admissions for decades, though it’s faced its fair share of controversy, especially in recent years. In response to these concerns, we’ve seen major changes to the LSAT just this year—the elimination of the infamous logic games section.
We’ve also seen the possibility of policies come and go, with the ABA pushing for, reassessing, and pausing talks about making the LSAT optional. Despite these shifts, however, it’s safe to say the LSAT likely isn’t going anywhere soon.
As long as it remains the gatekeeper to some of the nation’s top law schools, it’s certainly worth examining which states are home to the top scorers. After conducting a state-by-state analysis, we found the District of Columbia leading the pack as home to the nation’s sharpest emerging legal minds.
But a closer look revealed even more interesting trends across the nation—trends that could offer deeper insight into this notoriously challenging exam.
LSAT Scores By State Stats
Before diving into the numbers, here’s an overview of the average LSAT score of every state in the US.
Juris Education LSAT Scores by State map 2024
As you’ll notice, there’s a vast difference in the average scores across these states, with many notably higher and lower than the national average of 152-153.
A Closer Look at the Top Five Scorers
When we think of the top LSAT performers, it’s fair to assume that students from the largest states or the most prestigious universities lead the pack. These states are renowned for their legal markets, schools, and resources. But a deeper look into the stats reveals a more diverse landscape—one where underdog states have some of the most impressive score profiles and some states with the most elite law schools fall far behind the pack.
#1: The Best State At the LSAT: District of Columbia
Leading the nation is the District of Columbia, with an average LSAT score of 161.36. This score puts this state’s average in the 78th percentile! Even more impressive, almost a quarter of these test-takers (21.56%) scored in the elite 170+ range, the benchmark typically sought by T14 law schools, the highest ranked and most prestigious in the nation. The District of Columbia is home to an on and off again T14 law school, Georgetown University Law, and another high-ranking school, George Washington University Law. These institutions are known for attracting highly motivated students who seem to be pushing their local LSAT average to remarkable heights!
#2: Utah
While the District of Columbia’s dominance may not come as a surprise, Utah securing second place might. Despite having fewer test-takers overall, Utah consistently produces top performers, with a state average of 159.34, which sits around the 72nd percentile. Nearly 10% of these students scored in the 170 or above range—a statistic that may shock many given the state doesn’t have any T14 law schools. Nevertheless, Utah is home to esteemed institutions like BYU Law and the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, where the median LSAT scores for admitted students stand at an impressive 168 and 164, respectively.
#3: Massachusetts
In third place is Massachusetts, boasting an average LSAT score of 157.6, which positions it in the 65th percentile—a notable drop from D.C.’s 78th percentile. Home to the infamous Harvard Law School, Massachusetts stands as a beacon for high achievers. With over 15% of test-takers surpassing the coveted 170 barrier, it’s reasonable to believe that many students are striving for acceptance into this iconic institution, further underscoring how local talent in some states is concentrated on securing spots at top-tier law schools right in their own backyard.
#4 and #5: Colorado and Oregon
In a twist, the fourth and fifth-place states—Colorado and Oregon—challenge this trend. Colorado holds an average score of 157.53, while Oregon is slightly lower at 157.28. Neither state hosts a T14 or even a top 40 law school, which might lead one to expect lower scores. However, this could actually explain their impressive performances; students in these states may be motivated to achieve higher LSAT scores to gain access to better-ranked law schools, tapping into resources and opportunities available in more competitive legal markets.
The Underperformers: A Look at the Lower End
On the other end of the spectrum, we see some states with LSAT scores that are far below the state median. However, their small sample sizes make these figures less meaningful.
Which State Is the Worst at the LSAT? - Alaska
Alaska’s 78 test-takers recorded the lowest average LSAT score in the nation, with a 133.73—placing them in the bottom 4th percentile. This score falls far below what any law school would consider competitive, highlighting significant challenges for aspiring lawyers in the state and raising questions about the resources available to test-takers in this region.
Second Worst: Wyoming
With a slightly higher average LSAT score than Alaska, Wyoming ranks second to last. Among its 76 test-takers, the average score was 137.03, placing it in the 7th percentile.
Notably, neither of these two states had any applicants scoring in the 170 score range. That said, considering Alaska is the only state without a law school and Wyoming only has one lower-ranked school, it’s safe to assume these aspiring law students are looking out-of-state for their legal education—just maybe not the T14s.
A Shocking Low-Scorer: Louisiana
A more telling story emerges when we turn our attention to Louisiana, which, with a relatively high number of test-takers—920, to be precise—boasts an average score of only 151.6. This places Louisiana in the 43rd percentile, well below the national average. While the state is home to leading law schools, such as Tulane Law and Louisiana State University Law, they don’t have a significant volume of top-scoring applicants. In fact, only 2% of Louisiana's test-takers achieved scores high enough to be competitive for admission to the T14 institutions.
High LSAT Scores and Elite Law Schools: A Trend?
When we look at the 10 highest LSAT averages, many of them are home to at least one of the T14 law schools. These schools attract the best and brightest from across the country, and their presence seems to be inflating the local average. We’ve already covered the District of Columbia and Massachusetts, but there are several more. For example, California, the state with the most test-takers, ranks sixth with an average LSAT score of 158.9. It boasts legal heavyweights like Stanford Law, UC Berkeley Law, Cornell Law, and UCLA Law. Over 11% of California test-takers scored in the 170 and above range.
Following closely behind is Virginia, which secures the seventh position with an average LSAT score of 157.17. The state is home to UVA Law, and approximately 12.6% of its test-takers achieve scores in the coveted 170+ bracket. New York takes eighth place, housing both Columbia Law and NYU Law. Here, more than 12.9% of test-takers score 170 or higher, with an average LSAT score of 157.21.
However, the absence of some states that host T14 law schools in the top rankings may come as a surprise. States like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Connecticut, Illinois, and North Carolina each house at least one T14 institution but didn't make the top 10 cut. Their scores and percentages of 170+ scorers are as follows:
So, the landscape presents a split: roughly half of the T14 states showcase the highest LSAT scores, while the other half do not. This phenomenon underscores that while T14 law schools can elevate a state’s average LSAT scores, numerous other factors are at play, including the size and diversity of the applicant pool, the presence of regional law schools, and the legal market’s demands. In states like Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, and North Carolina, students may have a wider range of law schools in mind, leading to more varied performance on the LSAT.
Methodology
All of the statistics gathered for this study can be found here.
One issue we encountered with this dataset is that it didn’t show the exact scores of every applicant. Instead, we were told X amount of students in a given state scored between 160-164 and Y amount of students scored between 165-169, and so on.
To find the average score of each score bracket, we assumed the scores were uniformly distributed within the individual range so we could use the middle value of each bracket. For example, the middle value used from the 175-180 bracket was 177.5.
Then, we calculated the product of each bracket’s midpoint and how many students scored in that bracket. For example, if 1000 students scored in the 155-159 bracket, we’d calculate the product of 1000 and 157.
Once done, these figures were added and then divided by the total number of students taking the exam for each state to give us the average LSAT scores for each state in 2024.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the geography of LSAT success is as diverse as the students who take the exam, and it offers a glimpse into the broader dynamics shaping the future of legal education in the United States. As we’ve explored, surprising state averages, the presence of prestigious law schools, and the ambitions of students reveal a complex narrative. While elite institutions can elevate local LSAT scores, other factors—such as applicant diversity and regional opportunities—also play critical roles in shaping outcomes.
It will be interesting to see how ongoing changes in the LSAT and admissions landscape will further influence these trends. As law schools adapt to the evolving educational environment, states may shift in their standing, and new hotspots for LSAT excellence could emerge. With big and small states making their way to the top of this list, it could truly be anyone's ball game in the quest for top LSAT scores!
