Law School rose 42 spots in the past 5 years 

Wayne State University Law School has jumped to No. 58 in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law School rankings, a 42-spot rise over the last five years, and a historic best for Detroit’s only public law school. Wayne Law also ranked No. 17 in part-time law programs, the best in the state. 

“This recognition is a testament to the talent of our students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters,” said Dean Richard A. Bierschbach. “I’m extremely proud to see Wayne Law recognized nationally as an exceptional law school in the heart of Detroit.” 

In addition to the overall rank, Wayne Law’s Clinical Training program ranked No. 35 in the nation. Seven other programs are ranked in the Top 100 of U.S. News & World Report’s Law School Specialty Rankings: Constitutional Law, Criminal Law & Procedure, Environmental Law, Health Law, International Law, Tax Law, and Trial Advocacy. 

Noting its lowest tuition in the state, the National Jurist and preLaw magazines have ranked Wayne Law a Best Value Law School for eight consecutive years. It is the No. 4 public law school in the country and the No. 14 law school overall for value based on the debt-to-income ratio of its graduates, according to an analysis by Law School Transparency.  

The U.S. News & World Report rankings for law schools are based on a weighted average of 14 measures of quality, with peer assessment and the five individual measures making up placement success receiving the most weight. 

Other analysis areas include median LSAT scores and incoming 1L undergraduate cumulative GPAs, acceptance rate, graduate indebtedness, and reputational assessments by practicing lawyers and judges. Separate specialty rankings are determined based on peer reviews by law school faculty who teach in each area. 

Learn more about Wayne Law by visiting law.wayne.edu.