150 US law schools had smaller entering classes compared to 2021
There is a slight decrease in JD enrolment for the fall 2022 term, according to data released by the American Bar Association’s Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar.
The American Bar Association Journal reported that total JD enrolment for the fall 2022 term was 116,723, compared to 117,501 in 2021. That amounts to a 0.66% decrease, according to an overview posted on the section’s website.
Also, 38,020 students started their first year of law school during the fall 2022 term, compared to 42,718 in 2021, reported the Journal.
Compared to 2021, 46 law schools saw increases or no changes in first-year class sizes during 2022, while 150 had smaller entering classes. By contrast, in 2021, 153 schools had first-year enrolment increases or reported that the numbers were the same that year, while 43 had smaller entering classes, the Journal reported.
Meanwhile, there is a slight increase in non-JD enrolment, according to the data. In 2022, the programs had 24,134 students, compared to 21,044 in 2021.
If combining JD and non-JD enrolment for 2022, there’s a 1.67% increase in law school enrolment overall, according to the overview.
