U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 Best Law Schools rankings today, placing the S.J. Quinney College of Law at #44 nationally and #19 among public law schools. Utah Law remains the highest-ranked public law school in the Mountain West.
While rankings receive significant public attention, they are inherently limited snapshots that reflect a narrow set of metrics and evolving methodologies. Year-to-year movement—particularly among highly competitive institutions—is common and often driven by small changes in underlying data rather than meaningful differences in institutional quality.
By every substantive measure, Utah Law continues to demonstrate strength, stability, and upward momentum. Our 2026 ultimate bar passage rate—at 98.77%—reflects both the caliber of our students and the effectiveness of our academic program. Our incoming class profile continues to rise, with a median LSAT of 166 and a median undergraduate GPA of 3.87.
Utah Law’s specialty programs remain nationally prominent. Our environmental law program is ranked in the top 10, while our programs in intellectual property (#27), criminal law (#31), and healthcare law (#35) all rank within the top 20% of law schools nationwide.
Additional measures reinforce the strength and value of a Utah Law education. Our faculty’s scholarly impact ranks #30 overall—and #10 among public law schools—according to the most recent Sisk-Leiter study. For the second consecutive year, the college is also ranked #8 nationally for best return on investment by Law Crossing.
Regardless of short-term fluctuations in any single ranking, we remain focused on delivering an exceptional, rigorous, and high-value legal education, preparing graduates for success, and contributing meaningful scholarship and service. Those fundamentals continue to drive Utah Law’s reputation and long-term trajectory.