{"id":156610,"date":"2026-07-13T14:38:28","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T22:38:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2026\/07\/13\/a-projection-of-the-2027-u-s-news-law-school-rankings\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T14:38:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T22:38:28","slug":"a-projection-of-the-2027-u-s-news-law-school-rankings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2026\/07\/13\/a-projection-of-the-2027-u-s-news-law-school-rankings\/","title":{"rendered":"A \u2018Projection\u2019 Of The 2027 U.S. News Law School Rankings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prospective law students, current law students, and law school alumni have seen the historic 2026 edition of the U.S. News Law School Rankings<\/a>, and they\u2019re wondering what could possibly happen next. As a quick recap, Yale was kicked out of the top spot for the first time ever, sharing second place with Chicago; Stanford found itself as the new #1; Harvard remained outside of the Top 5; and we saw a 15-school T14, complete with ties upon ties. Will Yale be able to reclaim its place in the sun? When will the rankings madness end?<\/p>\n

We suppose we\u2019ll have to wait and see\u2026 but what if we told you that we had an overall \u201cprojection\u201d of next year\u2019s rankings? Sounds great, right? Let us help you scratch that rankings itch.<\/p>\n

The current U.S. News methodology uses ABA data for student outcomes, accounting for more than half (58%) of the rankings scheme. That data includes first-time bar passage<\/a>\u00a0(18%), ultimate bar passage<\/a>\u00a0(7%), and employment<\/a>\u00a0(33%). Dean Paul Caron of Pepperdine University School of Law has created a chart using that ABA data, as well as data from the current U.S. News ranking, for all other parts of his projection (admissions (10%): median LSAT (5%), median UGPA (4%), acceptance rate (1%); resources (7%): student-faculty ratio (5%); student-librarian ratio (2%); and quality assessment (25%: dean\/faculty (12.5%) and lawyer\/judge (12.5%)). Which schools come out on top using this data?<\/p>\n

Here are the Top 14 schools, using Caron\u2019s components \u2014 and he urges readers to \u201ctake these rankings with a grain of salt,\u201d as 42% of the data is subject to change. We heard you like ties, so this version of the top of the U.S. News rankings has even MORE ties:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
School<\/strong><\/td>\nProjected
2027-2028
Rank<\/strong><\/td>\n		Current
2026-2027
Rank<\/strong><\/td>\n		Difference<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chicago<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n+1<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stanford<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yale<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n-1<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Duke<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n+3<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Harvard<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n+2<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NYU<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n+3<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Penn<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Virginia<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Columbia<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cornell<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n+4<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Michigan<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
UC-Berkeley<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n16<\/td>\n+7<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Northwestern<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n-4<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Texas<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n16<\/td>\n+3<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vanderbilt<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n12<\/td>\n-1<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

\n

Down goes Yale, again! The elite school has been cast down to third place in this version of the rankings. Stanford is now tied at No. 1 with Chicago. But, perhaps on the plus side, Yale is the only school here that gets its very own rank. On top of all of that interesting news, say hello to not-the-T14, but the T13, now with 15 schools. Guess who\u2019s back? Back again? It\u2019s Texas, but UCLA is out, as is Wash U. We have a feeling that U.S. News might just like what it sees here\u2026.<\/p>\n

Click\u00a0here<\/a> to see the full rankings at TaxProf Blog.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll check back in sometime next spring to see how close to reality these partial rankings are. In the meantime, check out the\u00a0Above the Law Top 50 Law School Rankings<\/a>\u00a0for a better, outcome-based methodology.<\/p>\n

Projected 2027-28 U.S. News Law School Rankings: Overall<\/a> [TaxProf Blog]<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Staci Zaretsky<\/a> is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she\u2019s worked since 2011. She\u2019d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email<\/a> her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky<\/a>, X\/Twitter<\/a>, and Threads<\/a>, or connect with her on LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The post A \u2018Projection\u2019 Of The 2027 U.S. News Law School Rankings<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Prospective law students, current law students, and law school alumni have seen the historic 2026 edition of the U.S. News Law School Rankings<\/a>, and they\u2019re wondering what could possibly happen next. As a quick recap, Yale was kicked out of the top spot for the first time ever, sharing second place with Chicago; Stanford found itself as the new #1; Harvard remained outside of the Top 5; and we saw a 15-school T14, complete with ties upon ties. Will Yale be able to reclaim its place in the sun? When will the rankings madness end?<\/p>\n

We suppose we\u2019ll have to wait and see\u2026 but what if we told you that we had an overall \u201cprojection\u201d of next year\u2019s rankings? Sounds great, right? Let us help you scratch that rankings itch.<\/p>\n

The current U.S. News methodology uses ABA data for student outcomes, accounting for more than half (58%) of the rankings scheme. That data includes first-time bar passage<\/a>\u00a0(18%), ultimate bar passage<\/a>\u00a0(7%), and employment<\/a>\u00a0(33%). Dean Paul Caron of Pepperdine University School of Law has created a chart using that ABA data, as well as data from the current U.S. News ranking, for all other parts of his projection (admissions (10%): median LSAT (5%), median UGPA (4%), acceptance rate (1%); resources (7%): student-faculty ratio (5%); student-librarian ratio (2%); and quality assessment (25%: dean\/faculty (12.5%) and lawyer\/judge (12.5%)). Which schools come out on top using this data?<\/p>\n

Here are the Top 14 schools, using Caron\u2019s components \u2014 and he urges readers to \u201ctake these rankings with a grain of salt,\u201d as 42% of the data is subject to change. We heard you like ties, so this version of the top of the U.S. News rankings has even MORE ties:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
School<\/strong><\/td>\nProjected
2027-2028
Rank<\/strong><\/td>\n		Current
2026-2027
Rank<\/strong><\/td>\n		Difference<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chicago<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n+1<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stanford<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yale<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n-1<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Duke<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n+3<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Harvard<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n+2<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NYU<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n+3<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Penn<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Virginia<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Columbia<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cornell<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n+4<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Michigan<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
UC-Berkeley<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n16<\/td>\n+7<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Northwestern<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n-4<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Texas<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n16<\/td>\n+3<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vanderbilt<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n12<\/td>\n-1<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

\n

Down goes Yale, again! The elite school has been cast down to third place in this version of the rankings. Stanford is now tied at No. 1 with Chicago. But, perhaps on the plus side, Yale is the only school here that gets its very own rank. On top of all of that interesting news, say hello to not-the-T14, but the T13, now with 15 schools. Guess who\u2019s back? Back again? It\u2019s Texas, but UCLA is out, as is Wash U. We have a feeling that U.S. News might just like what it sees here\u2026.<\/p>\n

Click\u00a0here<\/a> to see the full rankings at TaxProf Blog.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll check back in sometime next spring to see how close to reality these partial rankings are. In the meantime, check out the\u00a0Above the Law Top 50 Law School Rankings<\/a>\u00a0for a better, outcome-based methodology.<\/p>\n

Projected 2027-28 U.S. News Law School Rankings: Overall<\/a> [TaxProf Blog]<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Staci Zaretsky<\/a> is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she\u2019s worked since 2011. She\u2019d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email<\/a> her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky<\/a>, X\/Twitter<\/a>, and Threads<\/a>, or connect with her on LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The post A \u2018Projection\u2019 Of The 2027 U.S. News Law School Rankings<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Prospective law students, current law students, and law school alumni have seen the historic 2026 edition of the U.S. News Law School Rankings, and they\u2019re wondering what could possibly happen next. As a quick recap, Yale was kicked out of the top spot for the first time ever, sharing second place with Chicago; Stanford found […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":156611,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-156610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/xira.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Staci-Zaretsky-lcmMhV.jpg?fit=150%2C100&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156610","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=156610"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156610\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/156611"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=156610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=156610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=156610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}