Washington University in St. Louis School of Law

What Washington University in St. Louis School of Law does

Washington University in St. Louis School of Law is the law school of Washington University in St. Louis, a private nonprofit research university. Founded in 1878 and located on the Danforth Campus at 1 Brookings Drive in St. Louis, Missouri, it delivers legal education across multiple modalities: a three-year residential Juris Doctor (JD) program, graduate and international programs (LLM, MLS, JSD), fully online LLM and MLS degrees for working professionals, joint/dual degrees, clinical programs, and study-abroad options. The school is led by Nickerson Dean Stefanie Lindquist and is supported by 251-500 employees including a bench of named/chaired faculty and three specialized research centers: the Center for Empirical Research in the Law (CERL), the Cordell Institute for Policy & Law in Medicine, and the Whitney R. Harris World Law Institute.

The core academic product is the JD degree, priced at $75,600 in tuition for 2026-2027, with supplemental fees (University Health & Wellness $700, Student Bar Association $189, Orientation $100) and a disclosed nine-month cost-of-living estimate of roughly $29,000 including housing, food, books, transportation, and health insurance. Revenue is tuition- and fee-driven; the school also originates private supplemental loans up to $25,000 per year at a fixed 7.50% rate for JD students who exhaust federal aid. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via LSAC applications and the school's own graduate portal, supported by no application fees, acceptance of LSAT/GRE/JD-Next, virtual and in-person admissions events, and content marketing through the Apply Yourself and Navigating Grad Law podcasts, social channels, and earned media coverage of faculty experts.

The school's strategic positioning emphasizes legal technology and AI-ready training, interdisciplinary study, and placement into Big Law, federal and state government, public-interest roles, and the judiciary, with an alumni network spanning all 50 US states and over 100 countries. Service differentiators include a dedicated Career Center with judicial clerkship and public-interest placement teams, an extensive clinical program, and scholarship programs such as the Webster Society, Scholars in Law, Frick Initiative Grants, and Post-Graduate Public Interest Fellowships. Operational performance metrics (revenue, enrollment, yield) are not publicly disclosed as the unit is consolidated within Washington University in St. Louis.

Name

Washington University in St. Louis School of Law

Legal name

Washington University in St. Louis School of Law

Website

https://law.washu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1878

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Washington University in St. Louis School of Law is the private nonprofit law school of Washington University in St. Louis, founded in 1878. It offers a residential JD, LLM, MLS, JSD, and online graduate programs to prospective and international students, supported by clinical training and a global alumni network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

ABA-Accredited JD-Granting Law Schools (EDAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

LLM & Post-JD Graduate Law Programs (EDAHAIAC), SJD / JSD & Doctoral Law Programs (EDAHAIAD), Online / Hybrid Law Schools & Programs (EDAHAIAE), Law School Research Centers & Institutes (e.g., Law & Economics, Human Rights) (EDAHAIAJ)

Keywords

• Legal education programs
• Juris doctorate degree
• Graduate law programs
• Online law degrees
• Legal research centers

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from annual tuition for full-time residential law programs at $75,600 per academic year, plus mandatory fees including University Health & Wellness Fee ($700), Student Bar Association Fee ($189), and Orientation Fee ($100).
2. Supplemental Student Loan: Private supplemental loan offered to incoming JD students who have exhausted federal loan options. Students may borrow up to $25,000 per year at fixed 7.50% interest rate with no credit check or origination fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Washington University in St. Louis School of Law is a private higher-education institution delivering residential and online legal degree programs. Its core offerings include the three-year Juris Doctorate (JD), graduate programs (LLM, MLS, JSD), fully online LLM and MLS tracks, joint/dual degree combinations, clinical experiential learning, study abroad placements, and specialized research delivered through the Center for Empirical Research in the Law, the Cordell Institute for Policy & Law in Medicine, and the Whitney R. Harris World Law Institute.

Product overview

Washington University in St. Louis School of Law is a comprehensive legal education institution offering a portfolio of academic programs centered around its core JD degree. The school provides residential and online graduate programs (LLM, MLS, JSD), joint/dual degree options, clinical experiential learning, and study abroad opportunities. Research and specialized knowledge are delivered through three dedicated institutes (CERL, Cordell Institute, Whitney R. Harris World Law Institute). Student support services include a Career Center, Law Library, and admissions podcasts (Apply Yourself and Navigating Grad Law).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Apply Yourself Podcast: Law admissions podcast providing guidance on navigating the admissions cycle with expert guests.
• Navigating Grad Law Podcast

Products and services

• Juris Doctorate (JD) Program A three-year full-time residential law degree program preparing students for bar admission and legal practice through comprehensive legal training.
• LLM, MLS, JSD Programs Graduate-level law programs for international and U.S.-trained graduates seeking specialized expertise or academic research advancement in law.
• Online Programs (Online LLM and MLS) Flexible online LLM and MLS programs designed for working professionals to access legal education remotely.
• Clinical Programs Hands-on legal training through student-run clinics providing real-world legal services to clients under faculty supervision.
• Joint/Dual Degree Programs Combined legal training with other disciplines such as business, policy, or international studies.
• Study Abroad Programs International learning opportunities allowing students to study at partner institutions globally.
• Center for Empirical Research in the Law (CERL) Research center focused on data-driven approaches to legal questions using empirical research methodologies.
• The Cordell Institute for Policy & Law in Medicine Institute focused on intellectual property and technology law leadership in the health and medicine sector.
• Whitney R. Harris World Law Institute Institute dedicated to international law and human rights scholarship and research.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates work at Big Law Firms worldwide, Federal Government (DOJ, SEC), State and Federal Judiciary, Nonprofits and Legal Aid Organizations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• LSAC (Law School Admission Council)coreOthersLSAC is the primary application platform through which prospective students apply to WashU Law. The transfer application process specifically requires applicants to use LSAC's 'transfer application' form.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cornell Law School: Ivy League law school with JD, LLM, and online executive programs serving similar student segments. Comparable in tuition tier, online offerings, and ability to recruit across U.S. and international markets.
• Emory University School of Law: Private research-university law school offering JD, LLM, and SJD programs with comparable tuition and a similar emphasis on health law and interdisciplinary specialties. Comparable in scale and target applicant.
• Georgetown University Law Center: Large private law school with the most extensive LLM and graduate program portfolio in the U.S. and a heavy regulatory/government specialty focus. Comparable in scale of graduate and online programming.
• Northwestern Pritzker School of Law: Top-tier private U.S. law school offering JD, LLM, and graduate programs with strong corporate, Big Law, and judicial clerkship placement. Directly comparable to WashU Law in size, tuition tier, and target applicant profile.
• Vanderbilt Law School: Private research-university law school offering JD, LLM, and flexible programs with comparable tuition and a similarly mid-sized, faculty-intensive model. Comparable applicant profile and Big Law placement outcomes.
• Boston University School of Law: Private urban law school offering JD, LLM, and graduate programs with comparable tuition tier and a similar mix of graduate and online offerings.
• Washington and Lee University School of Law: Highly ranked small private law school with strong JD and graduate programs and a similar emphasis on student-faculty ratio and alumni outcomes. Comparable in size, selectivity, and applicant profile.
• University of Michigan Law School: Premier public-affiliated law school with extensive graduate (LLM/SJD) programs and a similar reputation across corporate, judicial, and academic placement. Comparable in program breadth, faculty strength, and graduate outcomes.
• University of Southern California Gould School of Law: Private research-university law school with JD, LLM, and online graduate programs serving similar professional and international student segments. Comparable in tuition tier, online offerings, and tech-law focus.

Regional players

• Saint Louis University School of Law: St. Louis-based private Jesuit law school offering JD and LLM programs in the same metro. Comparable in geographic market and overlapping applicant pool but smaller scale and different institutional positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WashULaw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/washulaw
• Instagraminstagram.com/washulawlife
• Xx.com/washulaw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Washington University in St. Louis School of Law