Understanding the Cost of Attending Ole Miss Law School

The University of Mississippi School of Law, also known as Ole Miss Law, has a rich history dating back to 1854, when the Department of Law was established at the University of Mississippi. It is the 4th oldest state-supported law school in the nation. Today, Ole Miss Law offers a comprehensive legal education, combining traditional classroom instruction with practical skills training. This article provides a detailed overview of the tuition costs and associated expenses for prospective students.

A Comprehensive Legal Education at Ole Miss Law

Ole Miss Law provides students with a well-rounded legal education, blending traditional courses with hands-on experience. The program allows students to find the perfect balance of traditional classroom courses and practical skills training. The school emphasizes real-world experience, offering a full spectrum of experiential and traditional learning options to fit their future legal career goals.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

Ole Miss Law offers various centers and clinics that provide students with real-world experience and doctrinal training. These include:

Low-Income Housing Clinic: Students assist individuals and families facing conflicts with their landlords, eviction, and foreclosure by bringing and defending cases, negotiating settlements, drafting motions and pleadings, and participating in court proceedings.
Mississippi Innocence Project: Students litigate wrongful conviction claims on behalf of state prisoners, examining forensic and DNA evidence, conducting witness interviews, and investigating claims of actual innocence.
Clinical Externship Program: Students are placed with exceptional attorneys and obtain classroom instructional support.
Pro Bono Initiative (PBI): Students volunteer to provide legal services in family law, housing, taxation, and will and estates. PBI focuses on building servant leadership in the legal profession and training the participants in particular legal skills.

Academic Programs

The academic programs at Ole Miss Law are designed to give students opportunities for research and writing. Participation in small-group seminars and simulation experiences ensure students are engaged and understand the development of law, legal institutions, and ethical issues. First-year students complete a set of courses focused on the development of analytical skills and a foundation of substantive knowledge. Second- and third-year students select their own courses and area(s) of emphasis from a wide range of doctrinal and practical courses, including seminars, clinics, and skills courses focused on litigation, transactions, counseling, and public service.

Law Journals and Advocacy Programs

Ole Miss Law boasts several prominent law reviews and advocacy programs:

The Mississippi Law Journal: Serving the Mississippi Bar since 1982, it operates as the primary law review of the University of Mississippi School of Law.
The Mississippi Sports Law Review: A student-run, scholarly, biannual journal that addresses current legal issues that arise in collegiate and professional sports.
The Journal of Space Law: A faculty-directed, student-edited law review devoted to space law and the legal problems arising out of human activities in outer space.
The Journal of Drone Law and Policy: Recognizes the need for a platform for practicing attorneys and interested parties to publish timely articles in this field. Drone activities offer unique legal and policy challenges at both the national and the international level.
The Moot Court Board: Focuses on appellate advocacy and attends interscholastic competitions around the country.

Additionally, the Cambridge Study Abroad program offers a fully ABA-accredited opportunity for professional advancement and learning at one of the most important-and beautiful-academic institutions in the world.

Tuition and Fees at Ole Miss Law

Understanding the cost of law school is crucial for prospective students. The tuition and fees at Ole Miss Law vary depending on residency status (in-state vs. out-of-state) and enrollment status (full-time vs. part-time).

Full-Time Tuition

For full-time students, the tuition for the School of Law at University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) is:

In-state: $19,680
Out-of-state: $41,960

It is important to note that these figures represent the tuition charge for the Fall and Spring terms.

Additional Fees

In addition to tuition, students should be aware of other fees that contribute to the overall cost of attendance:

Capital Improvements Fee: This fee funds facility construction and improvements. The fee is charged per term to all students on a per-hour, prorated basis capped at $50 based on the number of full-time hours required by a student’s program of study. The Capital Improvement fee is different for part-time students.
Student Activity Fee: This fee contributes to student programming throughout the academic year.

Estimated Cost of Attendance

The numbers represent the estimated cost of attending the University of Mississippi.

Part-Time Tuition

Ole Miss Law also offers part-time enrollment options. Tuition and fees are different for part-time students. Part-time students enroll as 3/4 time, 1/2 time, or less than 1/2 time. Tuition prices represented here include full and 1/2 time.

For students considering part-time enrollment, tuition is assessed by credit hour based on the admission status of a student (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, law, etc.), with an additional nonresident fee being assessed for students who are not residents of the state.

Additional Expenses

Beyond tuition and fees, students should budget for additional expenses such as:

Housing
Dining
Books and Supplies

The average UM-managed housing cost for the Fall and Spring terms combined. This number represents the estimated cost of dining for the year. Expenses for Book and Supplies are different for part-time students. These numbers represent the estimated cost of attending the University of Mississippi.

Read also: Campus Life at Ole Miss

Affordability Initiatives

Beginning in the 2025-26 academic year, the non-resident fee has been reduced to just $7,000 per year, making it even more affordable for out-of-state students to pursue their J.D. at UM Law! This initiative reflects Ole Miss Law's commitment to making legal education accessible.

Admission Requirements and Application Process

Prospective students must meet certain requirements to be considered for admission to Ole Miss Law.

Academic Prerequisites

The University of Mississippi School of Law requires that every applicant earn a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university prior to matriculation. There are no prelaw requisites.

LSAT and Application

Every applicant must take the LSAT and register with LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service. An LSAT score obtained more than five years before application is not valid, and the applicant will be required to retake the test.

Applications are available the September preceding admission, with the application completion deadline for both summer and fall enrollment being April 15. However, early application is encouraged. Students are given the option to enter in the summer or fall of each admission year. The application fee at the School of Law at University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) is $40.

Admission Statistics

Based on the 2025 ABA 509 Report, 958 candidates submitted JD applications to Ole Miss Law School and 402 received acceptance letters. This means that of the 402 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 160 chose to enroll.

For a competitive law school application to Ole Miss Law School, students should aim to meet or exceed the median statistics shown below.

Ole Miss Law ranks #88 in GPA composite (3.66), an average of its 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile GPAs (3.44 · 3.68 · 3.87). Ole Miss Law ranks #107 in LSAT composite (157.3), an average of its 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile LSAT scores (155 · 157 · 160).

Financial Aid

Financial aid application deadline. Regular student account balances and student loan balances are collected by the Bursar’s Office, and, if not paid, constitute a delinquent account. The university reserves the right to withhold re-admission to a student until all delinquent amounts owed to the university have been paid. Diplomas and course transcripts are not issued for students whose accounts are delinquent.

Career Services and Outcomes

The Ole Miss Law Career Services Office aims to teach students how to identify and research employment opportunities that coincide with their interests, skills, and values so that ultimately they can find fulfilling work as an attorney or use their legal skills in other personally satisfying ways. We facilitate exploration of legal and nontraditional career paths while linking students with alumni, practitioners, and the community. Statistics show that the first job out of law school will likely not be a graduate’s last.

Employment Statistics

"Bar-required" jobs are full-time, long-term positions that require bar admission. "JD advantage" positions are those where the employer requires a JD or considers it an advantage, but bar admission is not required. The salary statistics are those of full-time, long-term employed law graduates for the Class of 2023, reported ten months after graduation, as self-reported by the graduates.

Bar Passage Rate

Ole Miss Law ranks #144 in terms of bar passage rate among first-time test takers (73.2%), and it underperforms by -6.6% the state of Mississippi's overall bar passage rate of 79.7%.

A national comparison on bar passage should be taken with caution because every state has a different bar passage rate. The most meaningful comparison is between a school's passage rate and the state's overall rate for the same exam administration.

Conclusion

Attending law school is a significant investment, and understanding the costs associated with Ole Miss Law is essential for prospective students. By carefully considering tuition, fees, and other expenses, students can make informed decisions about their legal education. In addition to the non-resident fee reduction to just $7,000 per year, making it even more affordable for out-of-state students to pursue their J.D. at UM Law!

tags: #ole #miss #law #school #tuition #cost