USD School of Law Rises in the Latest U.S. News and World Report Best Law School Rankings

SAN DIEGO (April 8, 2025) – The University of San Diego (USD) School of Law rose, again this year, in the latest U.S. News and World Report Best of 2025 Law School Rankings. The School of Law, its part-time program, and seven of the specialty programs were ranked in the top 30%. USD School of Law was ranked #57 overall, and the part-time program was ranked #1 in California and #7 nationally. The highly-ranked specialty programs were Tax, Intellectual Property, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Environmental Law, International Law, and Contracts and Commercial Law. 

"I am honored that our exceptional programs are receiving this well-deserved recognition," said Dean and C. Hugh Friedman, Professor of Law Robert Schapiro. "The contributions of our renowned faculty and remarkable students ensure that these areas of distinction continue to grow and shine brightly. More important than any individual ranking is the overall excellence of our law school community and the outstanding legal education we provide. We remain steadfast in our commitment to enhancing further these qualities to support the next generation of lawyers, who make a profound and lasting impact on our communities."

According to U.S. News & World Report, the rankings are designed for prospective students looking to further their education beyond college. The Best Graduate Schools rankings evaluate programs in a variety of disciplines, including business, education, engineering, law, medicine, and nursing. Prospective students can see how the University of San Diego compares to other institutions and how the rankings are calculated on USNews.com.

About the University of San Diego School of Law

Each year, USD educates approximately 800 Juris Doctor and graduate law students from throughout the United States and around the world. The law school is best known for its offerings in the areas of business and corporate law, constitutional law, intellectual property, international and comparative law, public interest law and taxation.

USD School of Law is one of the 88 law schools elected to the Order of the Coif, a national honor society for law school graduates. The law school’s faculty is a strong group of outstanding scholars and teachers with national and international reputations and currently ranks 34th nationally among U.S. law faculties in scholarly impact and 37th nationally in past-year faculty downloads on the Social Sciences Research Network (SSRN). The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Founded in 1954, the law school is part of the University of San Diego, a private, independent, Roman Catholic university chartered in 1949.

About the University of San Diego

Strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love. With more than 8,000 students from 75 countries and 44 states, USD is among the Top 20 Best Private Schools for Making an Impact according to The Princeton Review. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the Knauss School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. In 2021, USD was named a “Laudato Si’ University” by the Vatican with a seven-year commitment to address humanity’s urgent challenges by working together to take care of our common home.