Chaos Reigns: U.S. News Releases Two Conflicting 2025 Law School Rankings
The 2025 U.S. News & World Report law school rankings have officially been released—but in true U.S. News fashion, the rollout wasn’t without confusion, drama, and outright absurdity. Instead of one authoritative list, legal education observers were greeted with two separate rankings posted on two different pages of the U.S. News website, both mysteriously carrying the same timestamp: 9:00 p.m. EST.
Which one is correct? That’s still up for debate.
If you’re wondering whether this is a one-time glitch or a symptom of broader issues with the U.S. News rankings methodology, you’re not alone. Given the fierce criticism of these rankings from top law schools over the past two years, this dual-list blunder couldn’t come at a worse time.
Here’s the (Maybe Accurate?) 2025 U.S. News T14 Law School Rankings
For now, we’ll focus on the version posted to the U.S. News Best Law Schools site. While the rankings might change (again), this is the list that appeared as of 9:00 p.m. EST:
| Rank | Law School | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University | – |
| 1 | Yale University | – |
| 3 | University of Chicago | – |
| 4 | University of Virginia | – |
| 5 | University of Pennsylvania | +1 |
| 6 | Duke University | -2 |
| 6 | Harvard University | -2 |
| 8 | New York University | +1 |
| 8/9? | University of Michigan | +1 / – |
| 10 | Columbia University | -2 |
| 12 | UC Berkeley | – |
| 13 | UCLA | – |
| 14 | Cornell University | – |
| 14 | Georgetown University | – |
Yes, you read that right: Michigan appears twice—once tied for 8th and again potentially listed at 9th, depending on which version you’re viewing. Meanwhile, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law is completely missing from the list. Was it pushed out of the Top 14, or forgotten altogether? U.S. News hasn’t clarified.
Major Takeaways: Winners, Losers, and WTF Moments
🎓 The #1 Tie Lives On: Yale and Stanford Still Rule
For the second year in a row, Stanford and Yale share the No. 1 spot. This isn’t a huge surprise given their longstanding prestige, but it’s notable that Yale has yet to reclaim sole possession of the top after its boycott of U.S. News in 2022.
🔺 UVA and Penn Surge
The University of Virginia holds strong at No. 4, marking another year in the elite tier. Penn Carey Law continues its steady rise, now ranked 5th—its highest showing in recent memory.
🔻 Harvard, Duke, Columbia Slide
Harvard Law School now shares the No. 6 spot with Duke, both down two places from last year. Columbia falls two spots to No. 10. These drops may reflect shifting emphasis in the U.S. News methodology, particularly around employment, bar passage, and debt metrics.
⚠️ NYU Creeps Up; Michigan Doubles Up
NYU inches upward, while Michigan Law somehow holds two seats at the table. This bizarre duplication calls into question the accuracy of the data—especially considering that Michigan’s placement changes depending on which U.S. News page you’re looking at.
🤯 Where’s Northwestern?
Northwestern’s absence from the Top 14 is either a stunning fall—or a publishing error. Given that Michigan may have been mistakenly duplicated, some suspect Northwestern was accidentally overwritten in the formatting process.
The T14 Becomes the “Tied 14”
This year’s rankings redefine the “T14” in more ways than one. We see significant shifts in who’s up and who’s down, but there’s also a literal tie at the bottom: Cornell and Georgetown now share the 14th spot. In the 2025 edition, T14 might as well stand for “Tied 14.”
What Went Wrong with the 2025 U.S. News Rankings?
The release of two different rankings suggests a fundamental failure in quality control—not exactly confidence-inspiring for law schools, students, or employers relying on these figures for major decisions.
While U.S. News has updated its methodology in recent years to include more weight on employment outcomes, bar passage rates, and indebtedness, this latest snafu underscores longstanding concerns over transparency and reliability.
Final Thoughts: Should We Still Care About U.S. News Rankings?
As the legal education community continues to debate the relevance of U.S. News rankings, the 2025 edition raises more questions than answers. With top schools having previously withdrawn from participation (only to quietly re-engage), and now with basic publishing inconsistencies, it’s fair to ask: Are these rankings still a valid benchmark?
Until a more transparent, consistent system is developed, U.S. News will likely remain the default—but the credibility gap is growing, and 2025 may be remembered as the year that broke the camel’s back.
