Each day, women in the legal profession are shattering barriers, and this trend is also evident in law school enrollment.
In 2016, women made history by outnumbering men in law school classrooms for the first time. Since then, the number of women enrolling in law school has continued to rise, with the latest data from 2022 showing that women once again surpassed men in law school enrollment. This marks the seventh consecutive year that more women than ever before are pursuing legal education, which is truly remarkable.
The latest data from 2022 reveals that out of the total law school enrollment, 65,073 women (55.75%), 50,970 men (43.67%), and 682 individuals who identified as "other" (0.58%) were enrolled. Notably, most law schools (82.65%) had more female attendees than male attendees. For a breakdown of the number of women enrolled at the top law schools in the country, refer to the table below, provided by Enjuris, an independent legal resource (law schools with a majority of female enrollment highlighted in orange):
Law School Rankings by Female Enrollment (2022) [Enjuris]
While increasing female enrollment in law school is undoubtedly a positive development, it's only the first step in achieving gender equality within the legal profession. Moreover, in light of the recent dismantling of protections provided under Roe by the Supreme Court and the ongoing war on reproductive rights, ensuring justice for women is crucial. To all the women enrolled in law school, congratulations on this achievement. Your presence and contributions are more important than ever before.
