Kentucky vs. Penn State Dickinson Law: Cost, Bar Passage & Outcomes Compared
On the most recent ABA Standard 509 data, Penn State Dickinson Law posts the higher first-time bar passage (87.0% vs 83.1%); Kentucky is cheaper on sticker tuition ($25,685 vs $60,048); Kentucky places more graduates in full-time JD jobs (93.0% vs 87.0%).
Side by side (ABA Standard 509)
| Metric | Kentucky | Penn State Dickinson Law | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admissions | |||
| Median LSAT | 159 | 159 | Tie |
| Median undergraduate GPA | 3.72 | 3.71 | Kentucky |
| Acceptance rate | 40.8% | 43.0% | Kentucky |
| Cost | |||
| Resident tuition | $25,685 | $60,048 | Kentucky |
| Non-resident tuition | $49,836 | $60,048 | Kentucky |
| Median grant | $11,000 | $36,000 | Penn State Dickinson Law |
| Bar passage | |||
| First-time bar passage | 83.1% | 87.0% | Penn State Dickinson Law |
| Two-year ultimate bar passage | 91.4% | 96.7% | Penn State Dickinson Law |
| Bar passage vs. state average | +4.3 pts | +7.4 pts | Penn State Dickinson Law |
| Employment | |||
| Full-time, long-term JD employment | 93.0% | 87.0% | Kentucky |
| Large-firm (250+) employment | 7.8% | 8.5% | Penn State Dickinson Law |
| Federal clerkships | 6.1% | 1.8% | Kentucky |
trajectory since 2011
Full profiles & related
Kentucky full profile · Penn State Dickinson Law full profile · Pin both on the interactive map →
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Kentucky or Penn State Dickinson Law?
Kentucky is cheaper on sticker: resident tuition of $25,685 versus Penn State Dickinson Law's $60,048.
Which has better bar passage, Kentucky or Penn State Dickinson Law?
Penn State Dickinson Law has the higher first-time bar passage, 87.0% against Kentucky's 83.1%.
Which has better job outcomes, Kentucky or Penn State Dickinson Law?
Kentucky places more graduates in full-time, long-term JD jobs (93.0% vs 87.0%).
Kentucky vs Penn State Dickinson Law: which is better?
It depends on what you weigh — the table above shows where each wins. Across the four headline measures (selectivity, sticker cost, first-time bar passage, and JD employment), Kentucky leads on more of them, but read the row that matters most to you rather than the count.
Source: ABA Standard 509 Required Disclosures, most recent reported cycle. Last updated June 26, 2026.