Law School Faculty Diversity in 2025

Faculty diversity is improving, but still lags behind student demographics

For the last decade, Enjuris has examined gender and ethnoracial diversity in U.S. law schools because we believe diversity is important in the legal field. 

But focusing only on student demographics overlooks an equally important part of the picture. This report marks our fourth analysis of faculty demographics at ABA-approved law schools nationwide, shifting attention to those who shape legal education from the front of the classroom. 

Gender diversity among law school professors

In 2025, 54.20 percent of law school faculty identified as male, while 43.28 percent identified as female. 

A small share of professors—0.10 percent—identified as another gender, and 0.79 percent chose not to report their gender.

Female faculty, who comprised just 20 percent of law school faculty in the 1980s, have seen substantial gains over the decades, though 2025 saw a slight year-over-year decline.

Trends in female faculty representation at law schools (2018–2025)

2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
10,084	10,353	10,283	10,426	11,217	11,820	12,171	12,004
38.71%	39.86%	40.24%	41.91%	42.42%	42.80%	43.53%	43.28%

 Some law schools have had considerably more success hiring and retaining female faculty than others.

Racial and ethnic diversity among law school professors

The ABA requires every accredited law school to report enrollment data annually by completing a Standard 509 Disclosure. The Standard 509 Disclosure allows law schools to report the race and ethnicity of their students using seven distinct categories defined by the ABA.

However, when it comes to law school faculty, schools are only required to report whether a faculty member is a “person of color.”

With this in mind, people of color made up 21.35 percent of law school faculty in 2025 (down from 21.42 percent in 2024). 

Though these numbers may be alarming, particularly in light of the fact that 36.43 percent of law students were minorities in 2025, it’s important to keep in mind that the number of minority law professors has increased over the years.

Trends in faculty of color representation at law schools (2018–2025)

2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
4,110	4,327	4,399	4,746	5,169	5,815	5,989	5,923
15.78%	16.66%	17.21%	19.08%	19.55%	21.05%	21.42%	21.35%

Of course, some law schools have had more success hiring and retaining persons of color than others.

**Excludes schools located in Puerto Rico

Importance of diversity among law school faculty

Although law school faculties have become more diverse over time, faculty demographics continue to trail the gender and ethnoracial diversity seen among law students. This gap matters, not only from an institutional standpoint, but also for student experience and outcomes.

Accreditation standards reflect that concern. The American Bar Association requires accredited law schools to demonstrate an active commitment to diversity. Under Standard 206(b), law schools must show “by concrete action” that their faculty and staff are diverse with respect to gender, race, and ethnicity.

The ABA has repeatedly emphasized that this requirement is not aspirational. Over the years, it has issued notices of noncompliance to schools that failed to adequately document progress under Standard 206(b), requiring written explanations of the steps taken to address faculty diversity. In serious cases, ongoing noncompliance can place a school’s accreditation at risk.

The standard’s official interpretation explains why faculty diversity is essential, noting that a diverse classroom environment “promotes cross-cultural understanding, helps break down racial, ethnic, and gender stereotypes, and enables students to better understand persons of different backgrounds.” In other words, diversity among faculty is directly tied to the educational mission of law schools.

Empirical research supports this position. Studies have found measurable academic consequences when students and instructors are demographically mismatched. Research published by the IZA Institute of Labor Economics concludes that student–instructor demographic mismatch has statistically significant negative effects on course grades. The impact of having an instructor of a different race is roughly twice as large as the effect of having an instructor of a different sex, with nonwhite students experiencing the strongest effects. The study also found cumulative consequences, including reduced persistence in law school and lower graduation rates following repeated exposure to mismatched instructors during the first year.

At Enjuris, we will continue to monitor and report on the gender, racial, and ethnic composition of faculty at ABA-approved law schools, with the goal of providing a clearer picture of where progress is occurring—and where meaningful gaps remain.

More Enjuris research you might like

• Law School Rankings by Female Enrollment (2025)
• Law School Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity (2025) 
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• When you want a female personal injury lawyer, will one be available?
• How your race and gender could impact your injury settlement
• Enjuris resources for students

About Enjuris®

Enjuris.com is a collection of independent legal resources designed to help people with their biggest questions following an accident or injury. Through instructive articles written by experienced attorneys, printable forms, and a free legal directory, Enjuris provides injury victims with the information and tools they need to take the next step. In keeping with its mission, Enjuris.com also provides promising college and law school students with scholarships and other resources to help them one day become effective lawyers.

Data source: American Bar Association, ABA Required Disclosures (Standard 509 Reports). Any mistakes in data reported to the ABA are the responsibility of the reporting school. Enjuris assumes no responsibility for inaccuracies or for changes in such information that may occur after publication. The figures here are as reported on December 18, 2025. Schools may update their data at any time. Please see the ABA website for up-to-date figures.