UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law Welcomes Record Enrollment

The law school has seen an increase in enrollment in nine of the last 10 years.

CONCORD, NH, UNITED STATES, September 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law has welcomed 250 Juris Doctor (JD) students for the fall 2025 semester. This record number of enrolled students for the JD program includes 157 residential candidates and 93 students enrolled in the Hybrid JD program.

Applications to UNH Franklin Pierce grew by 32% in the recent admissions cycle, well above the New England average of 27% and the national average of 22%. The school also achieved record-high GPAs among its incoming class members, suggesting an exceptionally strong applicant pool across both traditional residential and hybrid programs.

“The largest incoming class ever is further evidence that UNH Franklin Pierce is a primary destination for students from across the country and around the world, interested in an innovative, community-centered, practice-ready approach,” said Dean Megan Carpenter. “And what is truly remarkable is that the students joining us have credentials that set a historic high for the law school.”

A breakdown of the incoming class members shows that the 250 students enter at a median age of 26, with the age range spanning from 20 to 59 years old. They hail from 37 states, plus Washington, D.C., and nine foreign countries. Of the total new JD students enrolled, 12% have served in the military, a number that rises to 22% among hybrid students. In the Hybrid JD program, which attracts students with post-collegiate career experience, 72% have advanced degrees and 22% currently serve as patent agents.

“Our application volume this year was the highest it’s ever been and was significantly above national average,” Assistant Dean of JD Admissions Patricia Morris said.

Morris also points to trends in the class, including the chance to study intellectual property law at a school known as a powerhouse in the field, expanded offerings in health law and biotech, and an increased focus on public interest law. Opportunities for residential students include becoming a Rudman Summer Fellow, which offers stipends and experience for summer public interest work starting in the 1L summer. UNH Franklin Pierce also provides client-ready legal education through its Daniel Webster

Scholar Honors Program, a first-of-its-kind program that allows students to graduate without taking the traditional bar exam. Morris adds that the school’s personalized approach to career services and advising is also a draw.

Prospective students are attracted to the law school’s emphasis on outcome-focused recruiting, its strong alumni network, and expanded geographic reach. California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Virginia have become strong feeder states for UNH Franklin Pierce with a student body that reaches from Alaska and Hawaii to Maine and Louisiana. Since the launch of the Hybrid JD in 2019, numbers in that program have almost tripled. In that same time span, residential enrollment has risen more than 58%. Over the last 10 years, overall enrollment has increased by 250%.

About UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law: Founded in 1973, the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law (UNH Franklin Pierce) is New Hampshire’s only law school. UNH Franklin Pierce is renowned for its top-ranked Intellectual Property Law program and experiential learning through clinics, legal residencies, and the Daniel Webster Scholar Honors Program—the nation’s only competency-based bar-alternative licensing program developed in collaboration with the New Hampshire Supreme Court. UNH Franklin Pierce has been at the forefront of innovation in legal education. Students in UNH Franklin Pierce’s Hybrid JD program can choose from two concentrations - Intellectual Property, Technology, and Information Law, or Health and Life Sciences Law. This non-residential program combines online coursework with in-person immersion sessions, catering to working professionals. With a commitment to producing highly capable, confident professionals, UNH Franklin Pierce fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment, preparing graduates to serve clients, employers, and the public with integrity and excellence.

Contact:  
Gregg Mazzola
Director of Marketing and Communications
gregg.mazzola@law.unh.edu
603-305-0663

Gregg Mazzola
UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law
+1 603-305-0663
gregg.mazzola@law.unh.edu

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