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Cost of attendance

In-depth analysis on law school costs including tuition, grants, debt, cost of living and more.

Tuition Net Tuition Debt Investments Debt-to-income Scholarships Cost of living
Overview Investment vs job outcomes Investment vs bar results Investment per law school

Total Federal Investment by Law School for 2012 Graduates

2012

Law schools have far less financial support from the federal government in recent years because enrollment fell dramatically.

School Type 2012 Grads Average Graduate
Loan Disbursement		 % Borrowing Federal Government
Investment
Albany Law School Private 233 $113,674 88% $23,303,170
American University Private 463 $152,659 77% $54,499,263
Appalachian School of Law Private 91 $114,740 96% $9,982,380
Arizona State University Public 212 $101,560 86% $18,483,920
Arizona Summit Law School For Profit 181 $162,627 97% $28,622,352
Ave Maria School of Law Private 166 $126,485 93% $19,478,690
Baylor University Private 164 $99,852 78% $12,781,056
Boston College Private 260 $106,550 84% $23,227,900
Boston University Private 273 $110,437 82% $24,737,888
Brigham Young University Private 147 $56,112 80% $6,621,216
Brooklyn Law School Private 466 $105,916 88% $43,425,560
California Western School of Law Private 283 $167,867 89% $42,302,484
Campbell University Private 145 $130,428 86% $16,303,500
Capital University Private 197 $120,471 94% $22,287,135
Cardozo-Yeshiva University Private 387 $120,008 77% $35,762,384
Case Western Reserve University Private 172 $118,806 82% $16,751,646
Catholic University of America Private 246 $142,115 85% $29,702,035
Chapman University Private 178 $133,711 88% $20,992,627
Charleston School of Law For Profit 229 $141,457 88% $28,574,314
Charlotte School of Law For Profit 234 $115,747 90% $24,422,617
Chicago-Kent College of Law Private 282 $112,750 86% $27,398,250
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Public 176 $82,269 91% $13,163,040
Columbia University Private 469 $141,607 80% $53,102,625
Cornell University Private 190 $140,000 85% $22,680,000
Creighton University Private 165 $116,817 83% $16,003,929
CUNY Public 141 $79,680 87% $9,800,640
DePaul University Private 368 $131,125 79% $38,157,375
Drake University Private 139 $106,368 91% $13,402,368
Drexel University Private 155 $98,820 83% $12,747,780
Duke University Private 225 $131,092 88% $25,956,216
Duquesne University Private 201 $100,081 92% $18,514,985
Elon Law School Private 112 $115,289 86% $11,067,744
Emory University Private 266 $105,838 76% $21,379,276
Faulkner University Private 104 $107,330 89% $9,981,690
Florida Coastal School of Law For Profit 510 $143,111 92% $67,119,059
Florida International University Public 184 $94,937 88% $15,379,794
Florida State University Public 286 $73,114 86% $17,986,044
Fordham University Private 486 $134,319 72% $47,011,650
George Mason University Public 220 $115,381 83% $21,114,723
George Washington University Private 575 $128,341 84% $61,988,703
Georgetown University Private 626 $146,169 78% $71,330,472
Georgia State University Public 199 $68,283 81% $10,993,563
Golden Gate University Private 186 $137,484 85% $21,722,472
Gonzaga University Private 166 $102,316 82% $13,914,976
Hamline University Private 190 $104,647 91% $18,103,931
Harvard University Private 590 $124,312 80% $58,675,264
Hofstra University Private 363 $129,461 78% $36,637,463
Howard University Private 151 $123,068 91% $16,860,316
Indiana University - Bloomington Public 204 $113,011 88% $20,341,980
John Marshall Law School - Atlanta For Profit 177 $142,515 92% $23,229,945
Lewis and Clark College Private 209 $109,419 88% $20,133,096
Liberty University Private 90 $76,730 90% $6,215,130
Louisiana State University Public 223 $78,762 78% $13,704,588
Loyola Marymount University Private 411 $141,936 78% $45,561,456
Loyola University Chicago Private 271 $117,688 80% $25,538,296
Loyola University New Orleans Private 278 $124,355 89% $30,715,685
Marquette University Private 218 $118,782 90% $23,281,272
Mercer University Private 142 $113,935 89% $14,355,810
Michigan State University Public 291 $114,438 78% $25,977,426
Mississippi College Private 164 $119,180 76% $14,897,500
New England School of Law Private 339 $132,632 92% $41,381,184
New York Law School Private 601 $154,647 84% $78,096,735
New York University Private 482 $149,336 81% $58,241,040
North Carolina Central University Public 165 $87,671 93% $13,413,663
Northeastern University Private 215 $129,467 89% $24,728,197
Northern Illinois University Public 91 $72,479 85% $5,580,883
Northern Kentucky University Public 162 $79,898 76% $9,827,454
Northwestern University Private 295 $156,791 82% $37,943,422
Nova Southeastern University Private 354 $135,548 81% $38,902,276
Ohio Northern University Private 96 $97,968 97% $9,111,024
Ohio State University Public 222 $98,674 86% $18,846,734
Oklahoma City University Private 207 $120,318 89% $22,138,512
Pace University Private 230 $120,315 80% $22,137,960
Penn State University Public 194 $121,134 76% $17,806,698
Pepperdine University Private 213 $128,669 80% $21,873,730
Quinnipiac University Private 151 $111,952 87% $14,665,712
Regent University Private 127 $116,061 98% $14,391,564
Roger Williams University Private 181 $132,699 88% $21,099,141
Rutgers State University - Camden Public 270 $93,990 88% $22,369,620
Rutgers State University - Newark Public 243 $87,272 96% $20,334,376
Samford University Private 166 $126,202 81% $16,911,068
Santa Clara University Private 298 $129,621 83% $32,016,387
Seattle University Private 323 $119,918 89% $34,416,466
Seton Hall University Private 310 $125,745 82% $31,939,230
South Texas College of Law Houston Private 377 $113,551 87% $37,244,728
Southern Illinois University Public 128 $67,072 82% $7,042,560
Southern Methodist University Private 293 $113,266 70% $23,219,530
Southern University Law Center Public 162 $65,733 86% $9,136,887
Southwestern Law School Private 324 $147,976 79% $37,881,856
St. John's University Private 281 $119,203 82% $27,416,690
St. Louis University Private 276 $121,742 85% $28,609,370
St. Mary's University Private 268 $111,758 89% $26,710,162
St. Thomas University - Florida Private 216 $122,913 88% $23,353,470
Stanford University Private 181 $110,275 80% $15,989,875
Stetson University Private 341 $131,178 89% $39,746,934
Suffolk University Private 517 $126,280 83% $54,174,120
SUNY Buffalo Public 209 $72,680 89% $13,518,480
Syracuse University Private 185 $138,073 86% $21,953,607
Temple University Public 277 $87,794 83% $20,192,620
Texas A&M Public 207 $107,571 80% $17,856,786
Texas Southern University Public 187 $99,992 100% $18,698,504
Texas Tech University Public 215 $69,596 79% $11,831,320
Thomas Jefferson School of Law Private 260 $168,800 98% $43,044,000
Touro College Private 244 $137,781 85% $28,520,667
Tulane University Private 269 $115,029 81% $25,076,322
University of Akron Public 139 $66,283 89% $8,219,092
University of Alabama Public 172 $67,611 79% $9,195,096
University of Arizona Public 149 $88,052 100% $13,119,748
University of Arkansas - Fayetteville Public 132 $59,384 85% $6,651,008
University of Arkansas - Little Rock Public 139 $64,207 80% $7,126,977
University of Baltimore Public 343 $110,431 86% $32,577,145
University of California - Berkeley Public 312 $115,349 79% $28,375,854
University of California - Davis Public 202 $96,664 87% $17,012,864
University of California - Hastings Public 443 $114,736 89% $45,205,984
University of California - Irvine Public 56 $49,602 68% $1,884,876
University of California - Los Angeles Public 333 $109,539 82% $29,904,147
University of Chicago Private 215 $135,307 83% $24,084,646
University of Cincinnati Public 140 $84,140 80% $9,423,680
University of Colorado Public 175 $100,813 86% $15,222,763
University of Connecticut Public 199 $65,641 79% $10,305,637
University of Dayton Private 174 $118,333 89% $18,341,615
University of Denver Private 317 $127,420 88% $35,550,180
University of Detroit Mercy Private 212 $130,166 75% $20,696,394
University of Florida Public 333 $72,974 80% $19,411,084
University of Georgia Public 229 $80,775 74% $13,650,975
University of Hawaii Public 106 $68,016 74% $5,305,248
University of Houston Public 262 $81,721 79% $16,916,247
University of Idaho Public 104 $96,406 84% $8,387,322
University of Illinois Public 213 $95,830 87% $17,728,550
University of Illinois Chicago School of Law Public 414 $142,587 87% $51,331,320
University of Iowa Public 185 $95,574 83% $14,718,396
University of Kansas Public 154 $74,454 77% $8,860,026
University of Kentucky Public 147 $75,738 84% $9,315,774
University of La Verne Private 104 $112,628 89% $10,474,404
University of Louisville Public 127 $85,634 86% $9,334,106
University of Maine Public 87 $97,805 93% $7,922,205
University of Maryland Public 319 $122,349 71% $27,650,874
University of Memphis Public 134 $72,993 76% $7,445,286
University of Miami Private 461 $140,032 80% $51,671,808
University of Michigan Public 388 $120,136 85% $39,644,880
University of Minnesota Public 230 $100,699 75% $17,420,927
University of Mississippi Public 165 $55,992 80% $7,390,944
University of Missouri - Columbia Public 147 $78,110 88% $10,076,190
University of Missouri - Kansas City Public 153 $100,887 89% $13,720,632
University of Montana Public 82 $64,539 86% $4,582,269
University of Nebraska Public 128 $54,989 96% $6,763,647
University of Nevada - Las Vegas Public 161 $92,191 78% $11,616,066
University of New Hampshire Public 138 $123,171 96% $16,258,572
University of New Mexico Public 119 $68,131 90% $7,290,017
University of North Carolina Public 256 $74,485 88% $16,759,125
University of North Dakota Public 90 $64,100 83% $4,807,500
University of Notre Dame Private 196 $101,512 86% $17,155,528
University of Oklahoma Public 188 $77,146 85% $12,343,360
University of Oregon Public 161 $100,169 94% $15,125,519
University of Pennsylvania Private 270 $118,278 72% $22,945,932
University of Pittsburgh Public 222 $94,879 89% $18,786,042
University of Richmond Private 148 $110,830 79% $12,967,110
University of San Diego Private 327 $122,932 81% $32,576,980
University of San Francisco Private 221 $133,118 88% $25,824,892
University of South Carolina Public 226 $85,602 82% $15,836,370
University of South Dakota Public 76 $54,352 91% $3,750,288
University of Southern California Private 221 $138,858 81% $24,855,582
University of St. Thomas - Minneapolis Private 161 $96,659 88% $13,725,578
University of Tennessee Public 155 $76,381 88% $10,387,816
University of Texas Public 373 $86,312 74% $23,822,112
University of the Pacific - McGeorge Private 306 $140,566 92% $39,639,612
University of Toledo Public 147 $95,375 81% $11,349,625
University of Tulsa Private 134 $104,785 100% $14,041,190
University of Utah Public 134 $80,608 90% $9,753,568
University of Virginia Public 364 $122,721 85% $37,920,789
University of Washington Public 181 $90,348 71% $11,654,892
University of Wisconsin Public 284 $77,077 78% $17,111,094
University of Wyoming Public 75 $61,837 83% $3,833,894
Valparaiso University Private 172 $125,495 91% $19,702,715
Vanderbilt University Private 196 $124,493 76% $18,549,457
Vermont Law School Private 206 $132,337 95% $25,938,052
Villanova University Private 256 $113,283 79% $22,883,166
Wake Forest University Private 156 $112,563 85% $14,970,879
Washburn University Public 156 $86,135 89% $11,972,765
Washington and Lee University Private 130 $111,825 88% $12,748,050
Washington University in St Louis Private 300 $117,964 73% $25,834,116
Wayne State University Public 168 $80,482 88% $11,911,336
West Virginia University Public 142 $72,068 84% $8,576,092
Western Michigan University - Cooley Law School Private 1079 $122,395 87% $114,928,905
Western New England University School of Law Private 160 $118,900 96% $18,310,600
Western State College of Law at Westcliff University For Profit 83 $98,968 81% $6,630,856
Whittier Law School Private 170 $143,536 92% $22,391,616
Willamette University Private 125 $119,468 92% $13,738,820
William and Mary Public 204 $94,852 80% $15,460,876
William Mitchell College of Law Private 303 $116,575 91% $32,174,700
Yale University Private 222 $110,741 82% $20,154,862
About the data

School-specific borrowing data come from U.S. News & World Report, which relies on data reported to U.S. News by law schools. In some cases, law schools do not report the percentage borrowing properly. When that occurs, the previous year's rate is used unless a school reports the correct rate to LST or a better estimate can be generated. Graduate data come from the American Bar Association.

To calculate the amount cumulatively borrowed by law school graduates from a law school, LST took the number of graduates and multiplied it times the percentage of those graduates borrowing loans processed by the school. LST rounded that number to the nearest whole graduate and multiplied it times the average amount borrowed for that school. The known federal government investment figures do not include students who never graduated and those enrolled in non-J.D. programs.

Note: The "amount borrowed" does not include interest that accumulates during law school, thus is different than the "amount owed" or "debt."
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