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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 2016 Graduates

2016

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

School Type 2016 Grads Average Graduate
Loan Disbursement		 % Borrowing Federal Government
Investment
Albany Law School Private 151 $107,185 78% $12,647,830
American University Private 415 $164,194 73% $49,750,782
Arizona State University Public 190 $97,780 80% $14,862,560
Ave Maria School of Law Private 63 $152,476 70% $6,708,944
Barry University Private 247 $151,479 94% $35,143,128
Baylor University Private 158 $144,732 74% $16,933,644
Belmont University Private 69 $109,771 77% $5,817,863
Boston College Private 227 $108,873 69% $17,093,061
Boston University Private 221 $104,755 67% $15,503,740
Brigham Young University Private 144 $58,133 69% $5,755,167
Brooklyn Law School Private 369 $117,581 68% $29,512,831
California Western School of Law Private 176 $147,302 89% $23,126,414
Campbell University Private 103 $131,894 78% $10,551,520
Capital University Private 119 $123,432 91% $13,330,656
Cardozo-Yeshiva University Private 338 $118,764 64% $25,653,024
Case Western Reserve University Private 99 $102,370 72% $7,268,270
Catholic University of America Private 138 $133,917 72% $13,257,783
Chapman University Private 158 $144,409 75% $17,184,671
Charleston School of Law For-Profit 141 $137,345 80% $15,519,985
Chicago-Kent College of Law Private 242 $107,688 78% $20,353,032
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Public 117 $83,484 89% $8,682,336
Columbia University Private 389 $159,769 63% $39,143,405
Cornell University Private 184 $158,128 65% $18,975,360
Creighton University Private 127 $130,145 81% $13,404,935
CUNY Public 104 $78,523 77% $6,281,840
DePaul University Private 234 $126,446 83% $24,530,524
Drake University Private 108 $112,893 88% $10,724,835
Drexel University Private 147 $96,402 84% $11,857,446
Duke University Private 224 $137,829 72% $22,190,469
Duquesne University Private 124 $108,414 85% $11,383,470
Elon Law School Private 89 $153,347 88% $11,961,066
Emory University Private 284 $120,804 73% $25,006,428
Florida Coastal School of Law For-Profit 299 $158,878 70% $33,205,502
Florida International University Public 153 $93,838 88% $12,668,130
Florida State University Public 189 $88,732 77% $12,954,872
Fordham University Private 384 $152,381 76% $44,495,252
George Mason University Public 133 $118,056 63% $9,916,704
George Washington University Private 555 $145,240 60% $48,364,920
Georgetown University Private 652 $166,027 74% $80,025,014
Georgia State University Public 203 $64,384 76% $9,915,136
Golden Gate University Private 112 $161,809 88% $16,019,091
Harvard University Private 598 $153,172 77% $70,459,120
Hofstra University Private 198 $142,261 77% $21,623,672
Indiana University - Bloomington Public 191 $99,895 74% $14,085,195
Indiana University - Indianapolis Public 248 $105,065 91% $23,744,690
Inter American University Private 162 $139,624 78% $17,592,624
Lewis and Clark College Private 177 $73,857 76% $9,970,695
Liberty University Private 58 $89,779 94% $4,937,845
Louisiana State University Public 173 $83,919 76% $10,993,389
Loyola Marymount University Private 356 $146,494 73% $38,088,440
Loyola University Chicago Private 209 $130,113 84% $22,899,888
Marquette University Private 191 $142,601 86% $23,386,564
Mercer University Private 165 $135,300 85% $18,942,000
Michigan State University Public 265 $91,014 78% $18,839,898
Mississippi College Private 140 $119,000 82% $13,685,000
New England School of Law Private 210 $100,603 66% $13,983,817
New York Law School Private 304 $157,568 81% $38,761,728
New York University Private 485 $167,646 64% $51,970,260
North Carolina Central University Public 180 $60,479 91% $9,918,556
Northeastern University Private 173 $111,410 78% $15,040,350
Northern Illinois University Public 88 $86,899 84% $6,430,526
Northwestern University Private 249 $154,923 65% $25,097,526
Nova Southeastern University Private 239 $147,879 87% $30,758,832
Ohio Northern University Private 72 $104,284 89% $6,674,176
Ohio State University Public 179 $88,301 77% $12,185,538
Oklahoma City University Private 137 $126,619 81% $14,054,709
Pace University Private 171 $124,317 81% $17,280,063
Pennsylvania State University - Dickinson Law Public 34 $109,828 76% $2,855,528
Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Law Public 95 $117,692 76% $8,473,824
Pepperdine University Private 181 $154,475 77% $21,472,025
Quinnipiac University Private 76 $101,371 86% $6,589,115
Regent University Private 88 $124,221 85% $9,316,575
Roger Williams University Private 86 $126,334 87% $9,475,050
Samford University Private 153 $127,611 80% $15,568,542
Santa Clara University Private 215 $149,940 71% $22,940,820
Seattle University Private 232 $139,745 84% $27,250,275
Seton Hall University Private 161 $125,300 57% $11,527,600
South Texas College of Law Houston Private 331 $122,636 85% $34,460,716
Southern Illinois University Public 117 $87,634 84% $8,588,132
Southern Methodist University Private 234 $126,172 68% $20,061,348
Southern University Law Center Public 178 $89,552 94% $14,955,184
St. John's University Private 244 $117,572 76% $21,750,820
St. Louis University Private 142 $117,335 82% $13,610,860
St. Mary's University Private 238 $118,583 92% $25,969,677
Stanford University Private 183 $137,625 75% $18,854,625
Stetson University Private 294 $128,703 80% $30,245,205
Suffolk University Private 412 $135,272 74% $41,257,960
SUNY Buffalo Public 185 $90,546 82% $13,762,992
Syracuse University Private 166 $117,127 80% $15,577,891
Temple University Public 202 $86,937 75% $13,214,424
Texas A&M Public 205 $115,405 81% $19,157,230
Texas Tech University Public 182 $80,087 85% $12,413,485
Thomas Jefferson School of Law Private 210 $182,411 90% $34,475,679
Tulane University Private 199 $139,508 71% $19,670,628
University of Akron Public 124 $82,854 85% $8,699,670
University of Alabama Public 145 $75,577 68% $7,482,123
University of Arizona Public 124 $84,601 62% $6,514,277
University of Arkansas - Fayetteville Public 107 $67,758 81% $5,894,946
University of Arkansas - Little Rock Public 129 $65,931 79% $6,724,962
University of Baltimore Public 277 $108,328 82% $24,590,456
University of California - Berkeley Public 330 $145,260 72% $34,571,880
University of California - Davis Public 138 $103,811 70% $10,069,667
University of California - Hastings Public 300 $137,157 83% $34,152,093
University of California - Irvine Public 118 $100,408 78% $9,237,536
University of California - Los Angeles Public 316 $118,291 74% $27,680,094
University of Chicago Private 215 $134,148 62% $17,841,684
University of Cincinnati Public 104 $75,512 84% $6,569,544
University of Colorado Public 184 $100,499 76% $14,069,860
University of Connecticut Public 151 $72,042 69% $7,492,368
University of Dayton Private 81 $108,724 85% $7,501,956
University of Denver Private 267 $150,055 81% $32,411,880
University of Detroit Mercy Private 146 $152,000 56% $12,464,000
University of Florida Public 323 $82,480 71% $18,887,920
University of Georgia Public 198 $82,199 79% $12,823,044
University of Hawaii Public 79 $82,510 78% $5,115,620
University of Houston Public 240 $97,246 65% $15,170,376
University of Idaho Public 128 $86,022 69% $7,569,936
University of Illinois Public 166 $99,782 72% $11,973,840
University of Illinois Chicago School of Law Public 296 $158,888 83% $39,086,448
University of Iowa Public 100 $74,128 70% $5,188,960
University of Kansas Public 109 $88,809 76% $7,371,147
University of Kentucky Public 147 $79,066 71% $8,222,864
University of Louisville Public 122 $99,581 80% $9,758,938
University of Maine Public 82 $89,513 78% $5,728,832
University of Maryland Public 213 $113,927 73% $17,658,685
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Public 53 $98,730 83% $4,344,120
University of Memphis Public 100 $76,997 76% $5,851,772
University of Miami Private 323 $149,580 68% $32,907,600
University of Michigan Public 327 $146,309 73% $34,967,851
University of Minnesota Public 246 $106,436 69% $18,094,120
University of Mississippi Public 121 $67,539 75% $6,146,049
University of Missouri - Columbia Public 117 $80,138 80% $7,532,972
University of Missouri - Kansas City Public 161 $93,678 91% $13,770,666
University of Montana Public 78 $75,470 88% $5,207,430
University of Nebraska Public 118 $62,888 72% $5,345,480
University of Nevada - Las Vegas Public 116 $97,361 73% $8,275,685
University of New Hampshire Public 74 $95,650 78% $5,547,700
University of New Mexico Public 113 $75,277 88% $7,452,423
University of North Carolina Public 229 $95,365 75% $16,402,780
University of North Dakota Public 76 $66,917 68% $3,479,684
University of Notre Dame Private 172 $123,924 75% $15,986,196
University of Oklahoma Public 143 $83,433 76% $9,094,197
University of Oregon Public 129 $101,098 87% $11,322,976
University of Pennsylvania Private 258 $156,725 71% $28,680,675
University of Pittsburgh Public 175 $103,990 81% $14,766,580
University of Richmond Private 148 $104,624 84% $12,973,376
University of San Diego Private 218 $127,693 67% $18,643,178
University of San Francisco Private 140 $167,671 81% $18,946,823
University of South Carolina Public 193 $89,388 81% $13,944,528
University of South Dakota Public 58 $56,609 96% $3,170,104
University of Southern California Private 200 $140,745 69% $19,422,810
University of St. Thomas - Minneapolis Private 106 $100,805 74% $7,862,790
University of Tennessee Public 158 $80,445 80% $10,136,070
University of Texas Public 362 $103,417 67% $25,130,331
University of The District of Columbia Public 97 $105,330 86% $8,742,390
University of the Pacific - McGeorge Private 139 $144,431 88% $17,620,582
University of Toledo Public 88 $85,649 84% $6,338,026
University of Tulsa Private 83 $76,988 100% $6,390,004
University of Utah Public 121 $91,982 83% $9,198,200
University of Virginia Public 330 $155,177 67% $34,294,117
University of Washington Public 153 $120,554 72% $13,260,940
University of Wisconsin Public 184 $77,555 71% $10,159,705
University of Wyoming Public 67 $90,231 81% $4,872,474
Valparaiso University Private 160 $136,765 95% $20,788,280
Vanderbilt University Private 182 $127,434 64% $14,782,344
Vermont Law School Private 116 $158,046 97% $17,859,198
Villanova University Private 172 $99,736 71% $12,167,792
Wake Forest University Private 184 $105,090 76% $14,712,600
Washburn University Public 100 $81,528 77% $6,277,656
Washington and Lee University Private 95 $105,426 81% $8,117,802
Washington University in St Louis Private 226 $93,768 58% $12,283,608
Wayne State University Public 131 $81,738 74% $7,928,586
West Virginia University Public 115 $82,683 78% $7,441,470
Western New England University School of Law Private 103 $121,367 89% $11,165,764
Western State College of Law at Westcliff University For-Profit 91 $119,382 80% $8,714,886
Whittier Law School Private 128 $179,056 89% $20,412,384
Widener University - Delaware Private 173 $135,151 89% $20,813,254
Widener University - Pennsylvania Private 53 $129,016 94% $6,450,800
Willamette University Private 114 $148,429 83% $14,100,755
William and Mary Public 225 $90,028 79% $16,024,984
Yale University Private 203 $121,815 68% $16,810,470

Excluded schools: Appalachian School of Law (Private, 42 grads), Arizona Summit Law School (For-Profit, 221 grads), Charlotte School of Law (For-Profit, 340 grads), Concordia University School of Law (Private, 38 grads), Faulkner University (Private, 74 grads), Florida A&M University (Public, 120 grads), Gonzaga University (Private, 112 grads), Howard University (Private, 136 grads), John Marshall Law School - Atlanta (For-Profit, 179 grads), Lincoln Memorial University (Private, 17 grads), Loyola University New Orleans (Private, 216 grads), Mitchell Hamline School of Law (Private, 297 grads), Northern Kentucky University (Public, 120 grads), Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico (Private, 153 grads), Rutgers University (Public, 334 grads), Southwestern Law School (Private, 321 grads), St. Thomas University - Florida (Private, 202 grads), Texas Southern University (Public, 151 grads), Touro College (Private, 139 grads), University of La Verne (Private, 51 grads), University of Puerto Rico (Public, 191 grads), Western Michigan University - Cooley Law School (Private, 462 grads)

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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