Law School Costs
While the average estimated net tuition for full-time students at top performing schools is much higher than the rest, prices do not scale with job outcomes elsewhere. The average estimated net tuition at the lowest performing schools is similar to the average for mid-range schools. The following chart reflects the average estimated net tuition prices for full-time students in 2019-2020 for ABA-Approved law schools grouped by job outcomes in 2019. Hover over the sparkline charts embedded in the table to see previous years' net tuition estimate averages and ranges.
Note Net tuition estimates at public schools are systematically low. More.
Tip On the left panelAt the top of the page, you can change the data scope to view net tuition from different angles.
Grouped by 2019 Job Outcomes1 | Average Estimated Net TuitionFull Time | |
---|---|---|
Public Schools | Private Schools | |
≥ 90% Legal Job Rate |
$40K
3 schools$34,408 - $45,377
$37,100 - $39,026
$36,838 - $38,784
$37,710 - $40,781
$36,750 - $41,487
$37,044 - $42,372
$35,689 - $42,660
$32,744 - $43,256
$34,408 - $45,377
|
$49K
5 schools$38,031 - $57,650
$25,118 - $49,121
$33,742 - $51,036
$35,456 - $51,330
$34,260 - $52,261
$32,932 - $53,681
$35,376 - $56,433
$34,549 - $56,661
$38,031 - $57,650
|
75% - 89.9% Legal Job Rate |
$14K
36 schools$2,489 - $31,900
$8,460 - $34,006
$6,690 - $30,379
$6,223 - $29,184
$6,679 - $28,389
$5,662 - $28,403
$2,754 - $29,206
$522 - $29,462
$2,489 - $31,900
|
$31K
37 schools$11,510 - $54,943
$16,787 - $47,558
$13,816 - $49,307
$12,442 - $49,307
$12,380 - $50,385
$13,265 - $51,449
$14,209 - $51,779
$12,086 - $53,487
$11,510 - $54,943
|
60% - 74.9% Legal Job Rate |
$15K
39 schools$4,483 - $27,971
$7,167 - $34,716
$8,449 - $35,499
$7,403 - $37,840
$6,973 - $36,451
$6,191 - $28,781
$4,782 - $30,142
$4,724 - $25,671
$4,483 - $27,971
|
$28K
44 schools$12,665 - $42,240
$19,492 - $44,842
$19,808 - $43,385
$16,066 - $43,367
$12,768 - $44,278
$12,405 - $41,717
$12,879 - $40,714
$12,893 - $39,956
$12,665 - $42,240
|
50% - 59.9% Legal Job Rate |
$17K
4 schools$9,704 - $25,554
$8,544 - $11,688
$8,002 - $15,704
$7,897 - $36,037
$10,718 - $35,356
$11,884 - $33,474
$11,872 - $35,332
$11,750 - $29,856
$9,704 - $25,554
|
$26K
9 schools$14,462 - $34,505
$22,134 - $34,334
$19,341 - $36,072
$17,284 - $37,984
$15,318 - $37,348
$18,041 - $34,703
$18,334 - $33,743
$18,424 - $33,254
$14,462 - $34,505
|
40% - 49.9% Legal Job Rate |
$16K
3 schools$12,979 - $17,679
$10,498 - $13,083
$11,287 - $13,012
$11,778 - $13,251
$12,837 - $12,989
$13,305 - $14,686
$13,564 - $15,547
$13,149 - $17,063
$12,979 - $17,679
|
$31K
7 schools$24,255 - $41,069
$25,186 - $36,551
$21,643 - $37,571
$22,086 - $38,955
$18,798 - $38,390
$20,355 - $39,342
$23,666 - $39,200
$24,334 - $40,499
$24,255 - $41,069
|
30% - 39.9% Legal Job Rate |
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0 schools-
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$27K
5 schools$23,704 - $31,327
$22,569 - $35,785
$28,296 - $36,329
$26,442 - $35,631
$24,892 - $34,681
$25,867 - $36,995
$22,343 - $38,881
$22,583 - $37,406
$23,704 - $31,327
|
< 30% Legal Job Rate |
$8K
2 schools$7,854 - $8,666
$7,931 - $9,016
$7,131 - $8,743
$7,131 - $8,297
$6,293 - $7,131
$7,131 - $9,209
$6,164 - $7,383
$6,358 - $7,614
$7,854 - $8,666
|
$16K
2 schools$15,463 - $16,317
$14,323 - $15,216
$14,704 - $15,213
$15,170 - $16,058
$15,304 - $15,945
$16,450 - $16,544
$15,872 - $16,537
$15,165 - $16,552
$15,463 - $16,317
|
The following chart plots the previous chart's underlying data, except schools with a legal job rate below 20%.
About the data
School-specific tuition, scholarship, and job outcome data come from the American Bar Association. Net tuition is an estimate based on nominal full-time tuition and full-time scholarship data. The estimates at public law schools are higher than reality because net tuition was calculated using resident tuition at public schools. In order to more accurately estimate net tuition, scholarship data, as well as enrollment data, would need to distinguish between residents and non-residents. The job outcome groups are based on the legal job rate. The rate's denominator is total graduates and its numerator includes only jobs that are long term (a job with an indefinite duration or fixed duration of 1 year or more), full time (at least 35 hours per week), and bar passage required (job requires a law license). LST chose the breakpoints for the job outcome groups and uses normal averages rather than weighted averages for the group averages.