Average Cost of Law School

Last Updated: September 13, 2023
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Report Highlights. The price of law school is on the rise, with the average total tuition increasing by $1,398 per year.

  • The average total cost of law school is $220,335.
  • The average total cost of tuition alone for law school is $146,484, or $48,828 per year.  
  • Living expenses on average total out at $73,851, or $24,617 per year.

Related reports include Average Cost of Medical School | Average Cost of a Master’s Degree | Average Cost of College & Tuition | Average Cost of a Doctorate Degree | Average Cost of Community College

Cost by Year

Since 2005 the cost of tuition has risen on average by $5,353 every 5 years. Historical data since the 1970s shows tuition has increased at all ABA-accredited law schools. Some experts attribute the rise in tuition to declines in student-faculty ratios, raises in faculty salaries, the development of legal clinics for practical education, the growth of administrative staff rosters, and expansive school construction projects.

  • On its current trend, the average yearly cost of tuition will be $50,226 for the 2023 to 2024 school year.
  • From 2024 to 2025, the average yearly cost of tuition is projected to be $51,624.
  • From 1997 to 2015, the rate of tuition at Minnesota Law School rose from $8,923 to $41,222.
  • From 1997 to 2015, the rate of tuition at Ohio State Law School rose from $6,412 to $28,577.

Average cost of law school 11132022 2 on Education Data Initiative

Cost by School

Similarly to other fields of study, public schools on average end up being cheaper for tuition than private schools by roughly $21,126. Within the traditional 3 year study, the tuition gap between public and private schools increases to $63,378.

  • The most expensive law school tuition-wise is Columbia University at $78,278 a year.
  • The least expensive law school tuition-wise is Inter American University at $12,208 a year.
  • The most expensive law school due to annual living expenses is Stanford University at $46,233 a year.
  • The least expensive law school due to annual living expenses is the University of North Dakota at $12,600 a year.
  • The table below does take into account the cost differences between out-of-state and in-state expenses. 
List of Schools
Name Annual Tuition Cost Annual Living Expenses
Albany Law School

$55,470

$18,454
American University

$60,994

$25,238
Appalachian School of Law

$41,000

$23,800
Arizona State University

$48,570

$23,254
Ave Maria School of Law

$47,256

$45,822
Barry University

$41,050

$28,100
Baylor University

$61,877

$25,406
Belmont University

$52,440

$24,210
Boston College

$63,573

$20,760
Boston University

$62,534

$20,892
Brigham Young University

$29,272

$14,424
Brooklyn Law School

$68,321

$26,950
California Western School of Law

$58,350

$29,320
Campbell University

$48,280

$30,970
Capital University

$41,385

$19,080
Cardozo-Yeshiva University

$68,462

$30,709
Case Western Reserve University

$58,808

$28,388
Catholic University of America

$57,470

$30,260
Chapman University

$59,568

$33,572
Charleston School of Law

$44,734

$24,832
Chicago-Kent College of Law

$52,170

$25,105
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law

$29,552

$20,472
Columbia University

$78,278

$27,878
Concordia University School of Law

$30,343

$16,034
Cornell University

$74,183

$23,520
Creighton University

$48,960

$27,230
CUNY

$26,203

$22,588
DePaul University

$51,132

$24,776
Drake University

$45,912

$19,685
Drexel University

$51,575

$29,954
Duke University

$72,632

$25,519
Duquesne University

$53,416

$18,474
Elon Law School

$40,833

$29,767
Emory University

$64,504

$26,010
Faulkner University

$39,500

$28,400
Florida A&M University

$33,077

$29,162
Florida Coastal School of Law

$39,900

$23,122
Florida International University

$36,049

$30,700
Florida State University

$36,049

$21,200
Fordham University

$69,166

$31,094
George Mason University

$42,417

$31,474
George Washington University

$67,380

$29,600
Georgetown University

$71,996

$31,404
Georgia State University

$36,810

$21,962
Golden Gate University

$52,880

$25,650
Gonzaga University

$50,235

$21,665
Harvard University

$71,734

$32,266
Hofstra University

$66,554

$31,715
Howard University

$37,160

$31,460
Indiana University – Bloomington

$59,435

$24,420
Indiana University – Indianapolis

$51,668

$19,016
Inter American University

$15,665

$23,462
John Marshall Law School – Atlanta

$49,578

$32,950
Lewis and Clark College

$53,716

$28,100
Liberty University

$41,252

$30,200
Lincoln Memorial University

$44,552

$24,150
Louisiana State University

$39,105

$24,462
Loyola Marymount University

$63,412

$33,783
Loyola University Chicago

$53,156

$25,428
Loyola University New Orleans

$50,090

$25,844
Marquette University

$49,710

$20,048
Mercer University

$42,292

$19,043
Michigan State University

$45,690

$24,392
Mississippi College

$38,202

$23,325
Mitchell Hamline School of Law

$50,748

$21,450
New England School of Law

$54,624

$32,397
New York Law School

$60,866

$23,759
New York University

$76,290

$33,000
North Carolina Central University

$41,637

$25,220
Northeastern University

$58,804

$19,300
Northern Illinois University

$22,559

$21,396
Northern Kentucky University

$36,735

$17,714
Northwestern University

$72,212

$27,436
Nova Southeastern University

$46,197

$37,083
Ohio Northern University

$32,930

$16,907
Ohio State University

$49,115

$19,986
Oklahoma City University

$37,500

$12,600
Pace University

$52,348

$28,712
Pennsylvania State University – Dickinson Law

$56,774

$24,650
Pennsylvania State University – Penn State Law

$55,344

$25,530
Pepperdine University

$64,220

$31,600
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico

$17,108

$20,727
Quinnipiac University

$53,800

$25,242
Regent University

$39,696

$22,858
Roger Williams University

$44,715

$18,616
Rutgers University

$44,596

$30,995
Samford University

$44,318

$20,893
Santa Clara University

$56,448

$37,278
Seattle University

$53,806

$28,737
Seton Hall University

$63,660

$23,038
South Texas College of Law Houston

$37,900

$24,050
Southern Illinois University

$21,555

$18,350
Southern Methodist University

$61,058

$28,057
Southern University Law Center

$31,932

$23,128
Southwestern Law School

$56,146

$34,939
St. John’s University

$68,992

$27,315
St. Louis University

$46,574

$21,756
St. Mary’s University

$42,242

$23,142
St. Thomas University – Florida

$44,830

$32,740
Stanford University

$68,997

$46,233
Stetson University

$49,038

$19,802
Suffolk University

$55,184

$29,180
SUNY Buffalo

$34,867

$18,164
Syracuse University

$59,482

$22,548
Temple University

$44,727

$24,404
Texas A&M

$48,618

$28,582
Texas Southern University

$28,260

$22,058
Texas Tech University

$38,872

$16,170
Touro College

$55,630

$32,390
Tulane University

$64,868

$25,722
University of Akron

$25,214

$22,404
University of Alabama

$44,780

$19,764
University of Arizona

$30,667

$22,550
University of Arkansas – Fayetteville

$38,925

$18,644
University of Arkansas – Little Rock

$32,671

$19,030
University of Baltimore

$49,940

$25,280
University of California – Berkeley

$67,816

$38,132
University of California – Davis

$65,087

$27,898
University of California – Hastings

$52,454

$29,662
University of California – Irvine

$64,298

$30,937
University of California – Los Angeles

$64,417

$33,066
University of Chicago

$74,607

$29,670
University of Cincinnati

$29,810

$18,068
University of Colorado

$40,609

$24,514
University of Connecticut

$62,458

$21,760
University of Dayton

$37,364

$18,500
University of Denver

$56,032

$26,064
University of Detroit Mercy

$45,824

$26,225
University of Florida

$38,235

$21,140
University of Georgia

$37,752

$20,866
University of Hawaii

$46,588

$23,379
University of Houston

$49,749

$20,858
University of Idaho

$43,588

$17,016
University of Illinois Chicago School of Law

$49,488

$22,426
University of Illinois

$49,800

$18,452
University of Iowa

$49,987

$19,508
University of Kansas

$28,804

$17,652
University of Kentucky

$51,380

$19,080
University of Louisville

$29,650

$24,290
University of Maine

$38,000

$16,790
University of Maryland

$52,642

$29,662
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

$39,650

$29,536
University of Memphis

$12,208

$26,140
University of Miami

$59,562

$32,330
University of Michigan

$69,808

$22,820
University of Minnesota

$56,946

$23,844
University of Mississippi

$38,136

$20,198
University of Missouri – Columbia

$30,289

$20,984
University of Missouri – Kansas City

$40,144

$18,040
University of Montana

$41,177

$18,326
University of Nebraska

$36,288

$19,610
University of Nevada – Las Vegas

$42,578

$28,690
University of New Hampshire

$47,314

$20,930
University of New Mexico

$42,853

$18,452
University of North Carolina

$44,694

$26,368
University of North Dakota

$31,360

$18,032
University of North Texas Dallas College of Law

$31,648

$24,632
University of Notre Dame

$65,936

$21,510
University of Oklahoma

$35,723

$24,9462
University of Oregon

$53,622

$18,649
University of Pennsylvania

$73,008

$27,764
University of Pittsburgh

$48,969

$20,648
University of Puerto Rico

$18,200

$22,806
University of Richmond

$51,510

$21,710
University of San Diego

$60,861

$31,218
University of San Francisco

$52,660

$28,880
University of South Carolina

$41,500

$19,501
University of South Dakota

$36,333

$17,230
University of Southern California

$73,988

$25,004
University of St. Thomas – Minneapolis

$46,740

$22,194
University of Tennessee

$38,842

$20,664
University of Texas

$54,096

$23,324
University of The District of Columbia

$25,847

$29,200
University of the Pacific

$57,788

$27,322
University of Toledo

$27,890

$18,819
University of Tulsa

$26,541

$24,123
University of Utah

$43,598

$23,032
University of Virginia

$71,500

$21,436
University of Washington

$53,454

$26,025
University of Wisconsin

$51,854

$23,460
University of Wyoming

$35,644

$18,080
Vanderbilt University

$68,816

$29,968
Vermont Law School

$50,775

$19,972
Villanova University

$53,555

$22,732
Wake Forest University

$52,028

$26,716
Washburn University

$37,549

$16,133
Washington and Lee University

$54,460

$19,920
Washington University in St Louis

$46,574

$24,474
Wayne State University

$41,957

$23,990
West Virginia University

$40,120

$15,470
Western Michigan University – Cooley Law School

$44,140

$22,566
Western New England University School of Law

$48,420

$19,930
Western State University

$44,955

$25,844
Widener University – Delaware

$54,496

$23,341
Widener University – Pennsylvania

$52,030

$24,980
Willamette University

$49,080

$18,216
William and Mary

$56,014

$21,550
Yale University

$71,425

$25,256

Alternative Degrees

The Juris Doctorate (J.D.) is the traditional 3-year degree. In order to be eligible to take the bar exam and become an attorney, a student needs a Juris Doctorate. Alternative degrees exist for those seeking to work in the legal field but not become lawyers themselves. These alternative degrees to a J.D. typically have shorter and cheaper programs.

  • Alternative degrees may include but are not limited to a J.M. Juris Master or an M.L.S. Master of Legal Studies.
  • A J.M. typically lasts 1 to 2 years.
  • A J.M. from Florida International University is a one-year program that costs $21,407 for in-state, and $35,650 for out-of-state tuition.
  • A J.M. from Liberty University School of Law costs $16,950 in tuition for the whole program.
  • Many M.L.S. degrees are online and can be completed within a year and a half.
  • The University of Oklahoma’s M.L.S. degrees typically cost $16,995 for residents and $30,840 for non-residents.
  • Seattle University School of Law M.L.S. degree costs $43,593 with no price differentiation between residents and non-residents.

One form of financial aid for law students is conditional scholarships. Conditional scholarships are awarded to students on the basis that they maintain a good grade point average or class standing. Conditional scholarships have decreased in popularity over the years and the students who do have them have become less likely to lose them.

  • From 2011 to 2012 roughly 61.4% of law schools had conditional scholarships.
  • From 2019 to 2020 roughly 39.8% of law schools had conditional scholarships.  
  • 36.1% of law students lost their conditional scholarships from 2011 to 2012.  
  • 27.8% of law students lost their conditional scholarships from 2019 to 2020.
  • From 2011 to 2012 the average grant aid for law school was $4,760.
  • During that same school year, public school students received $3,350 in grant aid.
  • During that same school year, private school students received $5,340 in grant aid.
  • In 2018, 6% of law school students received institutional grants paying the full cost of their tuition.
  • In 2018, 29% of law school students received institutional grants paying off at least half the cost of their tuition.

Average cost of law school 11132022 on Education Data Initiative

Additional Costs

At the end of law school, a student receives their Juris Doctorate. In order to be able to practice law, the graduates must take a bar exam in order to receive their license. Each bar exam is generally administered and regulated by that state’s supreme court.

  • The average cost of a multi-state bar exam will be $160 in 2024, up from $150 in 2023.
  • A law degree can sometimes impede a candidate’s job search for non-legal jobs.
  • A law school application fee costs roughly $80.
  • The average applicant applies to 6 or 7 law schools totaling $480 to $560 in application fees.
  • 69% of law school graduates took out loans in 2016 and acquired debt.
  • The average cumulative amount law students borrowed in 2016 was $145,500.

Sources

  1. Law School Transparency Data Dashboard: Law School Costs 
  2. American Bar Association (ABA): Post-J.D. & Non-J.D. Overview of Other than J.D. Programs 
  3. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): Trends in Student Loan Debt for Graduate School Completers 
  4. AccessLex Legal Education Data Deck 
  5. NCBEX Bar Admission Guide 
  6. Law School Application Costs: An Expense Breakdown – JD Advising  
  7. Cost & Financial Aid – FIU Law 
  8. Juris Master (J.M.) Degree | Liberty University School of Law 
  9. Tuition and Fees | OU Law 
  10. Tuition and Financial Aid | Seattle U School of Law’s Online MLS Program