Report Highlights. The price of law school is on the rise, with the average total tuition increasing by $1,070 per year.
- The average total cost of law school is $206,180.
- The average total cost of tuition alone for law school is $137,970, or $45,990 per year.
- Living expenses on average total out at $68,210, or $22,740 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 $5,350 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 $50,670 for the 2020 to 2021 school year.
- From 2021 to 2022, the average yearly cost of tuition is projected to be $53.030.
- From 1997 to 2015, the rate of tuition at Minnesota Law School rose from $11,890 to $35,000.
- From 1997 to 2015, the rate of tuition at Ohio State Law School rose from $5,860 to $27,800.
Cost by School
Similarly to other fields of study, public schools on average end up being cheaper for tuition than private schools by roughly $21,130. Within the traditional 3 year study, the tuition gap between public and private schools increases to $63,380.
- The most expensive law school tuition-wise is Columbia University at $72,360 a year.
- The least expensive law school tuition-wise is Inter American University at $15,510 a year.
- The most expensive law school due to annual living expenses is Stanford University at $39,177 a year.
- The least expensive law school due to annual living expenses is the University of North Dakota at $9,444 a year.
- The table below does not take into account the cost differences between out-of-state or in-state expenses.
Name | Annual Tuition Cost | Annual Living Expenses |
---|---|---|
Albany Law School | $49,814 | $16,338 |
American University | $57,836 | $26,032 |
Appalachian School of Law | $36,500 | $19,800 |
Arizona State University | $47,302 | $22,714 |
Ave Maria School of Law | $43,206 | $23,834 |
Barry University | $37,430 | $27,400 |
Baylor University | $64,512 | $20,334 |
Belmont University | $46,220 | $26,425 |
Boston College | $57,150 | $22,488 |
Boston University | $56,982 | $20,026 |
Brigham Young University | $26,900 | $21,912 |
Brooklyn Law School | $61,996 | $26,675 |
California Western School of Law | $54,310 | $25,520 |
Campbell University | $43,370 | $26,620 |
Capital University | $37,920 | $18,504 |
Cardozo-Yeshiva University | $62,408 | $28,664 |
Case Western Reserve University | $53,674 | $25,244 |
Catholic University of America | $52,400 | $31,484 |
Chapman University | $54,718 | $33,849 |
Charleston School of Law | $42,134 | $23,946 |
Chicago-Kent College of Law | $48,650 | $22,305 |
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law | $29,464 | $19,988 |
Columbia University | $72,360 | $25,447 |
Concordia University School of Law | $30,343 | $16,034 |
Cornell University | $67,833 | $23,524 |
Creighton University | $41,554 | $24,505 |
CUNY | $26,204 | $22,562 |
DePaul University | $49,166 | $23,132 |
Drake University | $42,624 | $22,527 |
Drexel University | $45,500 | $23,474 |
Duke University | $67,398 | $22,905 |
Duquesne University | $47,080 | $16,788 |
Elon Law School | $38,000 | $29,100 |
Emory University | $59,062 | $24,748 |
Faulkner University | $39,370 | $28,000 |
Florida A&M University | $33,146 | $28,296 |
Florida Coastal School of Law | $39,900 | $23,122 |
Florida International University | $35,298 | $27,086 |
Florida State University | $40,706 | $16,750 |
Fordham University | $62,652 | $28,586 |
George Mason University | $40,742 | $27,466 |
George Washington University | $63,204 | $27,550 |
Georgetown University | $64,548 | $29,952 |
Georgia State University | $37,618 | $22,991 |
Golden Gate University | $51,500 | $29,850 |
Gonzaga University | $42,755 | $20,737 |
Harvard University | $67,080 | $32,119 |
Hofstra University | $60,970 | $28,893 |
Howard University | $35,244 | $33,049 |
Indiana University – Bloomington | $56,872 | $22,268 |
Indiana University – Indianapolis | $49,857 | $19,930 |
Inter American University | $15,510 | $21,956 |
John Marshall Law School – Atlanta | $44,830 | $29,271 |
Lewis and Clark College | $48,222 | $28,100 |
Liberty University | $37,922 | $24,634 |
Lincoln Memorial University | $37,700 | $21,850 |
Louisiana State University | $39,110 | $23,940 |
Loyola Marymount University | $59,340 | $32,800 |
Loyola University Chicago | $50,348 | $24,395 |
Loyola University New Orleans | $45,156 | $22,866 |
Marquette University | $47,550 | $19,400 |
Mercer University | $39,484 | $19,180 |
Michigan State University | $45,676 | $18,982 |
Mississippi College | $35,520 | $23,025 |
Mitchell Hamline School of Law | $45,806 | $19,450 |
New England School of Law | $51,048 | $24,891 |
New York Law School | $54,382 | $23,759 |
New York University | $68,934 | $30,924 |
North Carolina Central University | $38,868 | $20,337 |
Northeastern University | $53,040 | $19,500 |
Northern Illinois University | $22,170 | $21,962 |
Northern Kentucky University | $36,186 | $14,020 |
Northwestern University | $67,106 | $23,364 |
Nova Southeastern University | $42,892 | $30,439 |
Ohio Northern University | $30,200 | $15,728 |
Ohio State University | $46,835 | $20,144 |
Oklahoma City University | $35,630 | $14,340 |
Pace University | $49,458 | $25,302 |
Pennsylvania State University – Dickinson Law | $53,212 | $21,276 |
Pennsylvania State University – Penn State Law | $50,980 | $23,768 |
Pepperdine University | $57,560 | $27,800 |
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico | $16,696 | $19,206 |
Quinnipiac University | $50,440 | $22,036 |
Regent University | $38,260 | $24,580 |
Roger Williams University | $38,604 | $17,500 |
Rutgers University | $45,900 | $27,924 |
Samford University | $41,338 | $17,834 |
Santa Clara University | $52,528 | $28,956 |
Seattle University | $48,518 | $27,154 |
Seton Hall University | $55,788 | $22,562 |
South Texas College of Law Houston | $34,050 | $21,900 |
Southern Illinois University | $31,516 | $18,363 |
Southern Methodist University | $55,808 | $26,100 |
Southern University Law Center | $31,610 | $21,300 |
Southwestern Law School | $55,716 | $30,755 |
St. John’s University | $61,550 | $24,267 |
St. Louis University | $43,194 | $21,244 |
St. Mary’s University | $38,510 | $20,064 |
St. Thomas University – Florida | $42,190 | $29,490 |
Stanford University | $64,554 | $39,177 |
Stetson University | $44,964 | $17,850 |
Suffolk University | $51,438 | $24,585 |
SUNY Buffalo | $32,370 | $18,464 |
Syracuse University | $53,638 | $20,362 |
Temple University | $42,488 | $22,482 |
Texas A&M | $39,250 | $29,784 |
Texas Southern University | $29,454 | $20,818 |
Texas Tech University | $38,664 | $15,392 |
Thomas Jefferson School of Law | $52,800 | $26,660 |
Touro College | $51,280 | $24,602 |
Tulane University | $58,610 | $23,606 |
University of Akron | $27,252 | $22,404 |
University of Alabama | $44,010 | $19,686 |
University of Arizona | $30,334 | $21,350 |
University of Arkansas – Fayetteville | $35,410 | $17,524 |
University of Arkansas – Little Rock | $32,711 | $15,980 |
University of Baltimore | $47,958 | $23,500 |
University of California – Berkeley | $55,346 | $31,244 |
University of California – Davis | $58,560 | $23,702 |
University of California – Hastings | $51,474 | $26,508 |
University of California – Irvine | $53,550 | $32,650 |
University of California – Los Angeles | $54,052 | $29,770 |
University of Chicago | $67,899 | $29,436 |
University of Cincinnati | $29,010 | $17,768 |
University of Colorado | $38,714 | $20,546 |
University of Connecticut | $62,330 | $19,262 |
University of Dayton | $35,421 | $17,500 |
University of Denver | $53,254 | $19,790 |
University of Detroit Mercy | $45,010 | $25,706 |
University of Florida | $38,038 | $19,390 |
University of Georgia | $38,652 | $18,896 |
University of Hawaii | $47,360 | $21,214 |
University of Houston | $48,434 | $19,970 |
University of Idaho | $41,496 | $16,958 |
University of Illinois Chicago School of Law | $51,616 | $21,650 |
University of Illinois | $48,146 | $20,017 |
University of Iowa | $47,766 | $16,544 |
University of Kansas | $30,738 | $17,184 |
University of Kentucky | $50,352 | $18,778 |
University of La Verne | $32,828 | $30,812 |
University of Louisville | $41,944 | $19,930 |
University of Maine | $36,104 | $14,956 |
University of Maryland | $52,302 | $24,610 |
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | $38,368 | $26,668 |
University of Memphis | $32,112 | $18,579 |
University of Miami | $54,134 | $28,682 |
University of Michigan | $64,944 | $20,920 |
University of Minnesota | $54,868 | $18,870 |
University of Mississippi | $37,036 | $18,870 |
University of Missouri – Columbia | $40,720 | $17,284 |
University of Missouri – Kansas City | $36,526 | $15,574 |
University of Montana | $34,646 | $16,984 |
University of Nebraska | $38,396 | $17,910 |
University of Nevada – Las Vegas | $38,944 | $24,874 |
University of New Hampshire | $44,306 | $20,915 |
University of New Mexico | $38,242 | $17,070 |
University of North Carolina | $41,626 | $25,368 |
University of North Dakota | $44,812 | $9,444 |
University of North Texas Dallas College of Law | $31,685 | $18,037 |
University of Notre Dame | $61,220 | $20,650 |
University of Oklahoma | $33,338 | $22,500 |
University of Oregon | $47,102 | $16,776 |
University of Pennsylvania | $67,998 | $26,340 |
University of Pittsburgh | $45,886 | $19,142 |
University of Puerto Rico | $22,900 | $19,306 |
University of Richmond | $46,400 | $17,750 |
University of San Diego | $57,192 | $25,355 |
University of San Francisco | $50,770 | $29,537 |
University of South Carolina | $55,480 | $19,421 |
University of South Dakota | $50,420 | $15,924 |
University of Southern California | $67,192 | $27,072 |
University of St. Thomas – Minneapolis | $42,738 | $21,000 |
University of Tennessee | $38,842 | $20,492 |
University of Texas | $54,096 | $20,936 |
University of The District of Columbia | $26,266 | $29,200 |
University of the Pacific | $53,864 | $25,806 |
University of Toledo | $33,916 | $18,246 |
University of Tulsa | $26,028 | $21,150 |
University of Utah | $38,178 | $20,820 |
University of Virginia | $66,200 | $19,786 |
University of Washington | $48,588 | $21,492 |
University of Wisconsin | $44,384 | $21,745 |
University of Wyoming | $31,078 | $17,060 |
Vanderbilt University | $60,750 | $26,504 |
Vermont Law School | $49,414 | $26,184 |
Villanova University | $47,916 | $22,732 |
Wake Forest University | $47,352 | $21,208 |
Washburn University | $35,334 | $17,032 |
Washington and Lee University | $51,392 | $19,125 |
Washington University in St Louis | $59,460 | $24,194 |
Wayne State University | $37,008 | $22,527 |
West Virginia University | $40,248 | $15,370 |
Western Michigan University – Cooley Law School | $52,580 | $18,314 |
Western New England University School of Law | $45,338 | $20,286 |
Western State University | $43,350 | $33,776 |
Widener University – Delaware | $48,930 | $22,069 |
Widener University – Pennsylvania | $47,310 | $22,308 |
Willamette University | $45,920 | $19,898 |
William and Mary | $44,000 | $20,722 |
Yale University | $66,128 | $22,465 |
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 and may cost anywhere from $12,000 to $34,000 for total tuition.
- A J.M. from Florida International University is a one-year program that costs $24,730 for 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 $16,500 for residents and $29,940 for non-residents.
- Seattle University School of Law M.L.S. degree costs $41,150 with no price differentiation between residents and non-residents.
Financial Aid Trends
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 2020 to 2021 roughly 41.8% of law schools had conditional scholarships.
- 36.1% of law students lost their conditional scholarships from 2011 to 2012.
- 23.7% of law students lost their conditional scholarships from 2020 to 2021.
- 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 2020, 6% of law school students received institutional grants to pay the full cost of their tuition.
- In 2020, 28% of law school students received institutional grants paying off at least half the cost of their tuition.
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 bar exam ranges from $200 to $1,500 depending on the state.
- Using a laptop to take the bar exam is roughly $100 to $150.
- An out-of-state attorney seeking to practice law in a new state can expect to pay over $1,200 to take a new bar exam.
- 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.
- 71% of law school graduates took out loans in 2016 and acquired debt
- The average cumulative amount borrowed in 2016 was $125,100.
Sources
- Law School Admission Council, Paying For Law School: A Preliminary Guide
- Law School Transparency Data Dashboard: Law School Costs
- LawyerEdu.org: How Long is Law School?
- American Bar Association (ABA), Disparities in Student Loans: How Did We Get Here and What Can We Do?
- American Bar Association (ABA): Post-J.D. & Non-J.D. Overview of Other than J.D. Programs
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): Trends in Student Loan Debt for Graduate School Completers
- AccessLex Legal Education Data Deck
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: How to Become a Lawyer
- University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform, The Crisis of the American Law School
- ABA, Profile of the Legal Profession
- NCBEX Bar Admission Guide
- Law School Application Costs: An Expense Breakdown – JD Advising
- Cost & Financial Aid – FIU Law
- Juris Master (J.M.) Degree | Liberty University School of Law
- Tuition and Fees | OU Law
- Tuition and Financial Aid | Seattle U School of Law’s Online MLS Program