Where Do Law Grads Get the Most Bang for Their Buck?
A newly released report analyzes where law school graduates get the best return on their investment.
June 25, 2024 at 06:00 AM
3 minute read
What You Need to Know
- Columbia Law graduates topped the list of having the highest median income net of their college debts.
- The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and University of Chicago Law School trailed Columbia, in second and third.
- Graduates of the 33 lowest-ranking law schools earn less than $55,000 net of debt four years after graduation.
While it is well-known that most law school graduates will earn a large paycheck, a new study explores whether the amount of debt accrued makes the degree worth it, ranking law schools based on the amount their graduates earn after subtracting the average amount spent on loan repayment.
For all law school graduates, median earnings four years after graduation are around $88,800, but after factoring in student debt, median earnings drop to $72,000, according to the report, released Tuesday by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW). On average, tuition and fees ranged from $38,100 to more than $70,000 from 2020 to 2021, with law school graduates accumulating $118,500 in debt at the median while obtaining their J.D., the report states.
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