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2026 Best Value Legal Studies Schools in District of Columbia

[Legal Studies](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/general-legal-studies/legal-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for legal studies students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Legal Studies Schools in District of Columbia

2026 Best Value Legal Studies Schools in District of Columbia

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the legal studies degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Legal Studies Schools

1

University Of The District Of Columbia
Washington, DC

$5,662 In-State Tuition & Fees

$40,750 Avg Student Debt

$44,236 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is University Of The District Of Columbia, our #1 best value for legal studies in District of Columbia. Located in the city of Washington, University Of The District Of Columbia is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,662, compared with $12,514 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for legal studies graduates is $40,750. Soon after graduation, legal studies degree recipients from University Of The District Of Columbia generally make around $43,778. Set against $40,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.

2

American University
Washington, DC

$58,771 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,375 Avg Student Debt

$77,370 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at American University earned it the #2 place for legal studies. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $58,771. Legal Studies graduates carry a median of $24,375 in student loans. Soon after graduation, legal studies degree recipients from American University generally make around $45,790. That is a strong return on a $24,375 median debt. The acceptance rate is 62%.

View All Legal Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.