2027 Best Value Legal Studies Schools in New York

[Legal Studies](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/general-legal-studies/legal-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for legal studies students.
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2027 Best Value Legal Studies Schools in New York
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
Cuny John Jay College Of Criminal Justice earned the #1 spot for value among legal studies schools in New York. Cuny John Jay College Of Criminal Justice is a large public school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,470, compared with $15,420 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for legal studies graduates is $9,500. Early-career legal studies graduates make about $32,649. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
Mercy College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value legal studies schools. Located in the suburb of Dobbs Ferry, Mercy College is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $22,880. Typical student debt for legal studies graduates is $29,250. Legal Studies graduates of Mercy College earn a median of $38,579 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,250 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in legal studies will find it at Suny At Purchase College, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Purchase, Suny At Purchase College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,016, while out-of-state students pay about $19,266. Typical student debt for legal studies graduates is $23,689. Soon after graduation, legal studies degree recipients from Suny At Purchase College generally make around $23,182. Set against $23,689 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in legal studies will find it at University At Buffalo, which ranked #4. Located in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,936 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $31,536. Students borrow a median of $22,232 to complete the legal studies program here. Early-career legal studies graduates make about $52,403. Set against $22,232 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University At Buffalo admits about 74% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Saint John Fisher College earned it the #5 place for legal studies. Located in the suburb of Rochester, Saint John Fisher College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $41,190 in tuition and fees. Legal Studies graduates carry a median of $25,086 in student loans. Legal Studies graduates of Saint John Fisher College earn a median of $55,630 early in their careers. Set against $25,086 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
St Johns University New York landed the #6 spot for legal studies value this year. St Johns University New York is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Queens. In-state tuition and fees average $53,529. Students borrow a median of $26,030 to complete the legal studies program here. Early-career legal studies graduates make about $29,307. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
More Legal Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.