by our College Data Analytics Team
[Legal Studies](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/general-legal-studies/legal-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for legal studies students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the legal studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Vanderbilt University earned the #1 spot for value among legal studies schools in Tennessee. Located in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,498. Legal Studies graduates carry a median of $13,975 in student loans. Early-career legal studies graduates make about $77,997. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 6%.
A rank of #2 makes Lipscomb University one of the best values for legal studies. Lipscomb University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. Students from in state pay about $40,572 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $24,500 to complete the legal studies program here. Soon after graduation, legal studies degree recipients from Lipscomb University generally make around $32,967. That is a strong return on a $24,500 median debt. Lipscomb University admits about 68% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in legal studies will find it at Belmont University, which ranked #3. Belmont University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. In-state tuition and fees average $42,540. Typical student debt for legal studies graduates is $23,447. Soon after graduation, legal studies degree recipients from Belmont University generally make around $49,699. That is a strong return on a $23,447 median debt. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
The ranking above is published 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.