2026 Best Legal Studies Schools in the The Plains States Region
Legal Studies degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 13 schools to find the best for legal studies students.
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Best Schools for Legal Studies in the The Plains States Region
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the legal studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Legal Studies
No school ranked higher than Drake University this year for legal studies. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. About 73% of students finish within six years. Drake University awarded about 30 legal studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the legal studies program make about $56,228 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,273.
More information about a degree in legal studies from Drake University
Students looking for a strong legal studies program will find one at Hamline University, which ranked #2. Hamline University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Paul. About 60% of students finish within six years. About 25 legal studies degrees were awarded at Hamline University in the most recent year. Students who receive their legal studies degree from Hamline University earn around $40,059 in the first couple years of their career. Hamline University graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans.
More information about a degree in legal studies from Hamline University
Bellevue University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best legal studies schools. Bellevue University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Bellevue. Bellevue University graduates 33% of students within six years. There were roughly 32 legal studies students who graduated with this degree at Bellevue University in the most recent data year. Legal Studies graduates of Bellevue University earn a median of $44,839 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $37,250.
Get the full legal studies details for Bellevue University
A rank of #4 makes Webster University one of the top schools for legal studies. Webster University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Roughly 64% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 18 legal studies degrees were awarded at Webster University in the most recent year. Students who receive their legal studies degree from Webster University earn around $57,152 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,939.
Get the full legal studies details for Webster University
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 13 schools evaluated.
- 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.
