2027 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.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for legal studies students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
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
Drake University tops our 2027 ranking of the best legal studies schools. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Roughly 73% of students complete a degree within six years here. Drake University awarded about 37 legal studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the legal studies program make about $56,228 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete this degree.
Read more about the legal studies program at Drake University
Hamline University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in legal studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Saint Paul, Hamline University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. About 60% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 26 legal studies students who graduated with this degree at Hamline University in the most recent data year. Legal Studies graduates of Hamline University earn a median of $40,059 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete this degree.
Read more about the legal studies program at Hamline University
A rank of #3 makes Webster University one of the top schools for legal studies. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, Webster University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 64%. There were roughly 18 legal studies students who graduated with this degree at Webster University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, legal studies degree recipients from Webster University generally make around $57,152. Webster University graduates carry a median of $25,939 in student loans.
See the full legal studies program report for Webster University
Washburn University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in legal studies, ranking #4. Located in the city of Topeka, Washburn University is a moderately-sized public university. Washburn University graduates 44% of students within six years. There were roughly 11 legal studies students who graduated with this degree at Washburn University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their legal studies degree from Washburn University earn around $50,955 in the first couple years of their career. Washburn University graduates carry a median of $21,175 in student loans.
More information about a degree in legal studies from Washburn University
Bellevue University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in legal studies, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a large private not-for-profit university. About 33% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 34 legal studies students who graduated with this degree at Bellevue University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the legal studies program make about $44,839 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $37,250.
See the full legal studies program report for Bellevue University
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 5 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.
