by our College Data Analytics Team
[General Legal Studies](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/general-legal-studies/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find where general legal studies graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send general legal studies graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
The Santa Barbara And Ventura Colleges Of Law At Ventura earned the #1 spot for highest-paid general legal studies graduates in the Far Western Region. Set in the city of Ventura, The Santa Barbara And Ventura Colleges Of Law At Ventura is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career general legal studies graduates from The Santa Barbara And Ventura Colleges Of Law At Ventura make a median of around $84,141 per year.
University Of California Berkeley came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying general legal studies schools. Set in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a public institution. After graduating, general legal studies degree recipients from University Of California Berkeley typically earn about $78,127 annually.
A rank of #3 makes University Of La Verne one of the highest-paying schools for general legal studies. University Of La Verne is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of La Verne. Students who complete the general legal studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $61,433.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Washington Seattle Campus one of the highest-paying schools for general legal studies. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a public institution. Early-career general legal studies graduates from University Of Washington Seattle Campus make a median of around $74,073 per year.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Washington Tacoma Campus one of the highest-paying schools for general legal studies. University Of Washington Tacoma Campus is a public school located in the city of Tacoma. Students who complete the general legal studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $74,073.
University Of California Santa Cruz earned the #6 position for general legal studies graduate earnings this year. University Of California Santa Cruz is a public school located in the city of Santa Cruz. General Legal Studies graduates of University Of California Santa Cruz earn a median of about $62,817 a year early in their careers.
Trinity Law School earned the #7 position for general legal studies graduate earnings this year. Trinity Law School is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Santa Ana. After graduating, general legal studies degree recipients from Trinity Law School typically earn about $47,750 annually.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries general legal studies graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 7 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.