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. The highest-paying schools turn a general legal studies degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the early-career earnings of their general legal studies graduates.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose general legal studies graduates go on to earn the most.
For graduate earnings in general legal studies, no school beat The Santa Barbara And Ventura Colleges Of Law At Ventura this year. Set in the city of Ventura, The Santa Barbara And Ventura Colleges Of Law At Ventura is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the general legal studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $84,141.
University Of California Berkeley produces some of the highest-paid graduates in general legal studies, landing the #2 spot this year. 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.
University Of La Verne came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying general legal studies schools. Set in the suburb of La Verne, University Of La Verne is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, general legal studies degree recipients from University Of La Verne typically earn about $61,433 annually.
A rank of #4 makes University Of California Santa Cruz one of the highest-paying schools for general legal studies. Set in the city of Santa Cruz, University Of California Santa Cruz is a public institution. After graduating, general legal studies degree recipients from University Of California Santa Cruz typically earn about $62,817 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in general legal studies will find them at Trinity Law School, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Santa Ana, Trinity Law School is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the general legal studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $47,750.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their general legal studies graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 5 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.