by our College Data Analytics Team
[Law](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/law/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The schools below stand out for the salaries their law graduates go on to command.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 31 schools to find where law graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose law graduates go on to earn the most.
Stanford University tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying law schools in the Far Western Region. Set in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career law graduates from Stanford University make a median of around $289,230 per year.
University Of California Berkeley produces some of the highest-paid graduates in law, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a public institution. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $188,806.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Southern California earned it the #3 place for law. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $199,180.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of California Los Angeles earned it the #4 place for law. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a public institution. After graduating, law degree recipients from University Of California Los Angeles typically earn about $172,729 annually.
A rank of #5 makes University Of California Hastings College Of Law one of the highest-paying schools for law. University Of California Hastings College Of Law is a public school located in the city of San Francisco. Law graduates of University Of California Hastings College Of Law earn a median of about $147,936 a year early in their careers.
University Of California Irvine came in at #6 for law graduate earnings this year. University Of California Irvine is a public school located in the city of Irvine. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $136,056.
University Of San Diego earned the #7 position for law graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of San Diego, University Of San Diego is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career law graduates from University Of San Diego make a median of around $130,132 per year.
Santa Clara University came in at #8 for law graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Santa Clara, Santa Clara University is a private not-for-profit institution. Law graduates of Santa Clara University earn a median of about $135,208 a year early in their careers.
University Of California Davis placed #9 among the highest-paying schools for law. Located in the suburb of Davis, University Of California Davis is a public institution. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $120,830.
Loyola Marymount University came in at #10 for law graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University is a private not-for-profit institution. Law graduates of Loyola Marymount University earn a median of about $122,746 a year early in their careers.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus placed #11 among the highest-paying schools for law. University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a public school located in the city of Seattle. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $112,445.
Chapman University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying law schools. Chapman University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Orange. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $115,598.
University Of La Verne earned the #13 position for law graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of La Verne, University Of La Verne is a private not-for-profit institution. Law graduates of University Of La Verne earn a median of about $90,063 a year early in their careers.
University Of Nevada Las Vegas came in at #14 for law graduate earnings this year. University Of Nevada Las Vegas is a public school located in the city of Las Vegas. Early-career law graduates from University Of Nevada Las Vegas make a median of around $107,314 per year.
University Of The Pacific earned the #15 position for law graduate earnings this year. University Of The Pacific is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Stockton. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $103,883.
Southwestern Law School earned the #16 position for law graduate earnings this year. Southwestern Law School is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $114,121.
Humphreys College Stockton And Modesto Campuses came in at #17 for law graduate earnings this year. Humphreys College Stockton And Modesto Campuses is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Stockton. Early-career law graduates from Humphreys College Stockton And Modesto Campuses make a median of around $83,296 per year.
Seattle University ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying law schools. Set in the city of Seattle, Seattle University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career law graduates from Seattle University make a median of around $96,708 per year.
University Of Hawaii At Manoa came in at #19 for law graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Honolulu, University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a public institution. Early-career law graduates from University Of Hawaii At Manoa make a median of around $91,552 per year.
California Western School Of Law ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying law schools. Located in the city of San Diego, California Western School Of Law is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career law graduates from California Western School Of Law make a median of around $104,380 per year.
Willamette University came in at #21 for law graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Salem, Willamette University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $90,169.
University Of Oregon ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying law schools. Located in the city of Eugene, University Of Oregon is a public institution. After graduating, law degree recipients from University Of Oregon typically earn about $95,796 annually.
University Of San Francisco came in at #23 for law graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of San Francisco, University Of San Francisco is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career law graduates from University Of San Francisco make a median of around $75,635 per year.
Gonzaga University earned the #24 position for law graduate earnings this year. Gonzaga University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Spokane. Law graduates of Gonzaga University earn a median of about $89,280 a year early in their careers.
Golden Gate University San Francisco came in at #25 for law graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of San Francisco, Golden Gate University San Francisco is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $100,773.
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s highest-paid law ranking:
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their law graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 31 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.