by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 13 U.S. colleges awarded 110 degrees and certificates in Intellectual Property Law. College Factual ranks 4 schools in its 2027 Best Intellectual Property Law Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $78,306 one year after completing, rising to $107,082 after four years.
Studying Intellectual Property Law involves the study of Intellectual Property Law. An Advanced, Professional Study Of The Law, Policies, And Regulations Related To Copyrights, Patents, Trademarks, Trade Secrets, And Related Issues. Includes Instruction In Patent Law, Copyright Law, Trademark Law, Intellectual Property Licensing And Litigation, And Applications Such As Art And Entertainment Law, Communications Law, Information Technology Law, Sports Law, And Chemical And Biotech Patent Law. Examples: [Intellectual Property Law ( Ll.m.)], [Intellectual Property Law (J.s.d./s.j.d.)].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, intellectual property law draws strong interest, with 110 degrees awarded annually. 13 colleges award intellectual property law degrees, an average of 8 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 23.
All 110 of the awards are master’s degrees, the only level colleges reported.
Women earned 64% of intellectual property law degrees and certificates in the latest year (71 of 110). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (17) and Hispanic or Latino (5), and international students earned 73.
College Factual ranks 4 schools in its 2027 Best Intellectual Property Law Schools ranking, including 4 for master’s degrees. In all, 13 colleges offer intellectual property law programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Intellectual Property Law Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
O*NET rates Speaking the most important skill for jobs related to intellectual property law, at 4.6 out of 5. The key knowledge areas are Law and Government, English Language and Education and Training. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an intellectual property law degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 110 |
First professional degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to intellectual property law, at 43.2%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| First professional degree | 43.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 40.6% |
| Master’s degree | 13.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.9% |
Source: O*NET Online.
2 occupations are related to Intellectual Property Law, with an average median salary of $82,454; the strongest outlook belongs to Lawyers, at 2.6% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Legal Writing Professor, Media Law Faculty Member, Adjunct Instructor and Law Adjunct Professor.
The occupation related to intellectual property law with the most projected jobs is Law Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,017,747.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,017,747 | -2.9% |
| Lawyers | 155,305 | 2.6% |
Intellectual Property Law graduates earn a median $78,306 one year after completing their program, $107,082 after four years and $107,285 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $78,306 |
| 4 years | $107,082 |
| 5 years | $107,285 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to intellectual property law, with a median salary of $91,726.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,726 |
| Lawyers | $73,181 |
Intellectual Property Law has 19 similar majors in the Legal Professions field, which together award 12,068 degrees a year; the largest are Advanced Legal Research/Studies, General (5,066), Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies, Other (1,551) and Programs for Foreign Lawyers (1,380). Browse all Legal Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
