by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Patent Law covers An Advanced, Professional Study Of The Law, Policies, And Regulations Affecting Patents. Examples: [Patent Law], [Patent Prosecution]. Read on to learn the essential details every patent law student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering patent law programs.
Our 2026 Best Patent Law Schools ranking analyzes these 1 schools to determine the best overall colleges for patent law students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of patent law programs later in this article.
Programs in Patent Law develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations patent law graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a patent law program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a patent law major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
People currently working in careers related to patent law tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| 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% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in patent law careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying patent law prepares you for many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to patent law.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to patent law.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,017,747 | -2.9% |
| Lawyers | 155,305 | 2.6% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of patent law graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $78,306 |
| 4 years | $93,383 |
| 5 years | $107,509 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for patent law graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers patent law grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,726 |
| Lawyers | $73,181 |
With 1 different patent law programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased patent law school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in patent law, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
