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2027 Best Value Legal Research Schools in New York

9 Colleges in the United States
$23,176 Avg Student Debt
$81,569 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2027 Best Value Legal Research Badge [Legal Research](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/legal-research/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong legal research education at a price that pays off.

For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for legal research students.

What’s on this page:

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in legal research, balancing cost against outcomes.

1

Leading the list is Columbia University In The City Of New York, our #1 best value for legal research in New York. Set in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,517. Typical student debt for legal research graduates is $23,258. Early-career legal research graduates make about $175,901. Set against $23,258 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.

2

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Cornell University earned it the #2 place for legal research. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,314. Typical student debt for legal research graduates is $15,005. Legal Research graduates of Cornell University earn a median of $75,976 early in their careers. Set against $15,005 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.

3

St Johns University New York came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value legal research schools. Set in the city of Queens, St Johns University New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,529. Typical student debt for legal research graduates is $25,521. Soon after graduation, legal research degree recipients from St Johns University New York generally make around $74,248. That is a strong return on a $25,521 median debt. The acceptance rate is 83%.

4

Pace University New York came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value legal research schools. Located in the city of New York, Pace University New York is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $53,510 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,656 to complete the legal research program here. Legal Research graduates of Pace University New York earn a median of $59,662 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,656 median debt. The acceptance rate is 76%.

5
Hofstra University crest
Hofstra University
Hempstead, NY

Students looking for strong value in legal research will find it at Hofstra University, which ranked #5. Located in the suburb of Hempstead, Hofstra University is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $57,660 in tuition and fees. Legal Research graduates carry a median of $24,848 in student loans. Early-career legal research graduates make about $74,178. Set against $24,848 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Hofstra University admits about 68% of applicants.

6
New York University crest
New York University
New York, NY

New York University placed #6 among the best values for legal research. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $62,796. Legal Research graduates carry a median of $21,897 in student loans. Soon after graduation, legal research degree recipients from New York University generally make around $64,516. Set against $21,897 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. New York University admits about 9% of applicants.

7
Syracuse University crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY

Syracuse University earned the #7 position for value in legal research this year. Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Syracuse. In-state tuition and fees average $65,528. Typical student debt for legal research graduates is $26,130. Soon after graduation, legal research degree recipients from Syracuse University generally make around $54,785. Set against $26,130 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 46% of applicants are accepted.

8

Fordham University ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value legal research schools. Located in the city of Bronx, Fordham University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,470. Students borrow a median of $25,643 to complete the legal research program here. Early-career legal research graduates make about $82,764. That is a strong return on a $25,643 median debt. Fordham University admits about 59% of applicants.

9
Yeshiva University crest
Yeshiva University
New York, NY

Yeshiva University placed #9 among the best values for legal research. Set in the city of New York, Yeshiva University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $51,800. Students borrow a median of $20,625 to complete the legal research program here. Soon after graduation, legal research degree recipients from Yeshiva University generally make around $46,411. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 56%.

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Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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