by our College Data Analytics Team
[Legal Research](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/legal-research/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the early-career earnings of their legal research graduates.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose legal research graduates go on to earn the most.
Georgetown University earned the #1 spot for highest-paid legal research graduates in District of Columbia. Georgetown University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. After graduating, legal research degree recipients from Georgetown University typically earn about $169,366 annually.
George Washington University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying legal research schools. Set in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a private not-for-profit institution. Legal Research graduates of George Washington University earn a median of about $113,751 a year early in their careers.
American University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in legal research, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a private not-for-profit institution. Legal Research graduates of American University earn a median of about $98,927 a year early in their careers.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their legal research graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 3 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.