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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Legal Research

154 Ranked Colleges
5,581 Degrees Awarded
$68,162 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Legal Research Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Legal Research is the 114th most popular major in the country with 6,874 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, legal research graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $66,544 and had an average of $26,000 in loans still to pay off.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 5,581 legal research graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major” ranking analyzed 154 colleges that offered a degree in legal research. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in legal research.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major”.

1
California Western crest
California Western School of Law
San Diego, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Western School of Law. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major. California Western School of Law is located in San Diego, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 103 masters’s legal research degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Legal Research at California Western

2

Out of the 154 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of New Hampshire - Franklin Pierce School of Law landed the #2 spot on the list. UNH Franklin Pierce is a public institution located in Concord, New Hampshire. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Legal Research at University of New Hampshire - Franklin Pierce School of Law

3
Thomas Jefferson School of Law crest
Thomas Jefferson School of Law
San Diego, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Thomas Jefferson School of Law. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major. Thomas Jefferson School of Law is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 9 masters’s legal research degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Legal Research at Thomas Jefferson School of Law

4
Albany Law crest
Albany Law School
Albany, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Albany Law School. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major. Albany Law is a small school located in Albany, New York that handed out 26 masters’s legal research degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Albany Law Legal Research Report

5
National Paralegal College crest
National Paralegal College
Phoenix, Arizona

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend National Paralegal College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major. National Paralegal College is a private for-profit institution located in Phoenix, Arizona. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full National Paralegal College Legal Research Report

6
VLS crest
Vermont Law School
South Royalton, Vermont

Vermont Law School did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking, coming in at #6. Located in South Royalton, Vermont, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 24 degrees to qualified masters’s legal research students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Vermont Law School Legal Research Report

7

University of California - Hastings College of Law came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking. UC Hastings is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Legal Research at University of California - Hastings College of Law

8

Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking, coming in at #8. WMU-Cooley Law School is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 26 masters’s legal research degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Legal Research at Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School

9
WUSTL crest
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

Washington University in St Louis came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking. WUSTL is a fairly large school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 279 masters’s legal research degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Legal Research at Washington University in St Louis

10
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking. This large school is located in Washington, District of Columbia, and it awarded 315 masters’s legal research degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Legal Research at Georgetown University

11
Pepperdine crest
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

Pepperdine University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking. Pepperdine is a fairly large school located in Malibu, California that handed out 139 masters’s legal research degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Pepperdine University Legal Research Report

12
St. Mary's crest
St. Mary's University
San Antonio, Texas

St. Mary’s University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking. Located in San Antonio, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 41 degrees to qualified masters’s legal research students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Legal Research at St. Mary’s University

13
Brooklyn Law crest
Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn, New York

With a ranking of #13, Brooklyn Law School did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major list. Brooklyn Law School is a small school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 13 masters’s legal research degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Legal Research at Brooklyn Law

14

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking. University of Oklahoma is a large school located in Norman, Oklahoma that handed out 209 masters’s legal research degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Legal Research at University of Oklahoma

15
Seton Hall crest
Seton Hall University
South Orange, New Jersey

Seton Hall University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking. Located in South Orange, New Jersey, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 76 diplomas to qualified masters’s legal research students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Legal Research at Seton Hall

16
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

With a ranking of #16, Wake Forest University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major list. Wake Forest University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It awarded 63 masters’s legal research degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Legal Research at Wake Forest University

17
Loyola Chicago crest
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 116 diplomas to qualified masters’s legal research students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Legal Research at Loyola University Chicago

18
STU crest
St. Thomas University
Miami Gardens, Florida

St. Thomas University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking. STU is a medium-sized school located in Miami Gardens, Florida that handed out 19 masters’s legal research degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Legal Research at St. Thomas University

19
Loyola New Orleans crest
Loyola University New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana

Loyola University New Orleans landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking. Loyola New Orleans is located in New Orleans, Louisiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 masters’s legal research degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Legal Research at Loyola New Orleans

19
New York Law School crest
New York Law School
New York, New York

New York Law School did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking, coming in at #19. Located in New York, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 degrees to qualified masters’s legal research students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Legal Research at New York Law School

21
The American University crest
American University
Washington, District of Columbia

American University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking, coming in at #21. The American University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 87 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full American University Legal Research Report

22
Hamline crest
Hamline University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Hamline University ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major list. This small school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 21 masters’s legal research degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Legal Research at Hamline University

23
Lewis and Clark College crest
Lewis & Clark College
Portland, Oregon

Lewis & Clark College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major list. Portland, Oregon is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s legal research degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Legal Research at Lewis & Clark College

24
University of Tulsa crest
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma

University of Tulsa came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking. This small school is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and it awarded 21 masters’s legal research degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Legal Research at University of Tulsa

25

University of Maryland - Baltimore landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Legal Research Major ranking. UMB is a medium-sized school located in Baltimore, Maryland that handed out 43 masters’s legal research degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full University of Maryland - Baltimore Legal Research Report

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