2026 Best Value Legal Professions Schools in Washington

[Legal Professions](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong legal professions education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 20 schools to find the best return on investment for legal professions students.
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2026 Best Value Legal Professions Schools in Washington
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in legal professions, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Legal Professions Schools
Spokane Community College earned the #1 spot for value among legal professions schools in Washington. Spokane Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Spokane. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,461, compared with $6,612 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,486 to complete the legal professions program here. Early-career legal professions graduates make about $39,679. Set against $16,486 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Tacoma Community College earned it the #2 place for legal professions. Set in the city of Tacoma, Tacoma Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,507, while out-of-state students pay about $11,646. Students borrow a median of $14,850 to complete the legal professions program here. Early-career legal professions graduates make about $50,681. That is a strong return on a $14,850 median debt.
University Of Washington Tacoma Campus came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value legal professions schools. Located in the city of Tacoma, University Of Washington Tacoma Campus is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,168, with out-of-state students paying around $43,404. Typical student debt for legal professions graduates is $17,383. Early-career legal professions graduates make about $39,558. Set against $17,383 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in legal professions will find it at Highline Community College, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of Des Moines, Highline Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,772, while out-of-state students pay about $5,332. Legal Professions graduates carry a median of $8,958 in student loans. Soon after graduation, legal professions degree recipients from Highline Community College generally make around $55,459. Set against $8,958 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in legal professions will find it at Edmonds Community College, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Lynnwood, Edmonds Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,810, with out-of-state students paying around $10,875. Students borrow a median of $19,501 to complete the legal professions program here. Legal Professions graduates of Edmonds Community College earn a median of $42,668 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus came in at #6 for value in legal professions this year. University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Seattle. In-state tuition and fees average $12,973, compared with $43,209 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,383 to complete the legal professions program here. Early-career legal professions graduates make about $52,016. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 39% of applicants are accepted.
Seattle University came in at #7 for value in legal professions this year. Set in the city of Seattle, Seattle University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $56,721. Legal Professions graduates carry a median of $22,289 in student loans. Soon after graduation, legal professions degree recipients from Seattle University generally make around $74,248. That is a strong return on a $22,289 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Gonzaga University earned the #8 position for value in legal professions this year. Gonzaga University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Spokane. In-state tuition and fees average $55,480. Typical student debt for legal professions graduates is $25,188. Early-career legal professions graduates make about $65,069. Set against $25,188 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
More Legal Professions Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 20 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.