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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Legal Professions in the Great Lakes Region

20 Ranked Colleges
1,395 Degrees Awarded
$31,400 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master's in the Great Lakes Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.

Legal Professions is the 17th most popular major in the country with 61,993 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, legal professions graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $43,199 and had an average of $58,026 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 8,513 legal professions graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,584 and $54,966 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,395 legal professions graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,039 and $42,488 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking looked at 20 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in legal professions. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality legal professions programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the legal professions program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region.

#1

Purdue University Global

Indianapolis, Indiana
#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University Global. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region. Purdue University Global is a large public school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 55 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue University Global also made our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue University Global are $10,674, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Purdue University Global Legal Professions Report

#2

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Loyola University Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 152 degrees to qualified masters’s legal professions students in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago also made our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. Average graduate tuition and fees at Loyola University Chicago are $19,154, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Loyola University Chicago

#15 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lansing, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WMU-Cooley Law School, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School are $11,440.

Read more about Legal Professions at WMU-Cooley Law School

#14 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Springfield. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region. University of Illinois at Springfield is located in Springfield, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 masters’s legal professions degrees to qualified students.

UIS did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIS are $16,757, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Illinois at Springfield Legal Professions Report

#8 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s legal professions degrees to 39 students in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Madison are $25,523, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Legal Professions at University of Wisconsin - Madison

#6

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

DePaul University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. DePaul is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 49 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2019-2020.

DePaul did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at DePaul are $19,760.

Full DePaul University Legal Professions Report

#13 in overall quality

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s legal professions degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IUPUI, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis are $26,013, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

#9 in overall quality

Illinois Institute of Technology ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s legal professions degrees to 109 students in 2019-2020.

Illinois Tech also made our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois Institute of Technology are $30,695.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Illinois Institute of Technology

#9

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#10 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 43 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at IU Bloomington are $33,338, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Legal Professions at IU Bloomington

#19 in overall quality

University of Akron Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #10. This fairly large school is located in Akron, Ohio, and it awarded 8 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree legal professions students list, University of Akron Main Campus has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Akron Main Campus are $15,217, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Legal Professions at University of Akron Main Campus

#17 in overall quality

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. UC is a public institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree legal professions students list, UC has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus are $26,644.

Read more about Legal Professions at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

#12

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, Ohio
#20 in overall quality

Cleveland State University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Cleveland State University is a fairly large public school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 8 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cleveland State University, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cleveland State University are $17,622.

Read more about Legal Professions at Cleveland State University

#13

University of Toledo

Toledo, Ohio
#18 in overall quality

University of Toledo did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. University of Toledo is a fairly large public school situated in Toledo, Ohio. It awarded 10 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Toledo not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Toledo are $27,067, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Toledo Legal Professions Report

#14

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 21 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State also made our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Michigan State University are $37,056.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Michigan State University

#16 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #15. Ohio State is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 masters’s legal professions degrees to qualified students.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State are $37,141, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Legal Professions at Ohio State University - Main Campus

#16

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 40 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M also made our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #3. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at U-M are $49,548.

Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Legal Professions Report

#6 in overall quality

Case Western Reserve University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. Case Western is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 142 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Case Western did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Case Western Reserve University are $47,958.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Case Western

#18

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#4 in overall quality

University of Notre Dame did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 31 degrees to qualified masters’s legal professions students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree legal professions students list, Notre Dame has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Notre Dame are $57,522, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Notre Dame

#19

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Northwestern University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 366 degrees to qualified masters’s legal professions students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern University are $56,567.

Full Northwestern University Legal Professions Report

#20

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

University of Chicago ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Legal Professions Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 82 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Legal Professions Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UChicago are $61,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Legal Professions at UChicago

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

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