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2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate

212 Ranked Colleges
36,426 Degrees Awarded
$65,077 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 61,055 people earned their degree in legal professions, making the major the 16th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, legal professions graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $47,649 and had an average of $28,699 in loans still to pay off.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 36,426 legal professions graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,260 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate” ranking, we looked at 212 colleges that offer a degree in legal professions. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular legal professions programs in the United States.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

The colleges and universities below are the best for doctor’s degree legal professions students.

1
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Out of the 212 schools in the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, Georgetown University landed the #1 spot on the list. Washington, District of Columbia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s legal professions degrees to 674 students 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Georgetown Legal Professions Report

2
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 601 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s legal professions students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Legal Professions at Harvard University

3
GWU crest
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend George Washington University. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate. George Washington University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 565 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read full report on Legal Professions at George Washington University

4
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

Out of the 212 schools in the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, New York University landed the #4 spot on the list. NYU is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 466 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read more about Legal Professions at New York University

5

Out of the 212 schools in the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 461 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s legal professions students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Columbia Legal Professions Report

6
The American University crest
American University
Washington, District of Columbia

American University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate ranking. American University is a fairly large school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 414 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full The American University Legal Professions Report

7

Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate ranking. This small school is located in Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 411 doctorate’s legal professions 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 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Legal Professions at WMU-Cooley Law School

8
Fordham U crest
Fordham University
Bronx, New York

Fordham University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate ranking. Fordham University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bronx, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 409 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Fordham University

9

With a ranking of #9, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate list. UT Austin is a large public school situated in Austin, Texas. It awarded 376 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%.

Full The University of Texas at Austin Legal Professions Report

10

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #10 on this year’s Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate list. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 364 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Legal Professions at U-M

11
Brooklyn Law crest
Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn Law School ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate list. Brooklyn Law is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Brooklyn, New York. It awarded 357 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%.

Full Brooklyn Law School Legal Professions Report

12
U Miami crest
University of Miami
Coral Gables, Florida

University of Miami did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #12. U Miami is a fairly large school located in Coral Gables, Florida that handed out 344 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Legal Professions at U Miami

12

With a ranking of #12, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate list. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 344 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, 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 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UCLA Legal Professions Report

14
Suffolk crest
Suffolk University
Boston, Massachusetts

Suffolk University ranked #14 on this year’s Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate list. Suffolk University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 340 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Suffolk University Legal Professions Report

15

University of California - Berkeley ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate list. University of California - Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 337 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about Legal Professions at UC Berkeley

16
Yeshiva crest
Yeshiva University
New York, New York

Yeshiva University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate ranking. Yeshiva University is a medium-sized school located in New York, New York that handed out 324 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Yeshiva University Legal Professions Report

17
Mitchell Hamline crest
Mitchell Hamline School of Law
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Mitchell Hamline School of Law did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #17. Mitchell Hamline School of Law is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 322 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Legal Professions at Mitchell Hamline School of Law

18
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #18. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a large school located in Charlottesville, Virginia that handed out 321 doctorate’s legal professions 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Legal Professions at University of Virginia

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

With a ranking of #19, New York Law School did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate list. New York Law School is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 308 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

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. 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%.

Full New York Law School Legal Professions Report

20
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

Loyola Marymount University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate ranking. Loyola Marymount University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 305 doctorate’s 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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Loyola Marymount Legal Professions Report

21
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

With a ranking of #21, Northwestern University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 296 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Legal Professions at Northwestern

22
Widener crest
Widener University
Chester, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #22, Widener University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate list. Widener University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chester, Pennsylvania. It awarded 288 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Legal Professions at Widener University

23

Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate ranking. This large school is located in Tempe, Arizona, and it awarded 286 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Legal Professions at ASU - Tempe

24

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school awarded 285 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s legal professions students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Legal Professions at University of Illinois at Chicago

25

University of California - Hastings College of Law came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate ranking. University of California - Hastings College of Law is a small school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 284 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Legal Professions at UC Hastings

25
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major for a Doctorate ranking. Emory University is a fairly large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 284 doctorate’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Emory

Not only did these schools make the top 31 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

27
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts
28
29
Hofstra crest
Hofstra University
Hempstead, New York
30
31
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
32
Stetson crest
Stetson University
DeLand, Florida

Notes and References

References

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