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2023 Most Popular Master’s Degree Colleges for Legal Professions in California

25 Ranked Colleges
995 Degrees Awarded
$72,392 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master's

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

Across California, there were 7,816 legal professions graduates with average earnings and debt of $61,809 and $19,221 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 995 legal professions graduates with average earnings and debt of $62,974 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s” ranking analyzed 25 colleges that offered 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.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 in California for a Master’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

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

1
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Southern California. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 215 degrees to qualified masters’s legal professions students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Legal Professions at USC

2
Pepperdine crest
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Pepperdine University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s. Pepperdine University is a fairly large school located in Malibu, California that handed out 139 masters’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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Legal Professions at Pepperdine University

3

Out of the 25 schools in the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school handed out 119 degrees to qualified masters’s legal professions students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 96%.

Full University of California - Berkeley Legal Professions Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Western School of Law. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s list. California Western is located in San Diego, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 103 masters’s legal professions degrees to qualified students.

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 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California Western School of Law Legal Professions Report

5
Trinity Law School crest
Trinity Law School
Santa Ana, California

Out of the 25 schools in the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Trinity Law School landed the #5 spot on the list. Trinity Law School is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Santa Ana, California. It awarded 72 masters’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.

Read more about Legal Professions at Trinity Law School

6

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s ranking. UCLA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 49 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%.

Full University of California - Los Angeles Legal Professions Report

7
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University of San Diego
San Diego, California

University of San Diego came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s ranking. University of San Diego is located in San Diego, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 42 masters’s legal professions degrees to qualified students.

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 USD

8

University of California - Davis landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s ranking. UC Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 34 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 UC Davis

9
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University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

University of San Francisco landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s ranking. USFCA is a fairly large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 32 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 full report on Legal Professions at University of San Francisco

10

University of California - Irvine ranked #10 on this year’s Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s list. UC Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 22 masters’s 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of California - Irvine Legal Professions Report

10

University of California - Hastings College of Law did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #10. University of California - Hastings College of Law 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.

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%.

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

12
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Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, California

Santa Clara University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s ranking. Santa Clara University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Santa Clara, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 masters’s 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 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Legal Professions at SCU

13
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Chapman University
Orange, California

Chapman University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s ranking. Chapman is a medium-sized school located in Orange, California that handed out 15 masters’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 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%.

Full Chapman University Legal Professions Report

13
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s ranking. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 15 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Legal Professions at Stanford

15

With a ranking of #15, Golden Gate University - San Francisco did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s list. San Francisco, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s legal professions degrees to 14 students 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%.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Golden Gate University - San Francisco

15

The Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law at Ventura did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #15. The Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law at Ventura is a small school located in Ventura, California that handed out 14 masters’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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Ventura College of Law Legal Professions Report

17

Humphreys University - Stockton and Modesto Campuses did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #17. Humphreys University - Stockton and Modesto Campuses is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Stockton, California. It awarded 12 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Humphreys University - Stockton and Modesto Campuses

17
Abraham Lincoln University crest
Abraham Lincoln University
Los Angeles, California

Abraham Lincoln University ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s list. Abraham Lincoln University is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 masters’s legal professions degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Abraham Lincoln University

19
Empire College crest
Empire College
Santa Rosa, California

Empire College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Santa Rosa, California, this small private for-profit school handed out 11 degrees to qualified masters’s legal professions students in 2020-2021.

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.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Empire College

20
Pacific crest
University of the Pacific
Stockton, California

University of the Pacific did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #20. Pacific is a medium-sized school located in Stockton, California that handed out 9 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 Professions at Pacific

20
Thomas Jefferson School of Law crest
Thomas Jefferson School of Law
San Diego, California

Thomas Jefferson School of Law ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s list. San Diego, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s legal professions degrees to 9 students 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 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%.

Full Thomas Jefferson School of Law Legal Professions Report

20
Northcentral University crest
Northcentral University
San Diego, California

Northcentral University ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s list. Northcentral University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 9 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Northcentral University Legal Professions Report

23
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

Loyola Marymount University ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s list. Loyola Marymount University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 5 masters’s legal professions 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.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Loyola Marymount University

24
Southwestern Law School crest
Southwestern Law School
Los Angeles, California

Southwestern Law School came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s ranking. Southwestern Law School is a small school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 4 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

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. 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%.

Read full report on Legal Professions at Southwestern Law School

25

With a ranking of #25, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Legal Professions Major in California for a Master’s list. UCSD is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 0 masters’s legal professions degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Legal Professions at University of California - San Diego

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References

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