Legal Professions programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
College Factual analyzed 975 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best legal professions schools.
New York University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in legal professions. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Roughly 88% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 1,011 legal professions students who graduated with this degree at New York University in the most recent data year. Legal Professions graduates of New York University earn a median of $167,839 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $21,897 to complete this degree.
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Georgetown University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best legal professions schools. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Washington. About 95% of students finish within six years. Georgetown University awarded about 1,216 legal professions degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, legal professions degree recipients from Georgetown University generally make around $130,471. Students borrow a median of $16,483 to complete this degree.
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A rank of #3 makes University Of California Berkeley one of the top schools for legal professions. Set in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 93%. There were roughly 933 legal professions students who graduated with this degree at University Of California Berkeley in the most recent data year. Students who receive their legal professions degree from University Of California Berkeley earn around $60,144 in the first couple years of their career. University Of California Berkeley graduates carry a median of $13,723 in student loans.
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Students looking for a strong legal professions program will find one at University Of Pennsylvania, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Philadelphia, University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit institution. University Of Pennsylvania graduates 96% of students within six years. About 467 legal professions degrees were awarded at University Of Pennsylvania in the most recent year. Graduates of the legal professions program make about $104,212 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $16,155.
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Stanford University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in legal professions, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 92%. Stanford University awarded about 282 legal professions degrees in the most recent data year. Legal Professions graduates of Stanford University earn a median of $162,001 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $10,492.
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Cornell University earned the #6 position for legal professions this year. Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit university. About 95% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 400 legal professions students who graduated with this degree at Cornell University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their legal professions degree from Cornell University earn around $213,356 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $15,005 to complete this degree.
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Villanova University came in at #7 for legal professions this year. Set in the suburb of Villanova, Villanova University is a large private not-for-profit institution. About 92% of students finish within six years. About 278 legal professions degrees were awarded at Villanova University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, legal professions degree recipients from Villanova University generally make around $74,646. Villanova University graduates carry a median of $26,184 in student loans.
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University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earned the #8 position for legal professions this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Ann Arbor. The six-year graduation rate is 93%. There were roughly 356 legal professions students who graduated with this degree at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, legal professions degree recipients from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor generally make around $170,537. Typical student debt for the program is $19,137.
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Harvard University landed the #9 spot for legal professions this year. Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. Roughly 98% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 796 legal professions students who graduated with this degree at Harvard University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, legal professions degree recipients from Harvard University generally make around $175,880. Harvard University graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans.
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University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign placed #10 among the best legal professions schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Champaign. About 85% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 291 legal professions students who graduated with this degree at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign in the most recent data year. Legal Professions graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $84,855 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $20,778 to complete this degree.
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Boston University came in at #11 for legal professions this year. Located in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 89%. Boston University awarded about 517 legal professions degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their legal professions degree from Boston University earn around $113,736 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,232.
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University Of Chicago came in at #12 for legal professions this year. University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Roughly 96% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 281 legal professions degrees were awarded at University Of Chicago in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, legal professions degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $199,603. Students borrow a median of $15,854 to complete this degree.
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University Of Virginia Main Campus ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best legal professions schools. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Charlottesville. University Of Virginia Main Campus graduates 96% of students within six years. There were roughly 329 legal professions students who graduated with this degree at University Of Virginia Main Campus in the most recent data year. Students who receive their legal professions degree from University Of Virginia Main Campus earn around $204,216 in the first couple years of their career. University Of Virginia Main Campus graduates carry a median of $18,627 in student loans.
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Pennsylvania State University Main Campus came in at #14 for legal professions this year. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of University Park. The six-year graduation rate is 86%. About 406 legal professions degrees were awarded at Pennsylvania State University Main Campus in the most recent year.
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University Of Florida landed the #15 spot for legal professions this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Gainesville. Roughly 91% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 346 legal professions degrees were awarded at University Of Florida in the most recent year. Students who receive their legal professions degree from University Of Florida earn around $106,051 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $17,669 to complete this degree.
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Michigan State University placed #16 among the best legal professions schools. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public university. About 81% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 392 legal professions students who graduated with this degree at Michigan State University in the most recent data year. Legal Professions graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of $40,626 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $24,753.
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University Of California Davis ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best legal professions schools. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Davis. Roughly 86% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 289 legal professions degrees were awarded at University Of California Davis in the most recent year. Graduates of the legal professions program make about $85,816 in their early career. University Of California Davis graduates carry a median of $14,404 in student loans.
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Texas A And M University College Station placed #18 among the best legal professions schools. This very large public university is located in the city of College Station. The six-year graduation rate is 84%. About 850 legal professions degrees were awarded at Texas A And M University College Station in the most recent year. Graduates of the legal professions program make about $102,709 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $20,031 to complete this degree.
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Columbia University In The City Of New York placed #19 among the best legal professions schools. Set in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 96% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 896 legal professions degrees were awarded at Columbia University In The City Of New York in the most recent year. Students who receive their legal professions degree from Columbia University In The City Of New York earn around $131,149 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $23,258 to complete this degree.
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Illinois Institute Of Technology ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the best legal professions schools. Set in the city of Chicago, Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 336 legal professions students who graduated with this degree at Illinois Institute Of Technology in the most recent data year. Graduates of the legal professions program make about $73,249 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,774.
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Case Western Reserve University landed the #21 spot for legal professions this year. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Cleveland. About 87% of students finish within six years. About 247 legal professions degrees were awarded at Case Western Reserve University in the most recent year. Students who receive their legal professions degree from Case Western Reserve University earn around $70,183 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,106.
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Northwestern University placed #22 among the best legal professions schools. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 95%. About 648 legal professions degrees were awarded at Northwestern University in the most recent year. Students who receive their legal professions degree from Northwestern University earn around $129,782 in the first couple years of their career. Northwestern University graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans.
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University Of Minnesota Twin Cities landed the #23 spot for legal professions this year. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public school located in the city of Minneapolis. The six-year graduation rate is 85%. About 262 legal professions degrees were awarded at University Of Minnesota Twin Cities in the most recent year. Students who receive their legal professions degree from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earn around $77,642 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $21,577 to complete this degree.
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The University Of Texas At Austin came in at #24 for legal professions this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Austin. The University Of Texas At Austin graduates 89% of students within six years. About 431 legal professions degrees were awarded at The University Of Texas At Austin in the most recent year. Legal Professions graduates of The University Of Texas At Austin earn a median of $103,039 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $21,275 to complete this degree.
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Vanderbilt University placed #25 among the best legal professions schools. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Nashville. About 94% of students finish within six years. Vanderbilt University awarded about 215 legal professions degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the legal professions program make about $156,307 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $13,975 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in legal professions from Vanderbilt University
Rest of the Top 50 Legal Professions Schools
Not far behind, these schools also delivered a strong legal professions education:
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 975 schools evaluated.
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).
