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Nick Beer/Shutterstock August 19, 2022 Holly Johnson writes expert content on personal finance, credit cards, loyalty and insurance topics. In addition to writing for Bankrate and CreditCards.com, Johnson does ongoing work for clients that include CNN, Forbes Advisor, LendingTree, Time Magazine and more. Chelsea has been with Bankrate since early 2020. She is invested in helping students navigate the high costs of college and breaking down the complexities of student loans. Bankrate logo The Bankrate promise
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You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey. Bankrate follows a strict , so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers. We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money. Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. No matter where you live and where you plan to study, the average cost of law school is high. In fact, many of the top institutions charge a sticker price over $70,000 per year for tuition and fees only, not including housing, books, supplies and transportation. Over the span of three years, the cost of law school can stretch well into six figures. Before pursuing a law degree, it’s important to understand how much you might be paying overall and how you can fund your education. What is the average cost of law school
Data from shows that in 2019, the average cost of tuition at a private law school came out to $49,312 per year. Out-of-state students at public law schools paid an average of $41,628, while in-state students were charged an average of $28,186 per academic year. Given that law school takes an average of three years to complete, it’s no secret that the average law student has a hefty amount of student debt upon graduation. What’s more, Law School Transparency shows that law school tuition has continued to increase year after year, even taking into account inflation. Fortunately, you don’t have to attend private school to earn a law degree, and there are plenty of schools that charge students considerably less. However, just like with undergraduate institutions, you can expect to pay considerably more if you decide to earn your degree from a top law school. The chart below lists tuition costs for some of the top law schools in the country. Keep in mind that these totals exclude additional costs, such as fees, books and supplies, housing, meals and health insurance. Law School Estimated Tuition (2022-23 Academic Year) Columbia Law School $75,572 Cornell Law School $74,098 Duke Law $71,100 Emory Law $63,600 Fordham University $68,156 Georgetown Law $71,996 New York Law School $58,820 Stanford Law School $64,350 University of Notre Dame $65,436 Vanderbilt Law School $66,696 How to pay for law school
Don’t let the cost of law school give you sticker-shock and stop you from achieving your goals. There are plenty of ways to finance your law degree, from scholarships and grants to need-based financial aid. Scholarships and grants
There are specific geared toward law students that can drastically reduce the total cost of attendance. Plus, many law schools offer their own school-based grants and scholarships. Keep in mind that, generally speaking, scholarships and grants do not need to be repaid. For that reason, law school students should strive to apply for as many scholarships and grants as possible. Students can search for specific awards with a or look for offerings from local bar associations, fraternities, sororities, social clubs, religious and business organizations and more. You may also qualify for scholarships and grants based on military service. Student loans
After applying for scholarships and other free aid, law students typically take out , which may include federal student loans, private student loans or both. Federal student loans come with fixed interest rates that aren’t based on creditworthiness, many hardship programs and alternative repayment plans. can come with both fixed and variable interest rates, though rates are tied to your credit score. Federal relief programs
Many loan forgiveness and repayment programs are available to law school graduates. For example, you may be able to repay your student loan debt on an that lets you pay a percentage of your discretionary income for 20 to 25 years before ultimately forgiving remaining student loan balances. If you plan to work for a nonprofit or in a government job, you could also explore requirements for , which lets applicants with eligible loans have their remaining balances forgiven after they make 120 on-time payments on an income-driven repayment plan. Is the cost of law school worth it
If you’re thinking of earning an advanced degree, the average cost of law school should be on your mind. However, the return on investment (ROI) of a law degree could very well make the hefty price tag worth it. On average, lawyers in the U.S. make nearly $150,000 annually, according to the . If you’re on the fence due to the costs, compare school costs and consider attending a public in-state school or an accredited online institution to cut down the cost of attendance. At the end of the day, a law degree is a prestigious honor and takes years of hard work and dedication. Regardless of costs or future salary, it’s always worth pursuing your passion; by maximizing financial aid and scholarships, you can further increase the ROI of a law degree. SHARE: Holly Johnson writes expert content on personal finance, credit cards, loyalty and insurance topics. In addition to writing for Bankrate and CreditCards.com, Johnson does ongoing work for clients that include CNN, Forbes Advisor, LendingTree, Time Magazine and more. Chelsea has been with Bankrate since early 2020. She is invested in helping students navigate the high costs of college and breaking down the complexities of student loans. Related Articles