10 Law Schools With the Highest-Earning Graduates

Law school can be a major financial commitment, so many prospective students want to know which institutions have a strong record of producing graduates with high earning potential. Salary outcomes are not the only factor to consider when choosing a law school, but they can help applicants compare the long-term value of a legal education.

According to an analysis by the Florida law firm Anidjar & Levine using data from ABA-accredited law schools, the following institutions stand out for graduate earnings. The rankings below focus on average alumni salaries four years after graduation, with additional two-year post-graduation salary figures included for context.

10. Loyola University School of Law

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Tuition: $25,345 per semester

Graduates of Loyola University School of Law earn an average annual salary of $110,658 four years after completing their legal education. Two years after graduation, alumni report average earnings of $97,071.

Located in Chicago, Loyola has produced a wide range of notable alumni across law, politics, media, and entertainment. Its graduates include attorney Gloria Allred, attorney Robert Shapiro, and Joe Escalante of the punk band The Vandals.

9. Seton Hall School of Law

Location: Newark, New Jersey

Tuition: $32,510 per semester

Seton Hall School of Law graduates earn an average salary of $115,233 four years after graduation, placing the Newark-based law school ninth on this list. At the two-year post-graduation mark, alumni earnings average $101,406.

Seton Hall offers academic centers and programs focused on areas such as intellectual property law, public interest law, health law, social justice, and public policy. The school has also been recognized by The Princeton Review among notable colleges in the United States.

8. Boston University School of Law

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Tuition: $63,606 per year

Boston University School of Law ranks eighth for graduate earning potential. Four years after graduation, alumni earn an average annual income of $118,134. Two years after graduation, their average salary is $96,829.

The school offers a broad legal curriculum with programs in areas including health law, intellectual property law, and tax law. Its location in Boston also places students in one of the country’s major legal and academic centers.

7. University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law

Location: Gainesville, Florida

Tuition: $21,803 in-state and $38,039 out-of-state per semester

Graduates of the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law earn an average annual salary of $125,265 four years after finishing their studies. At the two-year post-graduation point, alumni earn an average of $96,183.

The school has a long history of influence in Florida’s legal community. At least one of its alumni has served on the Florida Supreme Court every year from 1940 to the present. The college is named for Fred Levin, a Pensacola attorney known for helping secure a major tobacco settlement on behalf of the state of Florida.

6. Santa Clara University School of Law

Location: Santa Clara, California

Tuition: $58,464 per year

Santa Clara University School of Law graduates earn an average annual salary of $128,612 four years after graduation. Two years after completing their studies, alumni earn an average of $86,424, which is the lowest two-year salary figure among the top ten schools on this list.

Santa Clara’s location in California gives students access to a major regional legal market. One of its best-known alumni is Leon Panetta, the former director of the CIA.

5. Georgetown University Law Center

Location: Washington, D.C.

Tuition: $75,950 per year

Georgetown University Law Center ranks fifth among law schools with high-earning graduates. Located in Washington, D.C., the school’s alumni earn an average annual income of $142,996 four years after graduation. Two years after graduation, average earnings are $118,650.

Georgetown has a strong reputation in the nation’s capital and has produced many well-known alumni. Notable graduates include Michael Steele, former chairman of the Republican National Committee; news anchor Greta Conway Van Susteren; and “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie.

4. NYU School of Law

Location: New York, New York

Tuition: $76,290 per year

NYU School of Law alumni earn an average salary of $183,529 four years after graduation, placing the school fourth nationwide in this ranking. At the two-year post-graduation stage, alumni earn an average of $137,921.

The school has a long list of prominent graduates. Notable alumni include former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and former United States Attorney General Eric Holder.

3. Duke University School of Law

Location: Durham, North Carolina

Tuition: $74,100 per year

Duke University School of Law takes the third spot, with graduates earning an average annual salary of $202,254 four years after receiving their degrees. Two years after graduation, alumni report average earnings of $168,098, the second-highest two-year figure in this ranking.

Duke Law is known for producing graduates who go on to influential roles in law, government, and public service. Its alumni roster includes former U.S. President Richard Nixon.

2. Yale Law School

Location: New Haven, Connecticut

Tuition: $71,540 per year

Yale Law School graduates earn an average annual salary of $204,668 four years after completing their legal education. Two years after graduation, alumni earn an average of $132,032.

Yale has one of the most prominent alumni networks in American legal education. Its graduates include former U.S. Presidents Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton, along with multiple former U.S. Attorneys General.

1. Cornell Law School

Location: Ithaca, New York

Tuition: $77,508 per year

Cornell Law School ranks first for producing the highest-earning law graduates in this analysis. Four years after graduation, alumni earn an average annual salary of $249,283. The school also leads at the two-year post-graduation mark, with alumni earning an average of $172,867.

Cornell’s alumni network includes members of the U.S. Congress, former Secretaries of State, and a former president of the International Criminal Court. For students comparing law schools by salary outcomes, Cornell stands at the top of this ranking for graduate earning potential.