Going to law school can be an expensive choice. When researching schools of interest, make sure that you carefully explore their cost of attendance (COA). This should include tuition & fees, books & supplies, room and board and transportation costs.
Law schools typically provide scholarships that support need- and merit-based scholarships to eligible students, which helps reduce law school costs significantly. This article will examine four primary components that influence law school costs:
Tuition
Tuition is the primary component of law school costs, but not the only consideration. Your total cost of attendance – which should include living expenses – should also be carefully evaluated in order to be eligible for financial aid packages and cover tuition and fees, housing and food costs, books/supplies purchased, transportation fees and personal expenses such as health insurance premiums/loan fees among many other things.
Most ABA-accredited law schools publish their tuition rates online; however, be mindful that tuition continues to rise steadily: historically speaking, law school tuition has seen an average five year increase of $4,8667 per student.
Application processes can add significantly to the costs of legal education. Beyond paying the $215 LSAT registration fee and $195 LSAC CAS Report fee, many schools impose their own application fees; in addition, applicants may seek professional coaching sessions in order to enhance their applications and increase chances of securing scholarships. Ultimately, each student needs to decide if this investment is worth incurring debt for.
Books
Law school requires a substantial financial and time investment. Luckily, there are ways to lower upfront tuition and living costs – from scholarships and application fee waivers to merit scholarships and part-time programs with reduced yearly costs.
Many students can cover the initial costs of law school through loans, grants and scholarships as well as employment income; it’s essential that a careful evaluation be conducted of return on investment since a legal degree may not hold as much value in some contexts than alternative forms of credentialing.
Law students spend a substantial amount on books. A professor from the University of Missouri estimated that students at his four law schools spent $80,000 annually on criminal procedure casebooks and supplements – a substantial cost for an area that does not change very often.
Living expenses
Law students need to consider other costs, such as living expenses, in addition to tuition expenses. Although living costs can add up quickly, they’re typically easier for law students to manage than tuition payments; living arrangements like school housing or roommates may help to keep costs manageable; additionally, many law schools have minimum housing requirements that prevent students from overspending on rent.
Tuition at American Bar Association-accredited law schools has seen an upward trend over the last decade, likely attributable to decreased student-faculty ratios, higher faculty salaries, new legal clinics and ambitious construction projects.
Law school tuition doesn’t always reflect its full “sticker price”, however; many students receive grants and scholarships that help reduce tuition. Scholarships tend to be merit-based and depend upon things such as undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) and LSAT scores as criteria. Students should always check their school’s ABA standard 509 information report to understand how much grant aid they can expect to receive.
Student loan debt
Law students face considerable student loan debt. Attending top schools, like Rutgers University or lesser-known ones like Boston University Law School can cost thousands in tuition and lead to low starting salaries; many borrowers also incur expensive loan interest rates; therefore it’s vitally important that before making their commitment to law degrees they conduct extensive research regarding employment outcomes, expected salaries in various legal specialties and alternative paths to practicing law.
While law school tuition continues to increase overall, tuition costs differ depending on state and institution. LawHub’s analysis of 195 ABA-approved schools found that in 2023 residents at public institutions paid on average $30,554 annually while nonresident students averaged $55,993.
Selecting an in-state tuition law school could save you thousands in tuition costs, yet be wary not to rush in with paying off loans too quickly, as an emergency fund and long-term savings goals such as retirement are essential parts of financial wellbeing.