10 Law Schools Where You Can Pay Off Your Debt
Most law school grads have a high debt load.
Many law students depend on student loans to fund their legal education. According to data that 180 ranked law schools reported to U.S. News, law students from the class of 2018 incurred an average debt of about $110,137. But law school grads can offset these high debt loads with a high salary. Here are the top 10 law schools where full-time 2018 grads who borrowed for law school and entered the private sector had the highest salary-to-debt ratio.
University of Michigan--Ann Arbor
U.S. News law school rank: 9 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2018): $190,000
Average debt (2018): $126,425
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.5-to-1
Learn more about Michigan Law School.
Boston College
U.S. News law school rank: 31 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2018): $190,000
Average debt (2018): $117,291
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.62-to-1
Learn more about Boston College Law School.
Boston University
U.S. News law school rank: 20
Starting median private salary (2018): $180,000
Average debt (2018): $110,365
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.63-to-1
Learn more about the BU School of Law.
Washington University in St. Louis
U.S. News law school rank: 17
Starting median private salary (2018): $170,000
Average debt (2018): $101,283
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.68-to-1
Learn more about the WUSTL School of Law.
George Mason University (VA)
U.S. News law school rank: 42 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2018): $128,423
Average debt (2018): $74,106
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.73-to-1
Learn more about Antonin Scalia Law School.
University of Texas--Austin
U.S. News law school rank: 16
Starting median private salary (2018): $190,000
Average debt (2018): $109,189
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.74-to-1
Learn more about the UT--Austin School of Law.
Northeastern University (MA)
U.S. News law school rank: 67 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2018): $105,000
Average debt (2018): $59,369
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.77-to-1
Learn more about Northeastern University School of Law.
Wayne State University (MI)
U.S. News law school rank: 83 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2018): $105,000
Average debt (2018): $55,545
Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.89-to-1
Learn more about Wayne State University Law School.
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
U.S. News law school rank: 76 (tie)
Starting median private salary (2018): $111,000
Average debt (2018): $55,186
Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.01-to-1
Learn more about Rutgers Law School.
Brigham Young University (Clark) (UT)
U.S. News law school rank: 37
Starting median private salary (2018): $120,000
Average debt (2018): $56,395
Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.13-to-1
Learn more about the J. Reuben Clark Law School.
Learn more about paying for law school.
Find out how to attend law school for free by winning a full scholarship, and discover how the price of law school compares to the payoff. Explore the 2021 U.S. News Best Law Schools rankings, and figure out which law school is the best fit for you.
See the 10 law schools where salary-to-debt ratios are highest.
-- Brigham Young University (Clark): 2.13-to-1
-- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey: 2.01-to-1
-- Wayne State University: 1.89-to-1
-- Northeastern University: 1.77-to-1
-- University of Texas--Austin: 1.74-to-1
-- George Mason University: 1.73-to-1
-- Washington University in St. Louis: 1.68-to-1
-- Boston University: 1.63-to-1
-- Boston College: 1.62-to-1
-- University of Michigan--Ann Arbor: 1.5-to-1
