10 Law Schools That Produce the Highest-Earning Graduates

Law school is expensive, but these institutions give you more bang for your buck after graduation.

School is expensive, so prospective law students want to know which schools have a reputation for producing graduates with high earning potential.

Whether you’re thinking about attending law school or just curious about a legal career, these are the schools that excel in this area, according to the Florida law firm of Anidjar & Levine, which analyzed data from ABA-accredited schools.

10. Loyola University School of Law

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Location: Chicago, Illinois

Tuition: $25,345 (per semester)

On average, graduates of Loyola earn $110,658 annually four years after completing their education and $97,071 two years post-graduation.

Loyala’s famous alumni are a diverse bunch and include Gloria Allred, Robert Shapiro, and Joe Escalante of the punk band, The Vandals.

9. Seton Hall School of Law

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Location: Newark, New Jersey

Tuition: $32,510 per semester

Graduates of Seton Hall School of Law in Newark, New Jersey, secure the ninth-highest national salary at $115,233. Remarkably, the figure rises to the sixth-highest nationwide at $101,406 just two years after graduation.

Seton Hall has four centers focusing on intellectual property law, public interest law, health law, i social justice, and public policy. It has been consistently ranked as one of the top colleges in the U.S. by the “The Princeton Review.”

8. Boston University School of Law

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Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Tuition: $63,606 (full year)

Boston University School of Law alumni achieve a substantial average income of $118,134 four years after graduating. Even at the two-year mark following graduation, their earnings stand impressively at $96,829, ranking the school as the eighth highest nationwide.

The curriculum offers many programs including health law, intellectual property law, and tax law.

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

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Location: Gainesville, Florida

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

Graduates from the Fredric G. Levin College of Law achieve an average annual income of $125,265 four years after completing their studies and $96,183 two years post-graduation.

Fun fact — at least one of the school’s alumni has served in the Florida Supreme Court every year from 1940 to the present day. Another fun fact — the attorney the school is named for, Pensacola native Fred Levin, once won a settlement against the tobacco industry on behalf of the state of Florida that was worth $13 billion and netted his law firm a payout of $300 million.

6. School of Law at Santa Clara

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Location: $58,464 (full year)

Tuition: Santa Clara, California

On average, four years after graduation from Santa Clara, alumni from this institution enjoy an annual salary of $128,612. However, at the two-year post-completion mark, Santa Clara’s earnings stand as the lowest within the top ten, with an average of just $86,424.

Leon Panetta, the former director of the CIA, graduated from Santa Clara.

5. Georgetown University

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Location: Washington, D.C.

Tuition: $75,950

Taking the fifth spot is Georgetown University, situated in the heart of Washington, D.C. Graduates from this prestigious institution in the nation’s capital achieve an average annual income of $142,996 four years after completing their education. At the two-year post-graduation mark, their earnings average $118,650, underscoring the school’s commitment to preparing students for successful careers.

Famous alumni 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

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Location: New York, New York

Tuition: $76,290 per year

NYU School of Law alumni achieve an average salary of $183,529, marking the fourth-highest nationwide and surpassing the average among the top 150 highest-earning schools by an impressive 180%. Looking at the two-year post-graduation stage, this figure stands at $137,921.

Notable graduates of the school include Mario Cuomo, a former Governor of New York, Sonia Sotomayor, the current Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, and Eric Holder, who served as the United States Attorney General.

3. Duke University School of Law

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Location: Durham, North Carolina

Tuition: $74,100 per year

Duke University School of Law secures the third spot on the list, with its graduates enjoying an impressive average annual salary of $202,254 four years after earning their degrees. At the two-year post-graduation mark, alumni receive an average salary of $168,098, making it the second-highest nationwide for this stage of post-completion earnings.

Duke boasts alumni roster includes former U.S. President Richard Nixon.

2. Yale Law School

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Location: New Haven, Connecticut

Tuition: $71,540 per year

Yale graduates command an impressive annual salary of $204,668 four years after completing their studies. Additionally, two years after graduation, alumni continue to excel with average earnings of $132,032.

Yale has a rich history of notable alumni, including former U.S. Presidents Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton, as well as up to nine former U.S. Attorneys General.

1. Cornell Law School

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Location: Ithaca, New York

Tuition: $77,508 per year

Cornell is top dog in producing the highest-earning graduates in the country. On average, alumni make an impressive $249,283 per year just four years after graduating. This trend holds steady two years after graduation, with alumni earning an average of $172,867.

Cornell’s alumni network consists of several members of the US Congress, former Secretaries of State, and even the former president of the International Criminal Court.

For more of America’s top law schools, check out “10 Best Law Schools in the U.S., Ranked.”