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2026 Law School Rankings
What law graduates actually earn 10 months after graduation. Self-reported salary data from 148 ABA-accredited law schools—see the full earnings spectrum from 25th to 75th percentile for private sector and median public sector salaries.
Private sector = law firms & business. Public = government, clerkships, public interest.
Understanding Salary Data: Law graduate salaries often follow a "bimodal" pattern—many earn $60k–$90k at small firms while others earn $215k+ at large national firms. The median may not reflect what most graduates earn. Check the 25th–75th range for a clearer picture of earnings distribution.
| No. | Law School | State | Private 25th | Private Median | Private 75th | Public Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 151 | U. of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $225,000 | $225,000 | $225,000 | N/A |
| 152 | U. of Minnesota-Twin Cities | MN | $103,000 | $177,500 | $190,000 | $73,066 |
| 153 | U. of Mississippi | MS | $75,000 | $90,000 | $140,000 | $60,000 |
| 154 | U. of Missouri-Columbia | MO | $70,000 | $84,000 | $170,000 | $60,905 |
| 154 | U. of Missouri-Kansas City | MO | $72,000 | $79,500 | $120,000 | $60,000 |
| 156 | U. of Montana | MT | $68,250 | $80,000 | $85,000 | $72,000 |
| 157 | U. of N. Carolina-Chap. Hill | NC | $85,000 | $175,000 | $215,000 | $67,000 |
| 158 | U. of Nebraska-Lincoln | NE | $70,000 | $85,000 | $105,000 | $65,000 |
| 159 | U. of Nevada-Las Vegas | NV | $75,000 | $90,000 | $132,560 | $71,500 |
| 160 | U. of New Hampshire | NH | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 161 | U. of New Mexico | NM | $75,000 | $80,000 | $91,000 | $72,276 |
| 162 | U. of North Dakota | ND | $62,000 | $68,000 | $77,500 | $73,250 |
| 163 | U. of Notre Dame | IN | $165,000 | $215,000 | $215,000 | $70,346 |
| 164 | U. of Oklahoma | OK | $70,000 | $85,000 | $115,000 | $66,000 |
| 165 | U. of Oregon | OR | $72,000 | $85,000 | $120,000 | $73,000 |
| 166 | U. of Pennsylvania | PA | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 166 | U. of Pittsburgh | PA | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 168 | U. of Puerto Rico | PR | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 169 | U. of Richmond | VA | $85,000 | $111,500 | $123,112 | $68,905 |
| 170 | U. of San Diego | CA | $83,200 | $100,000 | $176,250 | $66,000 |
| 170 | U. of San Francisco | CA | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 172 | U. of South Carolina | SC | $71,500 | $90,000 | $137,750 | $63,000 |
| 173 | U. of South Dakota | SD | $55,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 | $66,000 |
| 174 | U. of Southern California | CA | $205,000 | $215,000 | $215,000 | $66,000 |
| 175 | U. of St. Thomas | MN | $73,500 | $91,250 | $130,000 | $66,190 |
| 176 | U. of Tennessee-Knoxville | TN | $87,500 | $150,000 | $185,000 | $67,000 |
| 177 | U. of Texas-Austin | TX | $200,000 | $225,000 | $225,000 | $73,591 |
| 178 | U. of the District of Columbia | DC | $74,300 | $100,000 | $150,000 | $72,750 |
| 179 | U. of the Pacific (McGeorge) | CA | $80,000 | $95,928 | $105,000 | $88,000 |
| 180 | U. of Toledo | OH | $67,500 | $80,000 | $92,500 | $68,248 |
| 181 | U. of Tulsa | OK | $60,000 | $75,000 | $90,000 | $59,107 |
| 182 | U. of Utah (SJ Quinney) | UT | $90,000 | $120,000 | $165,000 | $80,000 |
| 183 | U. of Virginia | VA | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 184 | U. of Washington | WA | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 185 | U. of Wisconsin-Madison | WI | $75,000 | $100,000 | $180,000 | $62,400 |
| 186 | U. of Wyoming | WY | $66,000 | $75,000 | $87,000 | $61,000 |
| 187 | UNT Dallas College of Law | TX | $72,500 | $95,000 | $139,000 | $80,000 |
| 188 | Valparaiso University | IN | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 189 | Vanderbilt University | TN | $185,000 | $215,000 | $215,000 | $69,107 |
| 190 | Vermont Law School | VT | $85,000 | $100,000 | $125,000 | $60,500 |
| 191 | Villanova University | PA | $85,000 | $110,000 | $190,000 | $64,431 |
| 192 | Wake Forest University | NC | $90,000 | $135,000 | $190,000 | $62,800 |
| 193 | Washburn University | KS | $70,000 | $77,500 | $90,000 | $67,500 |
| 194 | Washington and Lee U. | VA | $100,000 | $170,000 | $215,000 | $70,000 |
| 195 | Washington U. in St Louis | MO | $180,000 | $205,000 | $215,000 | $65,607 |
| 196 | Wayne State U. | MI | $85,000 | $135,000 | $150,000 | $55,000 |
| 197 | West Virginia U. | WV | $70,000 | $80,000 | $100,000 | $69,085 |
| 198 | Western Michigan (Cooley) | MI | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 199 | Western New England | MA | $65,500 | $80,000 | $95,000 | $71,500 |
| 200 | Western State University | CA | $80,000 | $95,000 | $110,000 | $96,500 |
This data represents self-reported starting salaries for the Class of 2023 measured approximately 10 months after graduation (spring 2024). These figures reflect what graduates were earning at that point—not immediate offers or current salaries.
| Column | What It Represents |
|---|---|
| Private 25th / Median / 75th | The 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile salaries for graduates working in private law firms or business/industry roles. A wide gap (e.g., $85k to $215k) indicates the school places students in two distinct markets. |
| Public Median | The median salary for graduates working in government jobs, judicial clerkships, or non-profit public interest organizations. |
Bimodal Distribution: For many schools, law graduate salaries follow a "bimodal" pattern. Graduates often cluster into two groups: those earning $60k–$90k (small/regional firms) and those earning $215k+ (large national firms). Very few graduates actually earn the median figure. The 25th–75th percentile range provides a more accurate picture of the earnings distribution.
Data Reliability: Salary figures depend on the percentage of graduates who reported their earnings. Schools with low reporting rates may have less reliable data, potentially skewed toward high earners.
Exclusions: Jobs classified as "JD advantage" (positions where a JD is helpful but bar admission is not required) have been excluded from these figures.
ILRG designates this analysis as the 2026 Law School Rankings because it is built for applicants planning to start law school in fall 2026. The rankings rely on the ABA's most recent 509 disclosures (released December 2025), which report the fall 2025 entering class, 2024 bar passage, and 2024 employment outcomes.
Source: Data compiled from ABA 509 disclosures and information released publicly by the law schools. Next Release: December 2026.