Report outlines what to expect in terms of law school expense

Entering into a career in law can be satisfying and lucrative, but there are some unavoidable upfront costs that come with getting the education you need to succeed in this field.

The costs of attending law school can intimidate plenty of prospective students, or put them off altogether.

Thankfully an up-to-date look at law school cost considerations put together by the experts at Crush The LSAT will help you get a handle on what to expect in terms of expense in 2020. Here is a quick overview of the findings to bring you up to speed.

Average costs

While averages only give you a rough idea of what it costs to go to law school, since there can be significant variables depending on the prestige of the institution in question, this is still a good starting point.

A typical public law school charged fees of $27,591 to students for the year of 2018-19, equating to a total cost of $82,773 for those who aim to complete a three year course at the more affordable end of the spectrum.

Annual private law school costs are significantly higher, sitting at $48,869 and tallying up to $146,607 for the full course.

As you can see, there is already a significant distinction between public and private institutions, which may sway your application decisions. However, there are a whole host of other factors at play, and you may want to consider the cost of law school as an investment in your own future success, in which case higher fees may be easier to justify.

School distinctions

The report also ranks the best law schools in terms of the quality of the education they offer to students according to the American Bar Association. It is interesting to see that the most expensive schools are not necessarily the top ranked.

For example, Yale sits on the highest rung in the league tables, yet with fees of $64,267 annually, it is cheaper to attend on paper than fifth place Columbia, which charges $69,916 for a year of tuition.

The most affordable school in the top 20 is the University of California at Los Angeles, coming in at 15th place and charging $52,094 to its students. Such considerations should certainly be high on your list of priorities for anyone hoping to apply.

Salary expectations

This is perhaps the most important aspect to keep in mind, since attending an expensive law school will not be a problem if your subsequent career earnings are easily able to accommodate and eclipse the debt you build up.

The report looks at the ratios of earnings to the debt students accrue, with law schools once again ranked for convenience. Howard University comes out ahead of its rivals here, with a ratio of 2:35 to 1, just beating out Boston College in second place and the University of Texas in third.

Other costs

The report finally delves into the aspects of law school which will generate costs for students on top of the basic tuition fees. This includes room and board, which might increase annual expenditure by $20,000 depending on the school and the state, as well as books which can cost $1,000 annually on their own.
There are lots of ways to make savings and avoid costs when attending law school suggested in the study, including opting for a public school to minimize tuition fees and applying for financial aid if you qualify for this kind of support.

Other considerations, such as the innovations made by some schools in terms of the way law is taught, could also sway your decision. Ultimately you need to use the data available to find the right school for you.