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2026 Best Value Non-Professional General Legal Studies Schools in District of Columbia

[Non-Professional General Legal Studies](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/general-legal-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong non-professional general legal studies education at a price that pays off.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for non-professional general legal studies students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Non-Professional General Legal Studies Schools in District of Columbia

2026 Best Value Non-Professional General Legal Studies Schools in District of Columbia

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the non-professional general legal studies degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Non-Professional General Legal Studies Schools

1

University Of The District Of Columbia
Washington, DC

$5,662 In-State Tuition & Fees

$40,750 Avg Student Debt

$44,236 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of The District Of Columbia tops our 2026 list of the best value non-professional general legal studies schools in District of Columbia. Set in the city of Washington, University Of The District Of Columbia is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,662, with out-of-state students paying around $12,514. Typical student debt for non-professional general legal studies graduates is $40,750. Non-Professional General Legal Studies graduates of University Of The District Of Columbia earn a median of $43,778 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

2

American University
Washington, DC

$58,771 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,375 Avg Student Debt

$77,370 Median Earnings (10yr)

American University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value non-professional general legal studies schools. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,771. Non-Professional General Legal Studies graduates carry a median of $24,375 in student loans. Non-Professional General Legal Studies graduates of American University earn a median of $45,790 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 62%.

View All Non-Professional General Legal Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.