by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Law covers Law. Continue reading for the important information every law student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering law programs.
Across the country, law is a widely-pursued major, with 39,447 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Law Schools ranking analyzes these 210 schools to determine the best overall colleges for law students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of law programs later in this article.
Studies in Law develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations law graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a law program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a law major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several law degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 39,447 |
People currently working in careers related to law tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 40.2% |
| First professional degree | 35.6% |
| Master’s degree | 9.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 3.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 3.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 2.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.1% |
| Some college courses | 1.1% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.5% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.2% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in law careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying law opens doors to numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to law.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to law.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,017,747 | -2.9% |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | 236,128 | 0.0% |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | 214,979 | 0.6% |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | 211,572 | 10.2% |
| Lawyers | 155,305 | 2.6% |
| Judicial Law Clerks | 131,127 | 4.1% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of law graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $85,952 |
| 4 years | $103,350 |
| 5 years | $119,373 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for law graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers law grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | $137,571 |
| Judicial Law Clerks | $132,226 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $93,794 |
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,726 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $84,793 |
| Lawyers | $73,181 |
With 210 different law programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased law school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in law, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Law | 39,447 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 11,533 |
| Legal Support Services | 10,492 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | 4,796 |
| Legal Professions and Studies, Other | 2,487 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
