by our College Data Analytics Team
[Law](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/law/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for law students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the law degrees they offer, see the list below.
University Of Illinois At Chicago earned the #1 spot for value among law schools in Illinois. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,949, with out-of-state students paying around $32,009. Typical student debt for law graduates is $20,115. Early-career law graduates make about $62,322. Set against $20,115 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value law schools. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Students borrow a median of $20,778 to complete the law program here. Early-career law graduates make about $84,855. Set against $20,778 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Northern Illinois University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value law schools. Located in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,060 in tuition and fees. Law graduates carry a median of $25,209 in student loans. Soon after graduation, law degree recipients from Northern Illinois University generally make around $57,561. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northern Illinois University admits about 70% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Chicago one of the best values for law. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $69,324 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for law graduates is $15,854. Soon after graduation, law degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $199,603. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 4%.
Students looking for strong value in law will find it at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, which ranked #5. Located in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,334. Students borrow a median of $23,730 to complete the law program here. Soon after graduation, law degree recipients from Southern Illinois University Carbondale generally make around $54,507. Set against $23,730 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
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Illinois Institute Of Technology landed the #6 spot for law value this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,202. Typical student debt for law graduates is $26,774. Law graduates of Illinois Institute Of Technology earn a median of $73,249 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,774 median debt. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
Northwestern University earned the #7 position for value in law this year. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $16,616 to complete the law program here. Soon after graduation, law degree recipients from Northwestern University generally make around $210,979. That is a strong return on a $16,616 median debt. The acceptance rate is 8%.
Depaul University earned the #8 position for value in law this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $45,405. Typical student debt for law graduates is $25,310. Law graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $68,344 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,310 median debt. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Loyola University Chicago ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value law schools. Located in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,710. Law graduates carry a median of $23,521 in student loans. Law graduates of Loyola University Chicago earn a median of $83,184 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,521 median debt. Loyola University Chicago admits about 82% of applicants.
This list is compiled 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.