by our College Data Analytics Team
[Law](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/law/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 100 schools on the early-career earnings of their law graduates.
What’s on this page:
The right law school can pay off in your paycheck for years to come. To help, we created our Highest Paid Law Graduates ranking. We rank each school on the early-career earnings of its law graduates to surface the highest-paying programs.
We offer a number of rankings, including this Highest Paid Law Graduates list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Learn more about our methodology
Below are the schools whose law graduates go on to earn the most.
Columbia University In The City Of New York earned the #1 spot for highest-paid law graduates in the United States. Located in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, law degree recipients from Columbia University In The City Of New York typically earn about $332,787 annually.
New York University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying law schools. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, law degree recipients from New York University typically earn about $246,348 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Chicago earned it the #3 place for law. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career law graduates from University Of Chicago make a median of around $308,354 per year.
University Of Pennsylvania produces some of the highest-paid graduates in law, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Philadelphia, University Of Pennsylvania is a private not-for-profit institution. Law graduates of University Of Pennsylvania earn a median of about $290,543 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Northwestern University earned it the #5 place for law. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $256,851.
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University Of Virginia Main Campus landed the #6 spot for law salaries this year. Set in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a public institution. Early-career law graduates from University Of Virginia Main Campus make a median of around $247,143 per year.
Stanford University placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for law. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career law graduates from Stanford University make a median of around $289,230 per year.
Harvard University placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for law. Harvard University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. After graduating, law degree recipients from Harvard University typically earn about $250,647 annually.
University Of California Berkeley earned the #9 position for law graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a public institution. Law graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of about $188,806 a year early in their careers.
University Of Southern California ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying law schools. University Of Southern California is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Early-career law graduates from University Of Southern California make a median of around $199,180 per year.
Fordham University came in at #11 for law graduate earnings this year. Fordham University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Bronx. Law graduates of Fordham University earn a median of about $204,090 a year early in their careers.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor placed #12 among the highest-paying schools for law. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. After graduating, law degree recipients from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor typically earn about $197,273 annually.
Georgetown University landed the #13 spot for law salaries this year. Set in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career law graduates from Georgetown University make a median of around $163,738 per year.
Vanderbilt University placed #14 among the highest-paying schools for law. Vanderbilt University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $172,684.
University Of California Los Angeles came in at #15 for law graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a public institution. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $172,729.
The University Of Texas At Austin ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying law schools. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a public institution. Early-career law graduates from The University Of Texas At Austin make a median of around $159,411 per year.
Boston University came in at #17 for law graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Boston, Boston University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career law graduates from Boston University make a median of around $155,312 per year.
Boston College ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying law schools. Boston College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chestnut Hill. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $175,793.
University Of Notre Dame landed the #19 spot for law salaries this year. Located in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career law graduates from University Of Notre Dame make a median of around $153,320 per year.
Southern Methodist University came in at #20 for law graduate earnings this year. Southern Methodist University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Dallas. Students who complete the law program here go on to a median salary of roughly $146,572.
George Washington University earned the #21 position for law graduate earnings this year. George Washington University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Early-career law graduates from George Washington University make a median of around $142,941 per year.
Washington University In St Louis landed the #22 spot for law salaries this year. Set in the suburb of St. Louis, Washington University In St Louis is a private not-for-profit institution. Law graduates of Washington University In St Louis earn a median of about $153,068 a year early in their careers.
University Of California Hastings College Of Law placed #23 among the highest-paying schools for law. Set in the city of San Francisco, University Of California Hastings College Of Law is a public institution. Early-career law graduates from University Of California Hastings College Of Law make a median of around $147,936 per year.
University Of California Irvine ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying law schools. University Of California Irvine is a public school located in the city of Irvine. Law graduates of University Of California Irvine earn a median of about $136,056 a year early in their careers.
University Of San Diego landed the #25 spot for law salaries this year. University Of San Diego is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Diego. Law graduates of University Of San Diego earn a median of about $130,132 a year early in their careers.
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s highest-paid law ranking:
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The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their law graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 100 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.