by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying American/U.S. Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence covers American/u.s. Law/legal Studies/jurisprudence. An Advanced, Professional Program Of The U.s. Legal System, Constitution Law, And Jurisprudence. Includes Instruction In Legal History, Legal Sociology, Philosophy Of Law, Constitutional Law, Legal Procedure, And Related Topics. Examples: [American/u.s. Law/legal Studies/jurisprudence (Ll.m., M.c.j.)], [American/u.s. Law/legal Studies/jurisprudence (J.s.d./s.j.d.)]. Read on to learn the key facts every american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence programs.
Nationwide, american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence draws strong interest, with 899 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best American/U.S. Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence Schools ranking analyzes these 41 schools to determine the best overall colleges for american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence programs later in this article.
Coursework for American/U.S. Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 55 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 799 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 45 |
People currently working in careers related to american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| First professional degree | 43.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 40.6% |
| Master’s degree | 13.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.9% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence prepares you for many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,017,747 | -2.9% |
| Lawyers | 155,305 | 2.6% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $78,306 |
| 4 years | $93,383 |
| 5 years | $107,509 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,726 |
| Lawyers | $73,181 |
With 41 different american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence school rankings to help you.
Those considering american/u.s. law/legal studies/jurisprudence, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Advanced Legal Research/Studies, General | 4,628 |
| Programs for Foreign Lawyers | 1,567 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies, Other | 1,204 |
| Tax Law/Taxation | 760 |
| Health Law | 539 |
| Banking, Corporate, Finance, and Securities Law | 426 |
| International Law and Legal Studies | 414 |
| International Business, Trade, and Tax Law | 337 |
| Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Law | 221 |
| Human Resources Law | 159 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
