$55,459 Average Tuition & Fees
The tuition & fees at law schools is usually higher than the costs for regular undergraduate and graduate programs. Students may be supported by federal, state, and/or institutional scholarship program, but still the tuition and other costs are important consideration when choosing law schools to apply and enroll.
For the academic year 2026-2027, the average tuition fees at public law schools is $33,157 for state residents and $47,209 for out-of-state in public law schools. In private law schools, the average tuition & fees is $61,794. The average living costs including room & boards, books, and other personal expenses is $25,495. With the living expenses, the law school cost of attendance (COA) is $87,290 based on private school rate.
Highest Law School Tuition & Fees
Among law schools in United States, Columbia Law School has the highest tuition & fees of $92,194. New York University School of Law and Cornell Law School follow it with $90,638 and $88,609 respectively. It is based on out-of-state rate and exclude law schools in Puerto Rico.
For comparison, you may want to explore law schools with the lowest tuition & fees.
Top 25 Most Expensive Law Schools
The following table compares the top 25 Most Expensive Law Schools with important academic indicators.
The rankings include 4 public and 21 law schools are included. Unlike tuition at typical public colleges, the some public law schools charge high amount of tuition & fees.
The average acceptance rate of the schools is 18.07% and the yield is 33.49%. The acceptance rate of Most Expensive Law Schools is very low, compared to average rate of all law schools, 36.09%.
The average LSAT score submitted by enrolled students is 169 and the average GPA is 3.87 at Most Expensive Law Schools. Their LSAT scores are very high, compared to average LSAT score of all law schools, 160.
For the Most Expensive Law Schools, the average 2027 tuition & fees is $74,155 state residents and $82,448 for out-of-state students in public law schools. In private law schools in the rankings, the tuition & fees is $83,573. The average financial aid amount of them is $34,804 which is 41.73% of tuition & fees.
| Rank | School | Tuition & Fees | Living Costs | Acceptance Rate | LSAT Score | GPA | Enrollment | Bar Exam Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia Law SchoolPrivateNew York, NY | $92,194 | $32,602 | 11.84% | 173 | 3.92 | 1,740 | 95.85% |
| 2 | New York University School of LawPrivateNew York, NY | $90,638 | $31,550 | 13.39% | 172 | 3.92 | 2,172 | 96.72% |
| 3 | Cornell Law SchoolPrivateIthaca, NY | $88,609 | $36,144 | 18.19% | 173 | 3.92 | 933 | 96.41% |
| 4 | University of Chicago Law SchoolPrivateChicago, IL | $88,500 | $33,006 | 9.74% | 174 | 3.97 | 710 | 97.42% |
| 5 | Gould School of LawPrivateLos Angeles, CA | $88,436 | $28,461 | 11.17% | 169 | 3.91 | 1,543 | 94.01% |
| 6 | University of Pennsylvania Law SchoolPrivatePhiladelphia, PA | $88,184 | $27,092 | 8.05% | 173 | 3.95 | 1,032 | 96.70% |
| 7 | Georgetown University Law CenterPrivateWashington, DC | $87,588 | $37,012 | 15.75% | 171 | 3.93 | 3,028 | 93.05% |
| 8 | Harvard Law SchoolPrivateCambridge, MA | $86,344 | $35,352 | 9.20% | 174 | 3.96 | 2,025 | 97.86% |
| 9 | Duke University School of LawPrivateDurham, NC | $85,074 | $26,822 | 12.88% | 171 | 3.91 | 830 | 97.48% |
| 10 | University of Virginia School of LawPublicCharlottesville, VA | $84,900 | $29,520 | 10.17% | 173 | 3.99 | 982 | 94.98% |
| 11 | Berkeley School of LawPublicBerkeley, CA | $84,476 | $39,040 | 14.84% | 170 | 3.92 | 1,128 | 91.16% |
| 12 | Northwestern Pritzker School of LawPrivateChicago, IL | $83,938 | $29,148 | 12.30% | 173 | 3.96 | 1,205 | 91.80% |
| 13 | University of Michigan Law SchoolPublicAnn Arbor, MI | $83,422 | $27,560 | 8.57% | 171 | 3.88 | 1,032 | 95.57% |
| 14 | Fordham University School of LawPrivateNew York, NY | $82,814 | $37,578 | 16.22% | 168 | 3.79 | 1,691 | 92.98% |
| 15 | Stanford Law SchoolPrivateStanford, CA | $82,122 | $43,002 | 6.10% | 173 | 3.96 | 670 | 96.50% |
| 16 | Yale Law SchoolPrivateNew Haven, CT | $81,818 | $25,415 | 4.06% | 174 | 3.96 | 676 | 96.50% |
| 17 | Vanderbilt University Law SchoolPrivateNashville, TN | $81,492 | $33,254 | 13.26% | 170 | 3.91 | 656 | 94.51% |
| 18 | Brooklyn Law SchoolPrivateBrooklyn, NY | $80,146 | $36,528 | 44.00% | 161 | 3.59 | 1,138 | 84.48% |
| 19 | Benjamin N. Cardozo School of LawPrivateNew York, NY | $79,644 | $36,114 | 29.56% | 165 | 3.78 | 1,042 | 88.47% |
| 20 | New York Law SchoolPrivateNew York, NY | $78,304 | $23,544 | 39.67% | 157 | 3.63 | 1,113 | 81.90% |
| 21 | The George Washington University Law SchoolPrivateWashington, DC | $78,060 | $32,550 | 27.21% | 168 | 3.86 | 2,030 | 90.22% |
| 22 | Tulane University School of LawPrivateNew Orleans, LA | $77,648 | $26,018 | 39.97% | 161 | 3.67 | 849 | 77.73% |
| 23 | Los Angeles School of LawPublicLos Angeles, CA | $76,992 | $34,822 | 12.05% | 171 | 3.95 | 1,376 | 94.23% |
| 24 | St. John's University School of LawPrivateQueens, NY | $76,742 | $32,514 | 23.05% | 164 | 3.81 | 816 | 87.74% |
| 25 | Hofstra University School of LawPrivateHempstead, NY | $76,730 | $28,665 | 40.56% | 157 | 3.65 | 843 | 78.91% |
*The tuition & fees for the 2026-2027 academic year and Other admission date is for the 2025-2026.