LST Investigations | Visual Navigator

You are viewing Graduate Debt at ABA-approved law schools grouped by Enrollment in 2014

The following charts, grouped by Enrollment in 2014, show change in average debt between 2010 and 2014.

Click anywhere on the chart and drag your cursor to zoom.

We use normal averages rather than weighted averages on this page. Debt is not the amount owed, but the amount borrowed. It does not include interest that accumulated during law school, debt from other degree programs, or private debt related to attending law school. Note also that these amounts reflect only graduates.

The school numbers do not always match up across 2010 and 2014 because some schools inconsistently disclose/withhold debt data.

Grouped by Enrollment in 2014	Debt for 2010 Graduates 36,753 Borrowing Graduates		Debt for 2014 Graduates 34,006 Borrowing Graduates (-7.5%)		Change
Grouped by Enrollment in 2014	Averaged Borrowed	% Borrowing	Averaged Borrowed	% Borrowing	$	%
> 320 New 1Ls	$117K 16 schools	82.3%	$139K 15 schools	80.9%	18.4%	-1.4%
220 - 319 New 1Ls	$107K 37 schools	83.1%	$128K 37 schools	81.8%	19.9%	-1.3%
170 - 219 New 1Ls	$98K 37 schools	83%	$110K 35 schools	81.1%	12.7%	-1.9%
120 - 169 New 1Ls	$93K 54 schools	85.8%	$108K 51 schools	82%	16.1%	-3.8%
< 120 New 1Ls	$79K 47 schools	88.8%	$96K 46 schools	86.2%	21.6%	-2.6%

Read this chart across each row. For example, average debt at schools with > 320 New 1Ls increased 18.4% from 2010 to 2014, from $117K to $139K.

School	2014 Enrollment	2010 Grad Avg. Borrowed	2014 Grad Avg. Borrowed	Change
Southwestern Law Schoolsouthwestern	337	$136,569	-	-
American Universityamerican, washington college of law	429	$136,121	$159,316	17%
Columbia Universitycolumbia, cls	381	$126,945	$154,076	21.4%
University of Illinois Chicago School of Lawjohnmarshall-chicago,jmls,uic	357	$125,806	$143,518	14.1%
New York Universitynyu	452	$125,169	$147,744	18%
Georgetown Universitygulc, gtown	580	$122,319	$150,529	23.1%
Florida Coastal School of Lawfloridacoastal, infilaw	424	$120,410	$162,785	35.2%
Fordham Universityfordham	367	$119,120	$140,577	18%
Cardozo-Yeshiva Universitycardozo	339	$118,939	$121,644	2.3%
Charlotte School of Lawcharlotte, infilaw, csol	446	$113,793	$140,528	23.5%
Suffolk Universitysuffolk	423	$112,939	$120,993	7.1%
George Washington Universitygw	539	$110,000	$141,346	28.5%
Western Michigan University - Cooley Law Schoolcooley, wmu	445	$105,798	-	-
South Texas College of Law Houstonsouthtexas	362	$104,862	$113,748	8.5%
Brooklyn Law Schoolbrooklyn	399	$97,631	$114,953	17.7%
University of California - Hastingshastings, uch	323	$96,013	$129,178	34.5%
Harvard Universityharvard, hls	563	-	$137,599	-
California Western School of Lawcalwestern	263	$145,621	$151,197	3.8%
Thomas Jefferson School of Lawthomasjefferson, tjsl	241	$137,352	$172,445	25.5%
Northwestern Universitynorthwestern, nu, nw	242	$132,685	$163,065	22.9%
Loyola Marymount Universityloyola-la	312	$132,267	$147,701	11.7%
Pepperdine Universitypepperdine	227	$125,114	$145,525	16.3%
Stetson Universitystetson	246	$122,189	$148,394	21.4%
DePaul Universitydepaul	226	$121,324	$125,895	3.8%
New York Law Schoolnewyork, nyls	245	$119,437	$166,622	39.5%
University of San Diegosandiego, usd	223	$119,331	$128,477	7.7%
St. Thomas University - Floridastu	233	$119,271	$140,808	18.1%
Barry Universitybarry	268	$119,250	$149,175	25.1%
Nova Southeastern Universitynova, broad	262	$117,223	$136,450	16.4%
Hofstra Universityhofstra, deane	280	$115,705	$143,646	24.1%
Duke Universityduke, dook	221	$113,911	$125,406	10.1%
University of Denverdenver, du, sturm	258	$113,688	$132,083	16.2%
University of Michiganmichigan, umich, um, uofm	318	$112,133	$132,473	18.1%
Washington University in St Louiswashu, wustl	270	$108,603	$111,345	2.5%
Michigan State Universitymsu, michstate, detroit college of law, dcl	248	$108,444	$95,494	-11.9%
New England School of Lawnewengland	265	$108,326	-	-
University of Virginiauva	307	$107,384	$132,182	23.1%
Southern Methodist Universitysmu, dedman	226	$106,512	$124,617	17%
University of Pennsylvaniapenn, upenn	250	$105,297	$130,002	23.5%
Whittier Law Schoolwhittier	239	$104,731	$151,602	44.8%
University of California - Los Angelesucla	314	$103,956	$121,066	16.5%
Boston Collegebc	230	$103,765	$97,006	-6.5%
Seattle Universityseattle	256	$102,350	$131,414	28.4%
Emory Universityemory	223	$99,236	$108,690	9.5%
University of Miamimiami, um, the u	229	$98,986	$143,845	45.3%
St. Mary's Universitystmarys	254	$97,105	$116,782	20.3%
Loyola University Chicagoloyola-chicago	231	$95,201	$134,968	41.8%
University of Baltimorebaltimore	233	$94,834	$114,725	21%
University of California - Berkeleyberkeley, ucb, boalt	274	$91,277	$143,546	57.3%
Chicago-Kent College of Lawkent, illinois institute of technology	228	$84,710	$119,884	41.5%
University of Texastexas, ut	301	$78,408	$100,868	28.6%
University of Houstonhouston, uhlc, uh	231	$65,802	$88,664	34.7%
University of Floridaflorida, uf, levin	307	$62,432	$82,410	32%
Texas Tech Universitytexastech, ttu	228	$60,124	$84,272	40.2%
Arizona Summit Law Schoolarizonasummit, phoenix, infilaw	262	-	-	-
Indiana University - Indianapolisindiana-indy, IU	281	-	$96,651	-
University of Chicagochicago, uchi	190	$127,997	$144,695	13%
Cornell Universitycornell	203	$126,000	$135,000	7.1%
Touro Collegetouro, fuchsberg	187	$125,481	$154,855	23.4%
University of San Franciscosanfrancisco, usf	172	$124,982	$154,321	23.5%
John Marshall Law School - Atlantajohnmarshal-atl,jmls	214	$123,025	-	-
Tulane Universitytulane	185	$122,197	$140,965	15.4%
Campbell Universitycampbell	185	$121,648	$90,065	-26%
Penn State Universitypennstate, dickinson	191	$117,989	$123,842	5%
University of Southern Californiausc, gould	202	$117,573	$137,163	16.7%
University of Detroit Mercydetroit-mercy	199	$117,089	$132,245	12.9%
Vanderbilt Universityvanderbilt, vandy	171	$114,720	$122,327	6.6%
Valparaiso Universityvalparaiso, valpo	174	$113,643	$132,010	16.2%
Indiana University - Bloomingtonindiana, IU, mauer	183	$113,538	$89,785	-20.9%
St. John's Universitystjohns	214	$112,365	$111,959	-0.4%
Marquette Universitymarquette	208	$110,147	$134,533	22.1%
Lewis and Clark Collegelewisandclark, northwestern	203	$105,928	$127,064	20%
Stanford Universitystanford, sls	179	$104,424	$128,137	22.7%
Boston Universitybu	208	$103,980	$107,850	3.7%
North Carolina Central Universitynccu, nc central	199	$98,948	$58,061	-41.3%
Yale Universityyale, yls	200	$98,796	$117,093	18.5%
Pace Universitypace	207	$97,586	$122,180	25.2%
Rutgers State University - Camdenrutgers-camden	182	$96,705	-	-
Wake Forest Universitywake, wf	179	$93,223	$107,532	15.3%
University of Notre Damenotredame, nd	200	$92,310	$111,310	20.6%
University of Minnesotaminnesota, uminn	193	$91,314	$104,733	14.7%
Texas A&Mtexasam, texas wesleyan, tamu	192	$88,062	$103,500	17.5%
University of Marylandmaryland, carey	196	$83,693	$102,183	22.1%
William and Marywm, marshall-wythe	213	$83,058	$98,487	18.6%
Temple Universitytemple, beasley	215	$82,836	$97,323	17.5%
Rutgers State University - Newarkrutgers-newark	189	$78,302	$89,507	14.3%
University of South Carolinasouthcarolina, usc	213	$75,718	$84,590	11.7%
University of Georgiageorgia, uga	185	$71,283	$88,825	24.6%
Louisiana State Universitylsu, hebert	200	$69,462	$89,471	28.8%
University of North Carolinaunc, chapel hill	201	$60,212	$92,475	53.6%
Georgia State Universitygsu	186	$57,408	$69,822	21.6%
Southern University Law Centersouthern	196	$55,809	$77,067	38.1%
Florida State Universityfsu	188	$44,442	$80,375	80.9%
Loyola University New Orleansloyola-neworleans	139	$136,050	$117,892	-13.3%
Catholic University of Americacatholic, columbus	140	$134,133	$144,737	7.9%
Golden Gate Universitygoldengate	137	$132,895	$146,288	10.1%
Charleston School of Lawcharleston, csol	166	$128,571	$147,031	14.4%
University of the Pacificpacific, mcgeorge	152	$128,495	$140,517	9.4%
Vermont Law Schoolvermont	143	$127,914	$156,713	22.5%
Roger Williams Universityrogerwilliams, rwu	138	$123,338	$128,543	4.2%
Villanova Universityvillanova	155	$122,410	$95,297	-22.1%
St. Louis Universityslu	165	$120,000	$128,764	7.3%
Syracuse Universitysyracuse	169	$119,769	$129,249	7.9%
Chapman Universitychapman	169	$115,064	$148,429	29%
Oklahoma City Universityocu	156	$114,090	$121,476	6.5%
Northeastern Universitynortheastern	126	$113,081	$134,918	19.3%
Seton Hall Universitysetonhall	167	$112,772	$128,100	13.6%
Howard Universityhoward	126	$112,004	$124,021	10.7%
Widener University - Delawarewidener, wilmington	128	$111,909	$139,229	24.4%
Samford Universitysamford, cumberland	146	$107,850	$124,106	15.1%
Santa Clara Universitysantaclara, scu	152	$106,869	$136,990	28.2%
Mercer Universitymercer, george	146	$105,585	$125,301	18.7%
Capital Universitycapital	163	$103,426	$113,434	9.7%
Mississippi Collegemississippicollege	151	$102,884	$130,700	27%
Baylor Universitybaylor	158	$100,661	$116,666	15.9%
Gonzaga Universitygonzaga	125	$100,092	$121,281	21.2%
University of California - Davisdavis, ucd, king	164	$98,179	$93,498	-4.8%
George Mason Universitygmu	161	$98,087	$126,723	29.2%
University of St. Thomas - Minneapolisstthomas	124	$97,238	$100,401	3.3%
Drexel Universitydrexel	129	$96,780	$91,915	-5%
University of Richmondrichmond, williams	133	$94,200	$110,380	17.2%
Case Western Reserve Universitycasewestern, cwru	146	$94,150	$131,724	39.9%
William Mitchell College of Lawwilliammitchell	169	$92,277	$110,738	20%
University of Missouri - Kansas Citymissouri-kc, umkc	149	$90,767	-	-
Arizona State Universityasu, o'connor	143	$89,038	$97,431	9.4%
Duquesne Universityduquesne	124	$88,908	$107,496	20.9%
University of Iowaiowa	141	$87,891	$92,373	5.1%
Florida A&M Universityfamu	152	$86,557	-	-
University of Pittsburghpitt	156	$84,772	$103,461	22%
Ohio State Universityosu, moritz	167	$81,408	$97,021	19.2%
University of Illinoisillinois, uofi, urbana-champaign	157	$80,005	$89,852	12.3%
University of Oklahomaoklahoma, ou	157	$78,644	$81,789	4%
University of Wisconsinwisconsin	158	$76,845	$79,373	3.3%
Cleveland-Marshall College of Lawcleveland	141	$71,477	$89,879	25.7%
Texas Southern Universitytexassouthern, tsu, marshall	166	$67,500	-	-
University of Coloradocolorado, cu, boulder	166	$66,554	$116,280	74.7%
University of Connecticutuconn	160	$66,457	$70,139	5.5%
Southern Illinois Universitysiu, carbondale	125	$63,517	-	-
University of Washingtonwashington, uw	163	$63,393	$105,990	67.2%
University of Mississippimississippi, ole miss	128	$62,012	$73,003	17.7%
University of Arkansas - Little Rockarkansas-littlerock, bowen	125	$59,983	$69,532	15.9%
University of Hawaiihawaii, richardson, manoa	120	$58,609	$56,266	-4%
SUNY Buffalobuffalo	143	$56,394	$76,010	34.8%
University of Arkansas - Fayettevillearkansas-fayetteville	125	$56,358	$63,541	12.7%
Brigham Young Universitybyu, clark	126	$52,315	$54,203	3.6%
University of Alabamaalabama, bama	134	$49,750	$69,440	39.6%
University of Kansaskansas, ku	125	$45,662	$74,890	64%
Florida International Universityfiu	144	-	$89,815	-
Albany Law Schoolalbany, union	117	$124,271	$130,184	4.8%
University of New Hampshirenh, franklin pierce	71	$115,952	$121,469	4.8%
Regent Universityregent	104	$115,734	$125,158	8.1%
Creighton Universitycreighton	114	$114,030	$126,586	11%
Widener University - Pennsylvaniawidener, harrisburg	97	$111,909	$139,229	24.4%
Washington and Lee Universitywl	101	$105,970	$109,422	3.3%
Elon Law Schoolelon	112	$103,059	$132,444	28.5%
University of La Vernelaverne	58	$101,237	-	-
University of Tulsatulsa	86	$100,795	$99,305	-1.5%
Western State Universitywesternstate, argosy	104	$98,791	$120,350	21.8%
Western New England University School of Lawwesternnewengland	118	$96,565	$130,124	34.8%
Ohio Northern Universityonu, pettit	71	$96,371	$107,764	11.8%
Quinnipiac Universityquinnipiac	92	$96,256	$119,956	24.6%
Hamline Universityhamline	90	$95,174	$113,173	18.9%
Drake Universitydrake	106	$91,576	$108,857	18.9%
University of Oregonoregon	118	$91,353	$105,900	15.9%
Willamette Universitywillamette, collins	100	$91,347	$136,099	49%
Ave Maria School of Lawavemaria	112	$87,337	$132,236	51.4%
Washburn Universitywashburn	113	$80,488	$83,396	3.6%
University of Arizonaarizona, rogers	104	$78,412	$95,533	21.8%
University of Louisvillelouisville, brandeis	92	$77,121	$90,195	17%
University of Toledotoledo	79	$76,898	$96,924	26%
University of Mainemaine	81	$76,533	$101,749	32.9%
University of Nevada - Las Vegasunlv	112	$76,478	$99,678	30.3%
University of The District of Columbiaudc, clarke	90	$74,667	$73,175	-2%
University of Idahoidaho	113	$74,655	$92,732	24.2%
Northern Kentucky Universitynku, chase	119	$73,469	$82,989	13%
CUNYcuny-queens, city university of new york	97	$70,119	$82,415	17.5%
University of Missouri - Columbiamissouri, mizzou	115	$69,046	$67,289	-2.5%
University of Daytondayton	113	$67,856	$113,486	67.2%
University of Memphismemphis, humphreys	118	$67,074	$78,030	16.3%
Wayne State Universitywayne	117	$67,029	$79,881	19.2%
University of Tennesseetennessee, utk	93	$65,082	$66,201	1.7%
University of North Dakotanorthdakota, UND	73	$64,772	$64,818	0.1%
Liberty Universityliberty	84	$62,032	$69,475	12%
University of Utahutah, uu, quinney	100	$61,665	$78,725	27.7%
University of Montanamontana	83	$61,617	$71,216	15.6%
University of Akronakron	116	$60,149	$82,322	36.9%
West Virginia Universitywvu	107	$60,074	$84,727	41%
University of Cincinnaticincinnati	73	$58,455	$76,663	31.1%
University of New Mexiconewmexico	111	$54,122	$71,029	31.2%
University of South Dakotasouthdakota	74	$53,251	$78,963	48.3%
University of Wyomingwyoming	85	$51,859	$67,087	29.4%
Faulkner Universityfaulkner, jones	113	$50,500	-	-
Northern Illinois Universityniu	84	$49,858	$77,182	54.8%
University of Nebraskanebraska	107	$49,706	$62,985	26.7%
University of Kentuckykentucky, uk	114	$49,059	$76,746	56.4%
University of California - Irvineirvine, uci	89	-	$102,891	-
Appalachian School of Lawappalachian	48	-	-	-