LST Investigations | Visual Navigator

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

The following charts, grouped by Job Outcomes in 2014, show change in average debt between 2010 and 2014. "LT, FT BPR" means a job that is long term (a job with an indefinite duration or fixed duration of 1 year or more), full time (at least 35 hours per week) bar passage required (job requires a law license).

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. "LT, FT BPR" means a job that is long term (a job with an indefinite duration or fixed duration of 1 year or more), full time (at least 35 hours per week) bar passage required (job requires a law license).

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

+20.4%

+16.6%

+17%

+19.1%

+14.9%

+25.3%

+22.3%

Grouped by Job Outcomes in 2014	Debt for 2010 Graduates 36,753 Borrowing Graduates		Debt for 2014 Graduates 34,006 Borrowing Graduates (-7.5%)		Change
Grouped by Job Outcomes in 2014	Averaged Borrowed	% Borrowing	Averaged Borrowed	% Borrowing	$	%
≥ 90% LT, FT BPR	$114K 10 schools	82.8%	$137K 10 schools	77.6%	20.4%	-5.2%
75% - 89.9% LT, FT BPR	$95K 17 schools	80.1%	$111K 18 schools	78.3%	16.6%	-1.8%
60% - 74.9% LT, FT BPR	$86K 63 schools	84.7%	$101K 63 schools	82%	17%	-2.7%
50% - 59.9% LT, FT BPR	$94K 50 schools	85.3%	$112K 49 schools	82.6%	19.1%	-2.7%
40% - 49.9% LT, FT BPR	$103K 33 schools	87.6%	$119K 29 schools	86.7%	14.9%	-0.9%
30% - 39.9% LT, FT BPR	$104K 13 schools	87.1%	$130K 11 schools	88%	25.3%	0.9%
< 30% LT, FT BPR	$111K 5 schools	90.1%	$136K 4 schools	85.3%	22.3%	-4.8%

Read this chart across each row. For example, average debt at schools with ≥ 90% LT, FT BPR increased 20.4% from 2010 to 2014, from $114K to $137K.

Filter Schools:

School	2014 LT, FT Legal Jobs	2010 Grad Avg. Borrowed	2014 Grad Avg. Borrowed	Change
Albany Law Schoolalbany, union	62.3%	$124,271	$130,184	4.8%
American Universityamerican, washington college of law	54.6%	$136,121	$159,316	17%
Appalachian School of Lawappalachian	35.8%	-	-	-
Arizona State Universityasu, o'connor	71.2%	$89,038	$97,431	9.4%
Arizona Summit Law Schoolarizonasummit, phoenix, infilaw	41.7%	-	-	-
Ave Maria School of Lawavemaria	37.3%	$87,337	$132,236	51.4%
Barry Universitybarry	42.1%	$119,250	$149,175	25.1%
Baylor Universitybaylor	68.4%	$100,661	$116,666	15.9%
Boston Collegebc	75.1%	$103,765	$97,006	-6.5%
Boston Universitybu	72.8%	$103,980	$107,850	3.7%
Brigham Young Universitybyu, clark	76.1%	$52,315	$54,203	3.6%
Brooklyn Law Schoolbrooklyn	52.4%	$97,631	$114,953	17.7%
California Western School of Lawcalwestern	48.9%	$145,621	$151,197	3.8%
Campbell Universitycampbell	59.7%	$121,648	$90,065	-26%
Capital Universitycapital	38.8%	$103,426	$113,434	9.7%
Cardozo-Yeshiva Universitycardozo	56.6%	$118,939	$121,644	2.3%
Case Western Reserve Universitycasewestern, cwru	54.8%	$94,150	$131,724	39.9%
Catholic University of Americacatholic, columbus	45.8%	$134,133	$144,737	7.9%
Chapman Universitychapman	47.8%	$115,064	$148,429	29%
Charleston School of Lawcharleston, csol	52.7%	$128,571	$147,031	14.4%
Charlotte School of Lawcharlotte, infilaw, csol	34.1%	$113,793	$140,528	23.5%
Chicago-Kent College of Lawkent, illinois institute of technology	51.7%	$84,710	$119,884	41.5%
Cleveland-Marshall College of Lawcleveland	49%	$71,477	$89,879	25.7%
Columbia Universitycolumbia, cls	93.8%	$126,945	$154,076	21.4%
Cornell Universitycornell	95.8%	$126,000	$135,000	7.1%
Creighton Universitycreighton	63.9%	$114,030	$126,586	11%
CUNYcuny-queens, city university of new york	48.7%	$70,119	$82,415	17.5%
DePaul Universitydepaul	55.2%	$121,324	$125,895	3.8%
Drake Universitydrake	64.6%	$91,576	$108,857	18.9%
Drexel Universitydrexel	63.1%	$96,780	$91,915	-5%
Duke Universityduke, dook	90.2%	$113,911	$125,406	10.1%
Duquesne Universityduquesne	57.1%	$88,908	$107,496	20.9%
Elon Law Schoolelon	39.4%	$103,059	$132,444	28.5%
Emory Universityemory	83.6%	$99,236	$108,690	9.5%
Faulkner Universityfaulkner, jones	45.8%	$50,500	-	-
Florida A&M Universityfamu	31%	$86,557	-	-
Florida Coastal School of Lawfloridacoastal, infilaw	34.7%	$120,410	$162,785	35.2%
Florida International Universityfiu	65.6%	-	$89,815	-
Florida State Universityfsu	67.2%	$44,442	$80,375	80.9%
Fordham Universityfordham	67.8%	$119,120	$140,577	18%
George Mason Universitygmu	55.4%	$98,087	$126,723	29.2%
George Washington Universitygw	78.9%	$110,000	$141,346	28.5%
Georgetown Universitygulc, gtown	79.9%	$122,319	$150,529	23.1%
Georgia State Universitygsu	71.2%	$57,408	$69,822	21.6%
Golden Gate Universitygoldengate	25.7%	$132,895	$146,288	10.1%
Gonzaga Universitygonzaga	56.8%	$100,092	$121,281	21.2%
Hamline Universityhamline	48.7%	$95,174	$113,173	18.9%
Harvard Universityharvard, hls	89.9%	-	$137,599	-
Hofstra Universityhofstra, deane	57.7%	$115,705	$143,646	24.1%
Howard Universityhoward	55.8%	$112,004	$124,021	10.7%
Indiana University - Bloomingtonindiana, IU, mauer	65.8%	$113,538	$89,785	-20.9%
Indiana University - Indianapolisindiana-indy, IU	61.3%	-	$96,651	-
John Marshall Law School - Atlantajohnmarshal-atl,jmls	43.7%	$123,025	-	-
Lewis and Clark Collegelewisandclark, northwestern	52.6%	$105,928	$127,064	20%
Liberty Universityliberty	47.4%	$62,032	$69,475	12%
Louisiana State Universitylsu, hebert	72.4%	$69,462	$89,471	28.8%
Loyola Marymount Universityloyola-la	60.6%	$132,267	$147,701	11.7%
Loyola University Chicagoloyola-chicago	55.7%	$95,201	$134,968	41.8%
Loyola University New Orleansloyola-neworleans	52.8%	$136,050	$117,892	-13.3%
Marquette Universitymarquette	51.4%	$110,147	$134,533	22.1%
Mercer Universitymercer, george	69.2%	$105,585	$125,301	18.7%
Michigan State Universitymsu, michstate, detroit college of law, dcl	46.8%	$108,444	$95,494	-11.9%
Mississippi Collegemississippicollege	53.1%	$102,884	$130,700	27%
New England School of Lawnewengland	42.1%	$108,326	-	-
New York Law Schoolnewyork, nyls	43.1%	$119,437	$166,622	39.5%
New York Universitynyu	93.5%	$125,169	$147,744	18%
North Carolina Central Universitynccu, nc central	40.9%	$98,948	$58,061	-41.3%
Northeastern Universitynortheastern	53.2%	$113,081	$134,918	19.3%
Northern Illinois Universityniu	60.6%	$49,858	$77,182	54.8%
Northern Kentucky Universitynku, chase	44.9%	$73,469	$82,989	13%
Northwestern Universitynorthwestern, nu, nw	81.4%	$132,685	$163,065	22.9%
Nova Southeastern Universitynova, broad	62.1%	$117,223	$136,450	16.4%
Ohio Northern Universityonu, pettit	47.9%	$96,371	$107,764	11.8%
Ohio State Universityosu, moritz	73.8%	$81,408	$97,021	19.2%
Oklahoma City Universityocu	63.6%	$114,090	$121,476	6.5%
Pace Universitypace	58.5%	$97,586	$122,180	25.2%
Penn State Universitypennstate, dickinson	65.9%	$117,989	$123,842	5%
Pepperdine Universitypepperdine	49%	$125,114	$145,525	16.3%
Quinnipiac Universityquinnipiac	42.5%	$96,256	$119,956	24.6%
Regent Universityregent	47.5%	$115,734	$125,158	8.1%
Roger Williams Universityrogerwilliams, rwu	46.2%	$123,338	$128,543	4.2%
Rutgers State University - Camdenrutgers-camden	61.5%	$96,705	-	-
Rutgers State University - Newarkrutgers-newark	65.2%	$78,302	$89,507	14.3%
Samford Universitysamford, cumberland	56.6%	$107,850	$124,106	15.1%
Santa Clara Universitysantaclara, scu	35.6%	$106,869	$136,990	28.2%
Seattle Universityseattle	49.2%	$102,350	$131,414	28.4%
Seton Hall Universitysetonhall	72.3%	$112,772	$128,100	13.6%
South Texas College of Law Houstonsouthtexas	61.8%	$104,862	$113,748	8.5%
Southern Illinois Universitysiu, carbondale	64.8%	$63,517	-	-
Southern Methodist Universitysmu, dedman	69.7%	$106,512	$124,617	17%
Southern University Law Centersouthern	34.6%	$55,809	$77,067	38.1%
Southwestern Law Schoolsouthwestern	39%	$136,569	-	-
St. John's Universitystjohns	61.5%	$112,365	$111,959	-0.4%
St. Louis Universityslu	62.6%	$120,000	$128,764	7.3%
St. Mary's Universitystmarys	58.7%	$97,105	$116,782	20.3%
St. Thomas University - Floridastu	47.2%	$119,271	$140,808	18.1%
Stanford Universitystanford, sls	90.4%	$104,424	$128,137	22.7%
Stetson Universitystetson	57%	$122,189	$148,394	21.4%
Suffolk Universitysuffolk	46.9%	$112,939	$120,993	7.1%
SUNY Buffalobuffalo	59.7%	$56,394	$76,010	34.8%
Syracuse Universitysyracuse	57.4%	$119,769	$129,249	7.9%
Temple Universitytemple, beasley	61.7%	$82,836	$97,323	17.5%
Texas A&Mtexasam, texas wesleyan, tamu	52.2%	$88,062	$103,500	17.5%
Texas Southern Universitytexassouthern, tsu, marshall	50.7%	$67,500	-	-
Texas Tech Universitytexastech, ttu	60.6%	$60,124	$84,272	40.2%
Thomas Jefferson School of Lawthomasjefferson, tjsl	29.7%	$137,352	$172,445	25.5%
Touro Collegetouro, fuchsberg	56.6%	$125,481	$154,855	23.4%
Tulane Universitytulane	61.8%	$122,197	$140,965	15.4%
University of Akronakron	50.8%	$60,149	$82,322	36.9%
University of Alabamaalabama, bama	73.1%	$49,750	$69,440	39.6%
University of Arizonaarizona, rogers	71.5%	$78,412	$95,533	21.8%
University of Arkansas - Fayettevillearkansas-fayetteville	55%	$56,358	$63,541	12.7%
University of Arkansas - Little Rockarkansas-littlerock, bowen	59.2%	$59,983	$69,532	15.9%
University of Baltimorebaltimore	51.3%	$94,834	$114,725	21%
University of California - Berkeleyberkeley, ucb, boalt	92.3%	$91,277	$143,546	57.3%
University of California - Davisdavis, ucd, king	77.5%	$98,179	$93,498	-4.8%
University of California - Hastingshastings, uch	51.2%	$96,013	$129,178	34.5%
University of California - Irvineirvine, uci	74.2%	-	$102,891	-
University of California - Los Angelesucla	81%	$103,956	$121,066	16.5%
University of Chicagochicago, uchi	92.4%	$127,997	$144,695	13%
University of Cincinnaticincinnati	63.2%	$58,455	$76,663	31.1%
University of Coloradocolorado, cu, boulder	69.7%	$66,554	$116,280	74.7%
University of Connecticutuconn	52.9%	$66,457	$70,139	5.5%
University of Daytondayton	52.9%	$67,856	$113,486	67.2%
University of Denverdenver, du, sturm	56%	$113,688	$132,083	16.2%
University of Detroit Mercydetroit-mercy	37.2%	$117,089	$132,245	12.9%
University of Floridaflorida, uf, levin	69.3%	$62,432	$82,410	32%
University of Georgiageorgia, uga	70.6%	$71,283	$88,825	24.6%
University of Hawaiihawaii, richardson, manoa	54.4%	$58,609	$56,266	-4%
University of Houstonhouston, uhlc, uh	66.4%	$65,802	$88,664	34.7%
University of Idahoidaho	68.3%	$74,655	$92,732	24.2%
University of Illinois Chicago School of Lawjohnmarshall-chicago,jmls,uic	56.6%	$125,806	$143,518	14.1%
University of Illinoisillinois, uofi, urbana-champaign	72.4%	$80,005	$89,852	12.3%
University of Iowaiowa	77.8%	$87,891	$92,373	5.1%
University of Kansaskansas, ku	68.1%	$45,662	$74,890	64%
University of Kentuckykentucky, uk	80.2%	$49,059	$76,746	56.4%
University of La Vernelaverne	45.5%	$101,237	-	-
University of Louisvillelouisville, brandeis	66.1%	$77,121	$90,195	17%
University of Mainemaine	50.5%	$76,533	$101,749	32.9%
University of Marylandmaryland, carey	57.4%	$83,693	$102,183	22.1%
University of Memphismemphis, humphreys	57.3%	$67,074	$78,030	16.3%
University of Miamimiami, um, the u	68.9%	$98,986	$143,845	45.3%
University of Michiganmichigan, umich, um, uofm	90.3%	$112,133	$132,473	18.1%
University of Minnesotaminnesota, uminn	76.1%	$91,314	$104,733	14.7%
University of Mississippimississippi, ole miss	54.8%	$62,012	$73,003	17.7%
University of Missouri - Columbiamissouri, mizzou	65.9%	$69,046	$67,289	-2.5%
University of Missouri - Kansas Citymissouri-kc, umkc	64.3%	$90,767	-	-
University of Montanamontana	67.5%	$61,617	$71,216	15.6%
University of Nebraskanebraska	73.5%	$49,706	$62,985	26.7%
University of Nevada - Las Vegasunlv	66.9%	$76,478	$99,678	30.3%
University of New Hampshirenh, franklin pierce	64.3%	$115,952	$121,469	4.8%
University of New Mexiconewmexico	80.2%	$54,122	$71,029	31.2%
University of North Carolinaunc, chapel hill	69.6%	$60,212	$92,475	53.6%
University of North Dakotanorthdakota, UND	59.2%	$64,772	$64,818	0.1%
University of Notre Damenotredame, nd	78.8%	$92,310	$111,310	20.6%
University of Oklahomaoklahoma, ou	68.5%	$78,644	$81,789	4%
University of Oregonoregon	47.8%	$91,353	$105,900	15.9%
University of Pennsylvaniapenn, upenn	94.6%	$105,297	$130,002	23.5%
University of Pittsburghpitt	52.5%	$84,772	$103,461	22%
University of Richmondrichmond, williams	59.1%	$94,200	$110,380	17.2%
University of San Diegosandiego, usd	47.9%	$119,331	$128,477	7.7%
University of San Franciscosanfrancisco, usf	33%	$124,982	$154,321	23.5%
University of South Carolinasouthcarolina, usc	65.4%	$75,718	$84,590	11.7%
University of South Dakotasouthdakota	67.9%	$53,251	$78,963	48.3%
University of Southern Californiausc, gould	79.3%	$117,573	$137,163	16.7%
University of St. Thomas - Minneapolisstthomas	49%	$97,238	$100,401	3.3%
University of Tennesseetennessee, utk	57%	$65,082	$66,201	1.7%
University of Texastexas, ut	78.1%	$78,408	$100,868	28.6%
University of The District of Columbiaudc, clarke	28.2%	$74,667	$73,175	-2%
University of the Pacificpacific, mcgeorge	45.5%	$128,495	$140,517	9.4%
University of Toledotoledo	43.9%	$76,898	$96,924	26%
University of Tulsatulsa	69.4%	$100,795	$99,305	-1.5%
University of Utahutah, uu, quinney	66.7%	$61,665	$78,725	27.7%
University of Virginiauva	94.3%	$107,384	$132,182	23.1%
University of Washingtonwashington, uw	63.5%	$63,393	$105,990	67.2%
University of Wisconsinwisconsin	66.5%	$76,845	$79,373	3.3%
University of Wyomingwyoming	49.3%	$51,859	$67,087	29.4%
Valparaiso Universityvalparaiso, valpo	49.4%	$113,643	$132,010	16.2%
Vanderbilt Universityvanderbilt, vandy	84.5%	$114,720	$122,327	6.6%
Vermont Law Schoolvermont	48.5%	$127,914	$156,713	22.5%
Villanova Universityvillanova	65%	$122,410	$95,297	-22.1%
Wake Forest Universitywake, wf	71.1%	$93,223	$107,532	15.3%
Washburn Universitywashburn	72.3%	$80,488	$83,396	3.6%
Washington and Lee Universitywl	64.6%	$105,970	$109,422	3.3%
Washington University in St Louiswashu, wustl	78.3%	$108,603	$111,345	2.5%
Wayne State Universitywayne	53.3%	$67,029	$79,881	19.2%
West Virginia Universitywvu	58.9%	$60,074	$84,727	41%
Western Michigan University - Cooley Law Schoolcooley, wmu	30%	$105,798	-	-
Western New England University School of Lawwesternnewengland	36.7%	$96,565	$130,124	34.8%
Western State Universitywesternstate, argosy	32.7%	$98,791	$120,350	21.8%
Whittier Law Schoolwhittier	27.3%	$104,731	$151,602	44.8%
Widener University - Delawarewidener, wilmington	44.9%	$111,909	$139,229	24.4%
Widener University - Pennsylvaniawidener, harrisburg	54%	$111,909	$139,229	24.4%
Willamette Universitywillamette, collins	66.4%	$91,347	$136,099	49%
William and Marywm, marshall-wythe	72.6%	$83,058	$98,487	18.6%
William Mitchell College of Lawwilliammitchell	55.9%	$92,277	$110,738	20%
Yale Universityyale, yls	72.6%	$98,796	$117,093	18.5%