The following chart shows 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.
| Debt for 2010 Graduates 36,753 Borrowing Graduates |
Debt for 2014 Graduates 34,006 Borrowing Graduates (-7.5%) |
Change | Averaged Borrowed | % Borrowing | Averaged Borrowed | % Borrowing | $ | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Schools | $95K 191 schools |
85.2% | $112K 184 schools |
82.7% | 17.6% | -2.5% |
Read this chart across each row. For example, average debt at all schools increased 17.6% from 2010 to 2014, from $95K to $112K.
| School | State | 2010 Grad Avg. Borrowed |
2014 Grad Avg. Borrowed |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Western School of Lawcalwestern | CA | $145,621 | $151,197 | 3.8% |
| Thomas Jefferson School of Lawthomasjefferson, tjsl | CA | $137,352 | $172,445 | 25.5% |
| Southwestern Law Schoolsouthwestern | CA | $136,569 | - | - |
| American Universityamerican, washington college of law | DC | $136,121 | $159,316 | 17% |
| Loyola University New Orleansloyola-neworleans | LA | $136,050 | $117,892 | -13.3% |
| Catholic University of Americacatholic, columbus | DC | $134,133 | $144,737 | 7.9% |
| Golden Gate Universitygoldengate | CA | $132,895 | $146,288 | 10.1% |
| Northwestern Universitynorthwestern, nu, nw | IL | $132,685 | $163,065 | 22.9% |
| Loyola Marymount Universityloyola-la | CA | $132,267 | $147,701 | 11.7% |
| Charleston School of Lawcharleston, csol | SC | $128,571 | $147,031 | 14.4% |
| University of the Pacificpacific, mcgeorge | CA | $128,495 | $140,517 | 9.4% |
| University of Chicagochicago, uchi | IL | $127,997 | $144,695 | 13% |
| Vermont Law Schoolvermont | VT | $127,914 | $156,713 | 22.5% |
| Columbia Universitycolumbia, cls | NY | $126,945 | $154,076 | 21.4% |
| Cornell Universitycornell | NY | $126,000 | $135,000 | 7.1% |
| University of Illinois Chicago School of Lawjohnmarshall-chicago,jmls,uic | IL | $125,806 | $143,518 | 14.1% |
| Touro Collegetouro, fuchsberg | NY | $125,481 | $154,855 | 23.4% |
| New York Universitynyu | NY | $125,169 | $147,744 | 18% |
| Pepperdine Universitypepperdine | CA | $125,114 | $145,525 | 16.3% |
| University of San Franciscosanfrancisco, usf | CA | $124,982 | $154,321 | 23.5% |
| Albany Law Schoolalbany, union | NY | $124,271 | $130,184 | 4.8% |
| Roger Williams Universityrogerwilliams, rwu | RI | $123,338 | $128,543 | 4.2% |
| John Marshall Law School - Atlantajohnmarshal-atl,jmls | GA | $123,025 | - | - |
| Villanova Universityvillanova | PA | $122,410 | $95,297 | -22.1% |
| Georgetown Universitygulc, gtown | DC | $122,319 | $150,529 | 23.1% |
| Tulane Universitytulane | LA | $122,197 | $140,965 | 15.4% |
| Stetson Universitystetson | FL | $122,189 | $148,394 | 21.4% |
| Campbell Universitycampbell | NC | $121,648 | $90,065 | -26% |
| DePaul Universitydepaul | IL | $121,324 | $125,895 | 3.8% |
| Florida Coastal School of Lawfloridacoastal, infilaw | FL | $120,410 | $162,785 | 35.2% |
| St. Louis Universityslu | MO | $120,000 | $128,764 | 7.3% |
| Syracuse Universitysyracuse | NY | $119,769 | $129,249 | 7.9% |
| New York Law Schoolnewyork, nyls | NY | $119,437 | $166,622 | 39.5% |
| University of San Diegosandiego, usd | CA | $119,331 | $128,477 | 7.7% |
| St. Thomas University - Floridastu | FL | $119,271 | $140,808 | 18.1% |
| Barry Universitybarry | FL | $119,250 | $149,175 | 25.1% |
| Fordham Universityfordham | NY | $119,120 | $140,577 | 18% |
| Cardozo-Yeshiva Universitycardozo | NY | $118,939 | $121,644 | 2.3% |
| Penn State Universitypennstate, dickinson | PA | $117,989 | $123,842 | 5% |
| University of Southern Californiausc, gould | CA | $117,573 | $137,163 | 16.7% |
| Nova Southeastern Universitynova, broad | FL | $117,223 | $136,450 | 16.4% |
| University of Detroit Mercydetroit-mercy | MI | $117,089 | $132,245 | 12.9% |
| University of New Hampshirenh, franklin pierce | NH | $115,952 | $121,469 | 4.8% |
| Regent Universityregent | VA | $115,734 | $125,158 | 8.1% |
| Hofstra Universityhofstra, deane | NY | $115,705 | $143,646 | 24.1% |
| Chapman Universitychapman | CA | $115,064 | $148,429 | 29% |
| Vanderbilt Universityvanderbilt, vandy | TN | $114,720 | $122,327 | 6.6% |
| Oklahoma City Universityocu | OK | $114,090 | $121,476 | 6.5% |
| Creighton Universitycreighton | NE | $114,030 | $126,586 | 11% |
| Duke Universityduke, dook | NC | $113,911 | $125,406 | 10.1% |
| Charlotte School of Lawcharlotte, infilaw, csol | NC | $113,793 | $140,528 | 23.5% |
| University of Denverdenver, du, sturm | CO | $113,688 | $132,083 | 16.2% |
| Valparaiso Universityvalparaiso, valpo | IN | $113,643 | $132,010 | 16.2% |
| Indiana University - Bloomingtonindiana, IU, mauer | IN | $113,538 | $89,785 | -20.9% |
| Northeastern Universitynortheastern | MA | $113,081 | $134,918 | 19.3% |
| Suffolk Universitysuffolk | MA | $112,939 | $120,993 | 7.1% |
| Seton Hall Universitysetonhall | NJ | $112,772 | $128,100 | 13.6% |
| St. John's Universitystjohns | NY | $112,365 | $111,959 | -0.4% |
| University of Michiganmichigan, umich, um, uofm | MI | $112,133 | $132,473 | 18.1% |
| Howard Universityhoward | DC | $112,004 | $124,021 | 10.7% |
| Widener University - Pennsylvaniawidener, harrisburg | PA | $111,909 | $139,229 | 24.4% |
| Widener University - Delawarewidener, wilmington | DE | $111,909 | $139,229 | 24.4% |
| Marquette Universitymarquette | WI | $110,147 | $134,533 | 22.1% |
| George Washington Universitygw | DC | $110,000 | $141,346 | 28.5% |
| Washington University in St Louiswashu, wustl | MO | $108,603 | $111,345 | 2.5% |
| Michigan State Universitymsu, michstate, detroit college of law, dcl | MI | $108,444 | $95,494 | -11.9% |
| New England School of Lawnewengland | MA | $108,326 | - | - |
| Samford Universitysamford, cumberland | AL | $107,850 | $124,106 | 15.1% |
| University of Virginiauva | VA | $107,384 | $132,182 | 23.1% |
| Santa Clara Universitysantaclara, scu | CA | $106,869 | $136,990 | 28.2% |
| Southern Methodist Universitysmu, dedman | TX | $106,512 | $124,617 | 17% |
| Washington and Lee Universitywl | VA | $105,970 | $109,422 | 3.3% |
| Lewis and Clark Collegelewisandclark, northwestern | OR | $105,928 | $127,064 | 20% |
| Western Michigan University - Cooley Law Schoolcooley, wmu | MI | $105,798 | - | - |
| Mercer Universitymercer, george | GA | $105,585 | $125,301 | 18.7% |
| University of Pennsylvaniapenn, upenn | PA | $105,297 | $130,002 | 23.5% |
| South Texas College of Law Houstonsouthtexas | TX | $104,862 | $113,748 | 8.5% |
| Whittier Law Schoolwhittier | CA | $104,731 | $151,602 | 44.8% |
| Stanford Universitystanford, sls | CA | $104,424 | $128,137 | 22.7% |
| Boston Universitybu | MA | $103,980 | $107,850 | 3.7% |
| University of California - Los Angelesucla | CA | $103,956 | $121,066 | 16.5% |
| Boston Collegebc | MA | $103,765 | $97,006 | -6.5% |
| Capital Universitycapital | OH | $103,426 | $113,434 | 9.7% |
| Elon Law Schoolelon | NC | $103,059 | $132,444 | 28.5% |
| Mississippi Collegemississippicollege | MS | $102,884 | $130,700 | 27% |
| Seattle Universityseattle | WA | $102,350 | $131,414 | 28.4% |
| University of La Vernelaverne | CA | $101,237 | - | - |
| University of Tulsatulsa | OK | $100,795 | $99,305 | -1.5% |
| Baylor Universitybaylor | TX | $100,661 | $116,666 | 15.9% |
| Gonzaga Universitygonzaga | WA | $100,092 | $121,281 | 21.2% |
| Emory Universityemory | GA | $99,236 | $108,690 | 9.5% |
| University of Miamimiami, um, the u | FL | $98,986 | $143,845 | 45.3% |
| North Carolina Central Universitynccu, nc central | NC | $98,948 | $58,061 | -41.3% |
| Yale Universityyale, yls | CT | $98,796 | $117,093 | 18.5% |
| Western State Universitywesternstate, argosy | CA | $98,791 | $120,350 | 21.8% |
| University of California - Davisdavis, ucd, king | CA | $98,179 | $93,498 | -4.8% |
| George Mason Universitygmu | VA | $98,087 | $126,723 | 29.2% |
| Brooklyn Law Schoolbrooklyn | NY | $97,631 | $114,953 | 17.7% |
| Pace Universitypace | NY | $97,586 | $122,180 | 25.2% |
| University of St. Thomas - Minneapolisstthomas | MN | $97,238 | $100,401 | 3.3% |
| St. Mary's Universitystmarys | TX | $97,105 | $116,782 | 20.3% |
| Drexel Universitydrexel | PA | $96,780 | $91,915 | -5% |
| Rutgers State University - Camdenrutgers-camden | NJ | $96,705 | - | - |
| Western New England University School of Lawwesternnewengland | MA | $96,565 | $130,124 | 34.8% |
| Ohio Northern Universityonu, pettit | OH | $96,371 | $107,764 | 11.8% |
| Quinnipiac Universityquinnipiac | CT | $96,256 | $119,956 | 24.6% |
| University of California - Hastingshastings, uch | CA | $96,013 | $129,178 | 34.5% |
| Loyola University Chicagoloyola-chicago | IL | $95,201 | $134,968 | 41.8% |
| Hamline Universityhamline | MN | $95,174 | $113,173 | 18.9% |
| University of Baltimorebaltimore | MD | $94,834 | $114,725 | 21% |
| University of Richmondrichmond, williams | VA | $94,200 | $110,380 | 17.2% |
| Case Western Reserve Universitycasewestern, cwru | OH | $94,150 | $131,724 | 39.9% |
| Wake Forest Universitywake, wf | NC | $93,223 | $107,532 | 15.3% |
| University of Notre Damenotredame, nd | IN | $92,310 | $111,310 | 20.6% |
| William Mitchell College of Lawwilliammitchell | MN | $92,277 | $110,738 | 20% |
| Drake Universitydrake | IA | $91,576 | $108,857 | 18.9% |
| University of Oregonoregon | OR | $91,353 | $105,900 | 15.9% |
| Willamette Universitywillamette, collins | OR | $91,347 | $136,099 | 49% |
| University of Minnesotaminnesota, uminn | MN | $91,314 | $104,733 | 14.7% |
| University of California - Berkeleyberkeley, ucb, boalt | CA | $91,277 | $143,546 | 57.3% |
| University of Missouri - Kansas Citymissouri-kc, umkc | MO | $90,767 | - | - |
| Arizona State Universityasu, o'connor | AZ | $89,038 | $97,431 | 9.4% |
| Duquesne Universityduquesne | PA | $88,908 | $107,496 | 20.9% |
| Texas A&Mtexasam, texas wesleyan, tamu | TX | $88,062 | $103,500 | 17.5% |
| University of Iowaiowa | IA | $87,891 | $92,373 | 5.1% |
| Ave Maria School of Lawavemaria | FL | $87,337 | $132,236 | 51.4% |
| Florida A&M Universityfamu | FL | $86,557 | - | - |
| University of Pittsburghpitt | PA | $84,772 | $103,461 | 22% |
| Chicago-Kent College of Lawkent, illinois institute of technology | IL | $84,710 | $119,884 | 41.5% |
| University of Marylandmaryland, carey | MD | $83,693 | $102,183 | 22.1% |
| William and Marywm, marshall-wythe | VA | $83,058 | $98,487 | 18.6% |
| Temple Universitytemple, beasley | PA | $82,836 | $97,323 | 17.5% |
| Ohio State Universityosu, moritz | OH | $81,408 | $97,021 | 19.2% |
| Washburn Universitywashburn | KS | $80,488 | $83,396 | 3.6% |
| University of Illinoisillinois, uofi, urbana-champaign | IL | $80,005 | $89,852 | 12.3% |
| University of Oklahomaoklahoma, ou | OK | $78,644 | $81,789 | 4% |
| University of Arizonaarizona, rogers | AZ | $78,412 | $95,533 | 21.8% |
| University of Texastexas, ut | TX | $78,408 | $100,868 | 28.6% |
| Rutgers State University - Newarkrutgers-newark | NJ | $78,302 | $89,507 | 14.3% |
| University of Louisvillelouisville, brandeis | KY | $77,121 | $90,195 | 17% |
| University of Toledotoledo | OH | $76,898 | $96,924 | 26% |
| University of Wisconsinwisconsin | WI | $76,845 | $79,373 | 3.3% |
| University of Mainemaine | ME | $76,533 | $101,749 | 32.9% |
| University of Nevada - Las Vegasunlv | NV | $76,478 | $99,678 | 30.3% |
| University of South Carolinasouthcarolina, usc | SC | $75,718 | $84,590 | 11.7% |
| University of The District of Columbiaudc, clarke | DC | $74,667 | $73,175 | -2% |
| University of Idahoidaho | ID | $74,655 | $92,732 | 24.2% |
| Northern Kentucky Universitynku, chase | KY | $73,469 | $82,989 | 13% |
| Cleveland-Marshall College of Lawcleveland | OH | $71,477 | $89,879 | 25.7% |
| University of Georgiageorgia, uga | GA | $71,283 | $88,825 | 24.6% |
| CUNYcuny-queens, city university of new york | NY | $70,119 | $82,415 | 17.5% |
| Louisiana State Universitylsu, hebert | LA | $69,462 | $89,471 | 28.8% |
| University of Missouri - Columbiamissouri, mizzou | MO | $69,046 | $67,289 | -2.5% |
| University of Daytondayton | OH | $67,856 | $113,486 | 67.2% |
| Texas Southern Universitytexassouthern, tsu, marshall | TX | $67,500 | - | - |
| University of Memphismemphis, humphreys | TN | $67,074 | $78,030 | 16.3% |
| Wayne State Universitywayne | MI | $67,029 | $79,881 | 19.2% |
| University of Coloradocolorado, cu, boulder | CO | $66,554 | $116,280 | 74.7% |
| University of Connecticutuconn | CT | $66,457 | $70,139 | 5.5% |
| University of Houstonhouston, uhlc, uh | TX | $65,802 | $88,664 | 34.7% |
| University of Tennesseetennessee, utk | TN | $65,082 | $66,201 | 1.7% |
| University of North Dakotanorthdakota, UND | ND | $64,772 | $64,818 | 0.1% |
| Southern Illinois Universitysiu, carbondale | IL | $63,517 | - | - |
| University of Washingtonwashington, uw | WA | $63,393 | $105,990 | 67.2% |
| University of Floridaflorida, uf, levin | FL | $62,432 | $82,410 | 32% |
| Liberty Universityliberty | VA | $62,032 | $69,475 | 12% |
| University of Mississippimississippi, ole miss | MS | $62,012 | $73,003 | 17.7% |
| University of Utahutah, uu, quinney | UT | $61,665 | $78,725 | 27.7% |
| University of Montanamontana | MT | $61,617 | $71,216 | 15.6% |
| University of North Carolinaunc, chapel hill | NC | $60,212 | $92,475 | 53.6% |
| University of Akronakron | OH | $60,149 | $82,322 | 36.9% |
| Texas Tech Universitytexastech, ttu | TX | $60,124 | $84,272 | 40.2% |
| West Virginia Universitywvu | WV | $60,074 | $84,727 | 41% |
| University of Arkansas - Little Rockarkansas-littlerock, bowen | AR | $59,983 | $69,532 | 15.9% |
| University of Hawaiihawaii, richardson, manoa | HI | $58,609 | $56,266 | -4% |
| University of Cincinnaticincinnati | OH | $58,455 | $76,663 | 31.1% |
| Georgia State Universitygsu | GA | $57,408 | $69,822 | 21.6% |
| SUNY Buffalobuffalo | NY | $56,394 | $76,010 | 34.8% |
| University of Arkansas - Fayettevillearkansas-fayetteville | AR | $56,358 | $63,541 | 12.7% |
| Southern University Law Centersouthern | LA | $55,809 | $77,067 | 38.1% |
| University of New Mexiconewmexico | NM | $54,122 | $71,029 | 31.2% |
| University of South Dakotasouthdakota | SD | $53,251 | $78,963 | 48.3% |
| Brigham Young Universitybyu, clark | UT | $52,315 | $54,203 | 3.6% |
| University of Wyomingwyoming | WY | $51,859 | $67,087 | 29.4% |
| Faulkner Universityfaulkner, jones | AL | $50,500 | - | - |
| Northern Illinois Universityniu | IL | $49,858 | $77,182 | 54.8% |
| University of Alabamaalabama, bama | AL | $49,750 | $69,440 | 39.6% |
| University of Nebraskanebraska | NE | $49,706 | $62,985 | 26.7% |
| University of Kentuckykentucky, uk | KY | $49,059 | $76,746 | 56.4% |
| University of Kansaskansas, ku | KS | $45,662 | $74,890 | 64% |
| Florida State Universityfsu | FL | $44,442 | $80,375 | 80.9% |
| Appalachian School of Lawappalachian | VA | - | - | - |
| Florida International Universityfiu | FL | - | $89,815 | - |
| Harvard Universityharvard, hls | MA | - | $137,599 | - |
| Indiana University - Indianapolisindiana-indy, IU | IN | - | $96,651 | - |
| Arizona Summit Law Schoolarizonasummit, phoenix, infilaw | AZ | - | - | - |
| University of California - Irvineirvine, uci | CA | - | $102,891 | - |