25 Law Schools Where You Can Pay Off Your Debt

Find law schools that offset student loan debt with high salaries

Many law students depend on student loans to fund their legal education. Those who graduated in 2024-2025 from the 127 ranked law schools that reported debt and salary figures to U.S. News incurred an average debt of $107,329. But law school grads, in some cases, can offset high debt loads with higher-paying salaries. Across the 127 ranked law schools, 2024 graduates reported a median full-time starting salary of $112,802 in the private sector, more than $1,500 higher than the prior year. Here are the top 25 ranked law schools where full-time grads who borrowed and entered the private sector had the highest salary-to-debt ratio, per U.S. News data.

University of Akron (OH)

U.S. News law school rank: 131 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $90,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $61,597

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.46-to-1

Learn more about the University of Akron School of Law.

University of California, Davis

U.S. News law school rank: 52 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $180,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $122,908

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.46-to-1

Learn more about the University of California, Davis School of Law.

Emory University (GA)

U.S. News law school rank: 40 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $200,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $135,677

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.47-to-1

Learn more about Emory University School of Law.

University of Minnesota

U.S. News law school rank: 22 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $165,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $111,050

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.49-to-1

Learn more about the University of Minnesota Law School.

Wayne State University (MI)

U.S. News law school rank: 62 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $95,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $62,462

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.52-to-1

Learn more about Wayne State University Law School.

Georgia State University

U.S. News law school rank: 77 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $115,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $74,893

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.54-to-1

Learn more about Georgia State University College of Law.

University of Arizona

U.S. News law school rank: 70 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $115,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $72,013

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.60-to-1

Learn more about the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law.

University of Louisville (KY)

U.S. News law school rank: 124 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $90,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $55,717

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.62-to-1

Learn more about the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law.

University of Notre Dame (IN)

U.S. News law school rank: 20 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $215,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $133,060

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.62-to-1

Learn more about Notre Dame Law School.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

U.S. News law school rank: 18 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $160,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $98,260

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.63-to-1

Learn more about the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Rutgers University (NJ)

U.S. News law school rank: 100 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $134,500

Average debt (2024-2025): $80,413

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.67-to-1

Learn more about Rutgers Law School.

University of Southern California

U.S. News law school rank: 26 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $225,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $134,089

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.68-to-1

Learn more about the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

University of Alabama

U.S. News law school rank: 40 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $125,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $71,753

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.74-to-1

Learn more about the University of Alabama School of Law.

University of Georgia

U.S. News law school rank: 26 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $126,500

Average debt (2024-2025): $72,883

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.74-to-1

Learn more about the University of Georgia School of Law.

Boston University (MA)

U.S. News law school rank: 24 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $225,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $121,164

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.86-to-1

Learn more about Boston University School of Law.

Temple University (PA)

U.S. News law school rank: 49 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $155,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $81,232

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.91-to-1

Learn more about Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

U.S. News law school rank: 46 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $181,800

Average debt (2024-2025): $91,856

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.98-to-1

Learn more about the University of Illinois College of Law.

University of Utah

U.S. News law school rank: 44 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $150,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $75,614

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.98-to-1

Learn more about the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law.

University of Texas at Austin

U.S. News law school rank: 16 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $225,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $113,209

Salary-to-debt ratio: 1.99-to-1

Learn more about the University of Texas School of Law.

Syracuse University (NY)

U.S. News law school rank: 100 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $91,800

Average debt (2024-2025): $42,142

Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.18-to-1

Learn more about Syracuse University College of Law.

Washington University in St. Louis (MO)

U.S. News law school rank: 13 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $225,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $95,465

Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.36-to-1

Learn more about Washington University School of Law.

University of Florida

U.S. News law school rank: 34 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $166,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $67,964

Salary-to-debt ratio: 2.44-to-1

Learn more about the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

Howard University (DC)

U.S. News law school rank: 117 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $215,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $67,616

Salary-to-debt ratio: 3.18-to-1

Learn more about Howard University School of Law.

Brigham Young University (UT)

U.S. News law school rank: 24 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $156,250

Average debt (2024-2025): $45,852

Salary-to-debt ratio: 3.41-to-1

Learn more about Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School.

Cleveland State University (OH)

U.S. News law school rank: 136 (tie)

Starting median private salary (2024): $100,000

Average debt (2024-2025): $16,406

Salary-to-debt ratio: 6.10-to-1

Learn more about Cleveland State University College of Law.

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See the 25 law schools with highest salary-to-debt ratios

— Cleveland State University College of Law (OH): 6.10-to-1

— Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School (UT): 3.41-to-1

— Howard University School of Law (DC): 3.18-to-1

— University of Florida’s Levin College of Law: 2.44-to-1

— Washington University School of Law (MO): 2.36-to-1

— Syracuse University College of Law (NY): 2.18-to-1

— University of Texas School of Law: 1.99-to-1

— University of Illinois College of Law: 1.98-to-1

— University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law: 1.98-to-1

— Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law (PA): 1.91-to-1

— Boston University School of Law (MA): 1.86-to-1