Best-value law schools: 3-year tuition, ranked

Ranked by estimated three-year tuition, lowest first. Read this page for what it is: a sticker-price ranking. Scholarships vary widely by school and by applicant, and most students do not pay sticker. A school that looks expensive here can be cheap for you if your numbers clear its medians, and a cheap school can still leave you in debt. Use this list to find affordable starting points, then research actual aid.

Cost tools: the true cost of law school calculator and the debt estimator.

How this ranking works

Each school's annual tuition is multiplied by three for a rough three-year estimate. The tuition figure is the nonresident rate (the only rate private schools publish). Where a public school charges residents less, the in-state rate is shown too. Fees, books, and living costs are not included. All figures are 2025-2026 estimates, not guarantees.

196 ABA law schools by estimated 3-year tuition. Medians from ABA Standard 509 disclosures via ILRG, Fall 2025 entering class.
Value rankSchoolStateMedian LSATEst. annual tuitionEst. 3-year tuition
1 University of Puerto Rico PR 152 $9,750 $29,250
2 Southern University LA 147 $11,338 $34,014
3 University of Arkansas, Little Rock AR 153 $13,770 $41,310
4 Inter American University of Puerto Rico PR 144 $16,585 $49,755
5 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico PR 139 $17,290 $51,870
6 Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge LA 157 $19,750 $59,250
7 Southern Illinois U. IL 149 $22,088 $66,264
8 University of Akron OH 154 $22,359 $67,077
9 Northern Illinois University IL 150 $23,667 $71,001
10 University of Memphis TN 155 $24,354 / $18,634 in-state $73,062
11 University of the District of Columbia DC 151 $24,874 / $12,438 in-state $74,622
12 Wilmington University DE 149 $25,170 $75,510
13 CUNY-Queens College NY 155 $25,640 / $15,450 in-state $76,920
14 Texas Southern University TX 150 $26,331 / $19,202 in-state $78,993
15 University of Toledo OH 153 $26,446 $79,338
16 University of Mississippi MS 157 $26,797 / $19,797 in-state $80,391
17 University of Cincinnati OH 159 $29,010 / $24,010 in-state $87,030
18 Cleveland State University (Marshall) OH 155 $29,866 / $29,766 in-state $89,598
19 University of Tulsa OK 157 $30,840 $92,520
20 UNT Dallas College of Law TX 153 $31,211 / $18,761 in-state $93,633
21 University of Arizona (Rogers) AZ 163 $31,360 / $26,490 in-state $94,080
22 University of Missouri, Kansas City MO 156 $31,930 / $25,930 in-state $95,790
23 Brigham Young University UT 170 $31,984 / $15,992 in-state $95,952
24 University of Louisville (Brandeis) KY 157 $32,000 / $27,000 in-state $96,000
25 University at Buffalo NY 157 $32,100 / $26,430 in-state $96,300
26 University of South Dakota SD 152 $32,184 / $12,076 in-state $96,552
27 University of Missouri, Columbia MO 161 $32,254 / $25,774 in-state $96,762
28 Florida A&M University FL 152 $33,115 / $13,855 in-state $99,345
29 University of Oklahoma OK 162 $33,357 / $18,739 in-state $100,071
30 Texas Tech University TX 159 $33,840 / $22,590 in-state $101,520
31 Ohio Northern University OH 149 $33,900 $101,700
32 University of Kansas KS 162 $33,975 / $26,865 in-state $101,925
33 University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN 164 $35,140 / $16,696 in-state $105,420
34 North Carolina Central U. NC 151 $36,116 / $13,444 in-state $108,348
35 University of Florida (Levin) FL 169 $36,148 / $19,139 in-state $108,444
36 Florida International U. FL 161 $36,279 / $21,129 in-state $108,837
37 Jacksonville University FL 156 $36,820 $110,460
38 University of North Dakota ND 151 $37,285 / $19,585 in-state $111,855
39 Georgia State University GA 160 $37,886 / $16,162 in-state $113,658
40 Mississippi College MS 152 $37,980 $113,940
41 University of South Carolina SC 162 $38,100 / $20,322 in-state $114,300
42 University of Maine ME 158 $38,160 / $26,100 in-state $114,480
43 Northern Kentucky U. KY 154 $38,454 / $24,388 in-state $115,362
44 University of Wyoming WY 156 $38,834 / $19,244 in-state $116,502
45 University of Georgia GA 169 $38,944 / $18,044 in-state $116,832
46 Oklahoma City University OK 151 $39,173 $117,519
47 Howard University DC 156 $39,780 $119,340
48 Faulkner University (Jones) AL 150 $39,900 $119,700
49 University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 160 $40,836 / $17,646 in-state $122,508
50 Appalachian School of Law VA 146 $41,000 $123,000
51 University of Massachusetts MA 152 $41,565 / $31,766 in-state $124,695
52 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville AR 158 $41,663 / $18,773 in-state $124,989
53 University of Dayton OH 157 $41,914 $125,742
54 George Mason University (Scalia) VA 169 $42,000 / $24,864 in-state $126,000
55 Barry University FL 150 $42,000 $126,000
56 Wayne State U. MI 164 $42,632 / $38,861 in-state $127,896
57 Washburn University KS 155 $42,810 / $28,980 in-state $128,430
58 South Texas College of Law TX 155 $42,960 $128,880
59 Liberty University VA 154 $43,150 $129,450
60 University of New Mexico NM 157 $43,192 / $19,474 in-state $129,576
61 University of Colorado, Boulder CO 164 $44,002 / $35,992 in-state $132,006
62 St. Thomas University FL 152 $44,730 $134,190
63 Mercer University (GA) GA 157 $44,782 $134,346
64 Regent University VA 158 $44,854 $134,562
65 St. Mary's University TX 153 $44,910 $134,730
66 Capital University OH 151 $45,066 $135,198
67 Elon University NC 154 $45,333 $135,999
68 University of Utah (SJ Quinney) UT 166 $45,382 / $34,721 in-state $136,146
69 West Virginia U. WV 155 $45,666 / $26,370 in-state $136,998
70 University of Nevada, Las Vegas NV 160 $46,040 / $31,518 in-state $138,120
71 University of Houston TX 163 $46,051 / $31,326 in-state $138,153
72 Florida State University FL 166 $46,260 / $24,240 in-state $138,780
73 Samford University (Cumberland) AL 156 $46,334 $139,002
74 University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign IL 166 $46,500 / $36,500 in-state $139,500
75 University of Hawaii HI 158 $46,728 / $23,304 in-state $140,184
76 University of Idaho ID 153 $46,752 / $27,516 in-state $140,256
77 Roger Williams University RI 150 $47,400 $142,200
78 Rutgers Law School (SUNJ) NJ 158 $47,863 / $31,577 in-state $143,589
79 Western Michigan (Cooley) MI 147 $48,040 $144,120
80 University of Alabama AL 167 $48,100 / $24,980 in-state $144,300
81 Michigan State University MI 162 $48,222 / $43,480 in-state $144,666
82 Baylor University TX 164 $48,275 $144,825
83 Creighton University NE 153 $48,346 $145,038
84 Texas A&M University TX 169 $48,522 / $32,634 in-state $145,566
85 Charleston School of Law SC 154 $48,600 $145,800
86 University of Detroit Mercy MI 156 $48,807 $146,421
87 Lincoln Memorial U. TN 153 $48,861 $146,583
88 Temple University (Beasley) PA 165 $48,996 / $32,588 in-state $146,988
89 Nova Southeastern U. FL 155 $49,350 $148,050
90 Ave Maria School of Law FL 155 $49,500 $148,500
91 University of Kentucky KY 159 $49,836 / $25,685 in-state $149,508
92 University of New Hampshire NH 155 $50,000 / $42,000 in-state $150,000
93 Western New England MA 153 $50,320 $150,960
94 University of Baltimore MD 155 $50,624 / $33,944 in-state $151,872
95 Indiana University, Indianapolis IN 155 $50,893 / $32,083 in-state $152,679
96 Ohio State University (Moritz) OH 168 $50,902 / $35,650 in-state $152,706
97 Drake University IA 156 $50,920 $152,760
98 University of St. Thomas MN 159 $50,998 $152,994
99 University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill NC 168 $51,320 / $28,082 in-state $153,960
100 John Marshall IL 153 $51,440 / $42,080 in-state $154,320
101 University of Montana MT 156 $51,582 / $24,582 in-state $154,746
102 Campbell University NC 156 $51,840 $155,520
103 Marquette University WI 158 $51,970 $155,910
104 Arizona State University AZ 165 $52,099 / $28,390 in-state $156,297
105 University of Iowa IA 164 $52,191 / $30,944 in-state $156,573
106 Atlanta's John Marshall Law GA 152 $52,536 $157,608
107 University of Pittsburgh PA 160 $53,434 / $39,936 in-state $160,302
108 University of Wisconsin, Madison WI 167 $53,640 / $36,526 in-state $160,920
109 Western State University CA 152 $54,840 $164,520
110 Loyola University New Orleans LA 154 $55,024 $165,072
111 St. Louis University MO 157 $55,260 $165,780
112 Mitchell Hamline MN 154 $55,300 $165,900
113 DePaul University IL 158 $55,328 $165,984
114 Vermont Law School VT 152 $55,382 $166,146
115 Belmont University TN 161 $55,500 $166,500
116 University of Maryland MD 164 $55,844 / $37,830 in-state $167,532
117 IIT Chicago-Kent IL 161 $55,910 $167,730
118 Stetson University FL 159 $56,521 $169,563
119 Willamette University OR 154 $56,600 $169,800
120 Quinnipiac University CT 155 $56,610 $169,830
121 Pace University NY 154 $56,648 $169,944
122 University of Texas, Austin TX 172 $56,822 / $38,236 in-state $170,466
123 Widener (Commonwealth) PA 150 $56,900 $170,700
124 Drexel University (Kline) PA 160 $57,000 $171,000
125 Washington and Lee University VA 167 $57,450 $172,350
126 University of Richmond VA 164 $57,700 $173,100
127 University of Washington WA 165 $57,810 / $45,927 in-state $173,430
128 Wake Forest University NC 166 $57,920 $173,760
129 Gonzaga University WA 155 $57,962 $173,886
130 Indiana University, Bloomington IN 164 $58,000 / $36,950 in-state $174,000
131 Loyola University Chicago IL 161 $58,670 $176,010
132 Duquesne University PA 157 $58,898 $176,694
133 Widener (Delaware) DE 152 $59,150 $177,450
134 University of Oregon OR 160 $59,495 / $47,240 in-state $178,485
135 Villanova University PA 164 $59,800 $179,400
136 University of San Francisco CA 155 $59,800 $179,400
137 Penn State University (Dickinson) PA 159 $60,048 $180,144
138 Southern Methodist University TX 167 $60,844 $182,532
139 Touro College (Fuchsberg) NY 153 $61,000 $183,000
140 University of Connecticut CT 162 $61,396 / $30,354 in-state $184,188
141 Lewis & Clark (Northwestern) OR 161 $61,434 $184,302
142 Catholic University of America DC 161 $61,580 $184,740
143 University of California, Hastings CA 161 $61,773 / $53,087 in-state $185,319
144 University of Minnesota, Twin Cities MN 171 $61,845 / $51,440 in-state $185,535
145 Seattle University WA 159 $62,558 $187,674
146 Suffolk University MA 155 $62,610 $187,830
147 University of the Pacific (McGeorge) CA 156 $62,678 $188,034
148 New England Sch. of Law MA 153 $62,896 $188,688
149 College of William and Mary VA 166 $62,900 / $38,734 in-state $188,700
150 Chapman University CA 163 $63,126 $189,378
151 Southwestern University CA 157 $63,160 $189,480
152 University of Denver CO 160 $63,390 $190,170
153 Albany Law School Union U. NY 158 $63,994 $191,982
154 Case Western Reserve U. OH 162 $64,600 $193,800
155 Syracuse University NY 158 $64,650 $193,950
156 California Western CA 155 $64,720 $194,160
157 Northeastern University MA 164 $65,652 $196,956
158 University of Miami FL 164 $66,720 $200,160
159 University of San Diego CA 163 $66,950 $200,850
160 American University DC 162 $66,990 $200,970
161 Santa Clara University CA 159 $68,790 $206,370
162 Emory University GA 166 $69,510 $208,530
163 Tulane University LA 161 $69,578 $208,734
164 Seton Hall University NJ 161 $69,660 $208,980
165 University of California, Davis CA 165 $69,705 / $57,460 in-state $209,115
166 Boston University MA 170 $69,870 $209,610
167 Loyola Law School CA 163 $70,360 $211,080
168 New York Law School NY 157 $71,052 $213,156
169 University of California, Irvine CA 169 $71,325 / $59,080 in-state $213,975
170 University of California, Los Angeles CA 171 $71,329 / $59,084 in-state $213,987
171 Boston College MA 168 $72,380 $217,140
172 Washington University in St. Louis MO 175 $72,792 $218,376
173 Pepperdine University CA 164 $72,920 $218,760
174 Hofstra University NY 157 $73,344 $220,032
175 University of Notre Dame IN 170 $73,430 $220,290
176 Cardozo-Yeshiva University NY 165 $74,438 $223,314
177 St. John's University NY 164 $75,170 $225,510
178 George Washington U. DC 168 $75,420 $226,260
179 Brooklyn Law School NY 161 $75,496 $226,488
180 University of California, Berkeley CA 170 $76,149 / $62,532 in-state $228,447
181 University of Virginia VA 173 $76,396 / $74,078 in-state $229,188
182 Vanderbilt University TN 170 $76,440 $229,320
183 Yale University CT 174 $76,636 $229,908
184 Harvard University MA 174 $77,100 $231,300
185 Stanford University CA 173 $77,454 $232,362
186 Fordham University NY 168 $78,078 $234,234
187 University of Pennsylvania PA 173 $78,348 $235,044
188 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI 171 $79,108 / $76,108 in-state $237,324
189 Northwestern University IL 173 $79,772 $239,316
190 Duke University NC 171 $80,100 $240,300
191 University of Chicago IL 174 $83,316 $249,948
192 Georgetown University DC 171 $83,576 $250,728
193 New York University NY 172 $83,952 $251,856
194 University of Southern California CA 169 $84,034 $252,102
195 Cornell University NY 173 $84,722 $254,166
196 Columbia University NY 173 $85,368 $256,104

Sticker price is not what you pay

Three things to check before you let this ranking pick your schools. First, scholarships: schools discount tuition to buy high LSAT scores, so your net price depends on your numbers relative to each school's medians. Second, residency: several public schools near the top of this list cost far less for state residents, and some let you establish residency after the first year. Third, outcomes per dollar: a slightly pricier school with strong employment in your target market can be the better value. Read our scholarships guide before you decide what anything costs.

Rank is selectivity rank by median LSAT, not an overall quality ranking. Cost figures are estimates, not guarantees.

Related

Last updated October 12, 2026