Best Law Schools
To determine our Best Undergraduate Law Schools Ranking, we use a formula that weighs the most relevant categories for an overall quality ranking. Each school's overall score was calculated using the following formula: 25% acceptance rates, 25% standardized scores (LSAT), 25% quality of life (location/proximity to amenities and student life opportunities and events), and 25% employment opportunities (prestige and % employed upon graduation).
2017 Best Law Schools
Yale University (Yale Law School)
Yale Law School offers its students great flexibility when it comes to carving out their own curriculum. Once students discover where they want to take their education, the school’s prestige will help students reach their desired destination.
Stanford University (Law School)
Stanford Law School is committed to attracting diverse minds and working with students to make sure a promising career is not ended prematurely due to financial difficulties. Prestige, an exceptional academic profile and a strong employment track record makes this a top choice for prospective lawyers.
Harvard University (Law School)
Harvard Law School’s prestige and its alumni star power is known throughout the legal industry, meaning large firms recruit very heavily on campus. While the opportunities to accept positions in Big Law are endless and attractive, Harvard also works hard to help students navigate a public interest route.
University of Pennsylvania (University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School)
UPenn features a number of elite professional schools and departments in close proximity to one another and through its Cross-Disciplinary Programs, Penn Law students get to try them all. This unique initiative expands student’s legal education in ways that will broaden their career options.
Duke University (School of Law)
Duke University School of Law offers a quality academic legal education at an affordable rate, made possible through generous financial aid incentives and affordable housing in the Durham community. Strong analytical, research and writing skills prepare students for the numerous job opportunities a Duke legal degree provides.
University of Chicago (The Law School)
With its loan forgiveness program, The University of Chicago Law School is a dream come true for those entering a public interest career. In addition, its interview process presents new opportunities for applicants. Brilliant professors and engaging dialogue prepare students for the rigors of a legal profession. And nothing beats the location or its affordable housing.
Columbia University (School of Law)
Columbia University School of Law is located in New York City, the legal capital of the world. In the Vault Law 100, 9 of the Top 10 law firms are based in NYC. Unprecedented access to these firms makes the high tuition and cost of living worth the price.
University of Virginia (School of Law)
The opportunity to apply legal theory in practical situations through Virginia Law’s innovative Principals and Practice Program best prepares students for a career as a lawyer. A robust on-campus interview program helps make those legal careers a strong reality.
New York University (School of Law)
New York is a melting pot of different cultures and NYU Law reflects this reality through an admissions process that pays extra attention to groups under-represented in the legal profession. The school encourages these students to seek public interest careers and backs up their efforts with a robust Loan Repayment Assistance Program.
University of California, Berkeley (School of Law)
Students looking to enter a lucrative career in Intellectual Property Law have found the perfect place in Berkeley. The school not only offers a renowned program in this practice area, but also has career counselors dedicated to helping students find success in the field.