California · Law

Best Law institutions in California, ranked by earnings

The Law program focuses on legal professions and studies, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of legal principles and practices. It is designed for individuals who hold a bachelor's degree in a non-law field and are…

Institutions
30
offering CIP 22.01
States offered
9
with a program page
Degrees / yr
4,461
IPEDS completions 2026
Median grad earnings
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
0
College Scorecard
Median net price
$26,873
IPEDS 2026
Avg graduation rate
76%
IPEDS 2026
State pay · Lawyers
$254,170
BLS OEWS 2024

30 institutions offering Law in California

Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by completions.

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of California - Berkeley
Berkeley Public
40893%
2University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles Public
37293%
3University of California College of the Law - San Francisco
San Francisco Public
369
4Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles Private not-for-profit
33979%$36,488
5Southwestern Law School
Los Angeles Private not-for-profit
290
6University of San Diego
San Diego Private not-for-profit
25084%$26,035
7University of California - Davis
Davis Public
24286%
8University of Southern California
Los Angeles Private not-for-profit
22092%$26,873
9California Western School of Law
San Diego Private not-for-profit
216
10Santa Clara University
Santa Clara Private not-for-profit
20388%$44,094
11Stanford University
Stanford Private not-for-profit
19992%$12,032
12Pepperdine University
Malibu Private not-for-profit
19783%$41,986
13University of California - Irvine
Irvine Public
16487%
14Chapman University
Orange Private not-for-profit
14582%$42,965
15University of the Pacific
Stockton Private not-for-profit
14469%$23,964
16University of San Francisco
San Francisco Private not-for-profit
11970%$37,121
17Golden Gate University
San Francisco Private not-for-profit
117
18Thomas Jefferson School of Law
San Diego Private not-for-profit
77
19Westcliff University
Irvine Private for-profit
7662%$26,754
20University of La Verne
La Verne Private not-for-profit
7163%$45,461
21University of West Los Angeles
Inglewood Private for-profit
52
22The Colleges of Law at Ventura
Ventura Private not-for-profit
50
23Trinity Law School
Santa Ana Private not-for-profit
42
24San Joaquin College of Law
Clovis Private not-for-profit
40
25Northcentral University
San Diego Private not-for-profit
18
26The Colleges of Law at Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Private not-for-profit
17
27Humphreys University - Stockton and Modesto Campuses
Stockton Private not-for-profit
862%$11,410
28Abraham Lincoln University
Glendale Private for-profit
80%$24,825
29Cal Northern School of Law
Chico Private for-profit
7
30Alliant International University - San Diego
San Diego Private for-profit
1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Lawyers (SOC 23-1011).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.1%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~31,500
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$151,160
typically Doctoral or professional degree

Top skills

SpeakingCritical ThinkingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionWritingActive Learning

What Lawyers earn in California

Jobs in California
92,580
BLS OEWS May 2024
State average pay
$254,170
median $197,790
Best-paying metro
$314,430
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Related careers

Lawyers
$254,170 avg · 92,580 jobs
Judicial Law Clerks
$72,390 avg · 1,520 jobs
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
Law Teachers, Postsecondary
$132,800
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Law programs in California.

How much do Lawyers earn in California?+

The average annual wage for Lawyers in California is $254,170 (median $197,790), across about 92,580 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2024.

What is the focus of the Law program?+

The Law program focuses on legal professions and studies, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of legal principles and practices. It is designed for individuals who hold a bachelor's degree in a non-law field and are…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop speaking, critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Lawyers?+

The national job outlook is about +4.1% growth with around 31,500 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

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