Best colleges for Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies in California
Ranked by graduates a year
University of Southern California, University of California-Berkeley and University of California-Los Angeles award the most Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies degrees and certificates in California: 707, 313 and 215 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 15 California colleges offer Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies and award 1,809 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies program focuses on equipping students with the skills necessary for advanced legal research and analysis. This program is designed for individuals seeking to deepen their understanding…
15 institutions offering Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies in California
Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | — | 707 | 92% | $26,873 | — |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | — | 313 | 93% | — | — |
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | — | 215 | 93% | — | — |
| 4 | Stanford University Stanford Private not-for-profit | — | 81 | 92% | $12,032 | — |
| 5 | Pepperdine University Malibu Private not-for-profit | — | 76 | 83% | $41,986 | — |
| 6 | University of San Diego San Diego Private not-for-profit | — | 75 | 84% | $26,035 | — |
| 7 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | — | 61 | 79% | $36,488 | — |
| 8 | University of San Francisco San Francisco Private not-for-profit | — | 61 | 70% | $37,121 | — |
| 9 | Golden Gate University San Francisco Private not-for-profit Degree completion | — | 55 | — | — | — |
| 10 | University of California-Davis Davis Public | — | 44 | 86% | — | — |
| 11 | University of the Pacific Stockton Private not-for-profit | — | 39 | 69% | $23,964 | — |
| 12 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public | — | 38 | 87% | — | — |
| 13 | University of California College of the Law-San Francisco San Francisco Public Graduate only | — | 36 | — | — | — |
| 14 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara Private not-for-profit | — | 6 | 88% | $44,094 | — |
| 15 | Northcentral University San Diego Private not-for-profit Online | — | 2 | — | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 707 | Not reported |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | 313 | Not reported |
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 215 | Not reported |
| 4 | Stanford University Stanford Private not-for-profit | 81 | Not reported |
| 5 | Pepperdine University Malibu Private not-for-profit | 76 | Not reported |
| 6 | University of San Diego San Diego Private not-for-profit | 75 | Not reported |
| 7 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 61 | Not reported |
| 8 | University of San Francisco San Francisco Private not-for-profit | 61 | Not reported |
| 9 | University of California-Davis Davis Public | 44 | Not reported |
| 10 | University of the Pacific Stockton Private not-for-profit | 39 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 5 California colleges offering Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Gate University (Degree completion) | San Francisco | Private not-for-profit | 55 |
| University of California-Irvine | Irvine | Public | 38 |
| University of California College of the Law-San Francisco (Graduate only) | San Francisco | Public | 36 |
| Santa Clara University | Santa Clara | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Northcentral University (Online) | San Diego | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Lawyers (SOC 23-1011).
Top skills
What Lawyers earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies degrees?+
University of Southern California (707 graduates a year), University of California-Berkeley (313 graduates a year) and University of California-Los Angeles (215 graduates a year) award the most Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies degrees and certificates in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 15 California colleges offer Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies.
How much do Lawyers earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Lawyers in California is $230,040 (median $195,080), across about 95,770 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies program?+
The Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies program focuses on equipping students with the skills necessary for advanced legal research and analysis. This program is designed for individuals seeking to deepen their understanding…
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).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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