Best colleges for Law in New York
Ranked by graduates a year
Columbia University, Fordham University and New York University award the most Law degrees and certificates in New York: 457, 420 and 417 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 15 New York colleges offer Law and award 4,110 degrees and certificates a year in all.
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…
15 institutions offering Law in New York
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 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit | — | 457 | 96% | $15,315 | — |
| 2 | Fordham University Bronx Private not-for-profit | — | 420 | 82% | $38,931 | — |
| 3 | New York University New York Private not-for-profit | — | 417 | 88% | $29,023 | — |
| 4 | Brooklyn Law School Brooklyn Private not-for-profit Graduate only | — | 355 | — | — | — |
| 5 | New York Law School New York Private not-for-profit Graduate only | — | 312 | — | — | — |
| 6 | Yeshiva University New York Private not-for-profit | — | 303 | 83% | $39,696 | — |
| 7 | Pace University New York Private not-for-profit | — | 261 | 60% | $29,994 | — |
| 8 | Hofstra University Hempstead Private not-for-profit | — | 260 | 69% | $34,539 | — |
| 9 | St. John's University - New York Queens Private not-for-profit | — | 249 | 66% | $27,359 | — |
| 10 | Syracuse University Syracuse Private not-for-profit | — | 208 | 84% | $28,851 | — |
| 11 | Cornell University Ithaca Private not-for-profit | — | 197 | 95% | $17,613 | — |
| 12 | CUNY School of Law Long Island City Public Graduate only | — | 195 | — | — | — |
| 13 | Albany Law School Albany Private not-for-profit Graduate only | — | 190 | — | — | — |
| 14 | Touro University New York Private not-for-profit | — | 145 | 72% | $27,110 | — |
| 15 | University at Buffalo Buffalo Public | — | 141 | 75% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Law degrees in New York
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 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit | 457 | Not reported |
| 2 | Fordham University Bronx Private not-for-profit | 420 | Not reported |
| 3 | New York University New York Private not-for-profit | 417 | Not reported |
| 4 | Yeshiva University New York Private not-for-profit | 303 | Not reported |
| 5 | Pace University New York Private not-for-profit | 261 | Not reported |
| 6 | Hofstra University Hempstead Private not-for-profit | 260 | Not reported |
| 7 | St. John's University - New York Queens Private not-for-profit | 249 | Not reported |
| 8 | Syracuse University Syracuse Private not-for-profit | 208 | Not reported |
| 9 | Cornell University Ithaca Private not-for-profit | 197 | Not reported |
| 10 | Touro University New York Private not-for-profit | 145 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 5 New York colleges offering Law
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Law School (Graduate only) | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 355 |
| New York Law School (Graduate only) | New York | Private not-for-profit | 312 |
| CUNY School of Law (Graduate only) | Long Island City | Public | 195 |
| Albany Law School (Graduate only) | Albany | Private not-for-profit | 190 |
| University at Buffalo | Buffalo | Public | 141 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Lawyers (SOC 23-1011).
Top skills
What Lawyers earn in New York
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Law programs in New York.
Which New York colleges award the most Law degrees?+
Columbia University (457 graduates a year), Fordham University (420 graduates a year) and New York University (417 graduates a year) award the most Law degrees and certificates in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 15 New York colleges offer Law.
How much do Lawyers earn in New York?+
The average annual wage for Lawyers in New York is $220,180 (median $207,860), across about 91,870 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
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).
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.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card