Best institutions to study Intellectual Property Law
An advanced, professional study of the law, policies, and regulations related to copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and related issues.
13 U.S. institutions graduated 110 Intellectual Property Law students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 22.0212, a specialization of Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (CIP 22.02), and leads most directly to the Lawyers occupation (BLS SOC 23-1011).
About Intellectual Property Law programs
An advanced, professional study of the law, policies, and regulations related to copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and related issues. Includes instruction in patent law, copyright law, trademark law, intellectual property licensing and litigation, and applications such as art and entertainment law, communications law, information technology law, sports law, and chemical and biotech patent law.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Intellectual Property Law program, part of the Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies, focuses on the advanced study of laws, policies, and regulations governing copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets. This program is designed for individuals seeking to deepen their understanding of intellectual property issues and enhance their legal expertise in this specialized area of law.
Students in this program will gain essential skills in legal interpretation, critical thinking, and effective communication. Coursework covers topics such as patent law, copyright law, trademark law, and intellectual property licensing, preparing graduates for the complexities of intellectual property litigation and related applications.
Credentials awarded
What Intellectual Property Law graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree94 graduates / yr · 9 institutions86%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate14 graduates / yr · 4 institutions13%
- Post-master's certificate2 graduates / yr · 1 institution1.8%
Graduates over time
Intellectual Property Law completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 142 |
| 2013 | 148 |
| 2014 | 165 |
| 2015 | 169 |
| 2016 | 152 |
| 2017 | 151 |
| 2018 | 131 |
| 2019 | 126 |
| 2020 | 127 |
| 2021 | 76 |
| 2022 | 135 |
| 2023 | 105 |
| 2024 | 115 |
| 2025 | 110 |
Top 13 institutions for Intellectual Property Law, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of New Hampshire - Franklin Pierce School of Law Concord, NHPublicMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 23 | — | — |
| 2 | Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 17 | 75% | $19,899 |
| 3 | Yeshiva University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 16 | 83% | $39,696 |
| 4 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MOPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 12 | 94% | $14,126 |
| 5 | American University Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 8 | 75% | $30,225 |
| 6 | Indiana University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, INPublicPost-degree cert. | 7 | 54% | — |
| 7 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNPublicMaster's | 7 | 85% | — |
| 8 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicMaster's | 7 | 84% | — |
| 9 | University of Houston Houston, TXPublicMaster's | 4 | 65% | — |
| 10 | Duke University Durham, NCPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 3 | 97% | $16,260 |
| 11 | Cleveland State University Cleveland, OHPublicMaster's | 2 | 51% | — |
| 12 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UTPublicPost-degree cert. | 2 | 65% | — |
| 13 | George Mason University Fairfax, VAPublicMaster's | 2 | 68% | — |
Offered in 12 states
Where Intellectual Property Law graduates come from. Each state links to all Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 1 | 23 | University of New Hampshire - Franklin Pierce School of Law23 / yr |
| Illinois | 1 | 17 | Illinois Institute of Technology17 / yr |
| New York | 1 | 16 | Yeshiva University16 / yr |
| Missouri | 1 | 12 | Washington University in St Louis12 / yr |
| Texas | 2 | 11 | Texas A&M University - College Station7 / yr |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 8 | American University8 / yr |
| Indiana | 1 | 7 | Indiana University - Indianapolis7 / yr |
| Minnesota | 1 | 7 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities7 / yr |
| North Carolina | 1 | 3 | Duke University3 / yr |
| Ohio | 1 | 2 | Cleveland State University2 / yr |
| Utah | 1 | 2 | University of Utah2 / yr |
| Virginia | 1 | 2 | George Mason University2 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 23-1011, Lawyers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Intellectual Property Law program can pursue careers as lawyers or law teachers, with a median wage of $151,160. The job outlook for legal professions is about as fast as average, with an expected growth rate of 4.1% and approximately 31,500 annual openings.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 22.0212
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lawyersprimary SOC 23-1011 | $159,670 | +4.1% About as fast as average | ~31,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Law Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1112 | $128,500 | +2.2% About as fast as average | ~2,200 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Intellectual Property Law programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
- Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
- Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.
- Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
- Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
- Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
Tools and technology used
Other Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies specializations
The 24 other 6-digit CIP codes under Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (CIP 22.02).
- Advanced Legal Research/CIP 22.0201
Studies 5,052 graduates / yr77 institutions - Legal Research and Advanced Professional StudiesCIP 22.02991,551 graduates / yr42 institutions
- Programs for Foreign LawyersCIP 22.02021,380 graduates / yr34 institutions
- American/CIP 22.0203
U.S. Law/ Legal Studies/ Jurisprudence 949 graduates / yr40 institutions - Tax Law/CIP 22.0211
Taxation 749 graduates / yr24 institutions - Health LawCIP 22.0208448 graduates / yr21 institutions
- International Law and Legal StudiesCIP 22.0209388 graduates / yr24 institutions
- Banking, Corporate, Finance, and Securities LawCIP 22.0205353 graduates / yr25 institutions
- International Business, Trade, and Tax LawCIP 22.0210316 graduates / yr16 institutions
- Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources LawCIP 22.0207255 graduates / yr21 institutions
- Human Resources LawCIP 22.0220partial data235 graduates / yr5 institutions
- Arts and Entertainment LawCIP 22.0215limited data98 graduates / yr1 institutions
- Comparative LawCIP 22.0206partial data84 graduates / yr6 institutions
- Real Estate and Land Development LawCIP 22.0222limited data56 graduates / yr2 institutions
- Tribal/CIP 22.0224
Indigenous Law partial data56 graduates / yr7 institutions - Compliance LawCIP 22.0216partial data38 graduates / yr3 institutions
- Criminal Law and ProcedureCIP 22.0217partial data30 graduates / yr3 institutions
- Entrepreneurship LawCIP 22.0218limited data2 graduates / yr1 institutions
- Patent LawCIP 22.0213limited data1 graduates / yr1 institutions
Show 5 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Canadian Law/
Legal Studies/ Jurisprudence22.0204 - Agriculture Law22.0214
- Family/
Child/ Elder Law22.0219 - Insurance Law22.0221
- Transportation Law22.0223
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
See all Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies programs →
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Master's degree, a Postbaccalaureate certificate, or a Post-master's certificate.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
There are 13 colleges offering the Intellectual Property Law program in the U.S.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in speaking, critical thinking, writing, and legal analysis.
What is the typical education required for careers in this field?+
Most careers in intellectual property law require a doctoral or professional degree.
What is the CIP code for Intellectual Property Law?+
Intellectual Property Law is CIP 22.0212 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (CIP 22.02). NCES defines it as: An advanced, professional study of the law, policies, and regulations related to copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and related issues. Includes instruction in patent law, copyright law, trademark law, intellectual property licensing and litigation, and applications such as art and entertainment law, communications law, information technology law, sports law, and chemical and biotech patent law.
How many institutions offer Intellectual Property Law programs?+
13 U.S. institutions reported Intellectual Property Law graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 12 states, awarding 110 credentials in the year. That is 0.9% of all Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies graduates.
How much do Intellectual Property Law graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Lawyers occupation, which Intellectual Property Law most directly leads to, pays a median of $159,670 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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