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ERIC Number: ED661869
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 84
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
A Law Degree Is No Sure Thing: Some Law School Graduates Earn Top Dollar, but Many Do Not
Jeff Strohl; Catherine Morris; Ban Cheah
Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce
Is law school worth it? A Juris Doctor (JD) offers high median earnings and a substantial earnings boost relative to a bachelor's degree in the humanities or social sciences--two of the more common fields of study that lawyers pursue as undergraduate students. However, graduates of most law schools carry substantial student loan debt, which dims the financial returns associated with a JD. "A Law Degree Is No Sure Thing: Some Law School Graduates Earn Top Dollar, but Many Do Not" finds that the return on investment (ROI) in earnings and career outcomes varies widely across law schools. The median earnings net of debt payments are $72,000 four years after graduation for all law school graduates, but exceed $200,000 at seven law schools. By comparison, graduates of 33 law schools earn less than $55,000 net of debt payments four years after graduation.
Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. 3300 Whitehaven Street NW Suite 5000 Box 571444, Washington, DC 20057. Tel: 202-687-4922; Fax: 202-687-3110; e-mail: cewgeorgetown@georgetown.edu; Web site: http://cew.georgetown.edu
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Numerical/Quantitative Data
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Lumina Foundation; Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Authoring Institution: Georgetown University, Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A