by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 836 U.S. colleges awarded 67,847 degrees and certificates in Legal Professions. Doctorates are the most popular award, at 55% of graduates. College Factual ranks 494 schools in its 2027 Best Legal Professions Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $78,563 one year after completing, rising to $113,059 after four years.
Does the idea of defending a citizen in a criminal court make you excited? How about researching laws and regulations to help people start a business, create public policy or defend themselves from illegal actions? All lawyer jokes aside, Lawyers and Legal Professionals offer critical services to every day Americans.
Choosing a major in the field of Legal Professionals will allow you to study many different disciplines and use that knowledge to understand and analyze law and public policy. As you further your education, you will develop your own attitude and opinions towards law and the justice system through critical investigation. You will learn to explore various concepts through a prism of different perspectives.
Students who major in General Legal Studies frequently go to law school and become layers. However, if you are more interested in behind the scenes work you might consider majoring in or Legal Support Services. No matter what field you decide to pursue, you will learn fundamental legal concepts as well as current issues. You will take classes exploring the history of law, researching and writing for legal documents, and how to think critically.
Studying Legal Professions covers Legal Professions And Studies. Instructional Programs That Prepare Individuals For The Legal Profession, For Related Support Professions And Professional Legal Research, And Focus On The Study Of Legal Issues In Non-Professional Programs.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, legal professions is a widely-pursued major, with 67,847 degrees awarded annually. 836 colleges award legal professions degrees, an average of 81 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,460.
By level, the 67,847 awards include 2,560 certificates, 5,379 associate degrees, 5,265 bachelor’s degrees, 17,225 master’s degrees and 37,318 doctorates.
Women earned 63% of legal professions degrees and certificates in the latest year (42,818 of 67,847). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (33,238) and Hispanic or Latino (10,699), and international students earned 6,859.
College Factual ranks 494 schools in its 2027 Best Legal Professions Schools ranking, including 174 for associate degrees, 95 for bachelor’s degrees, 126 for master’s degrees and 201 for doctorates. It also ranks legal professions schools within 36 states. In all, 836 colleges offer legal professions programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Legal Professions Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common legal professions credential is the doctorate: 37,318 of the 67,847 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to legal professions call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of Law and Government, English Language and Education and Training, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
A driving interest and passion in law and government will get you far in this field. You will be spending hours of time researching laws, debating their effectiveness and coming up with new solutions to problems. Learn to be a good listener so you can gain new ideas from classmates and peers. Your coursework may seem dry at times, but it will allow you to understand court rulings and legal resources.
Students who excel in this field tend to have very strong communication skills. You will need to read and write critically and clearly articulate your ideas. Engaging in discussion and staying current on the issues is also important in this field. Coursework includes a lot of reading, writing and research, so students need good time management and organization skills in order to stay ahead.
Most schools will require you to join and have an active role in the school government. Also, you should obtain an internship that deals with the legal profession either over the summer or during the school year. This will help you pick up real-life skills to prepare you for graduate school or the work force.
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How long a legal professions degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 2,560 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 5,379 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 5,265 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 17,225 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 37,318 |
First professional degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to legal professions, at 40.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| First professional degree | 40.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 38.7% |
| Master’s degree | 12.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.8% |
| Some college courses | 0.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
12 occupations are related to Legal Professions, with an average median salary of $90,063; the strongest outlook belongs to Interpreters and Translators, at 12.2% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Instructor, Criminal Law Professor, Environmental Law Professor and Law Adjunct Professor.
Most people who decide to pursue a legal professional degree will continue on to law school to become a lawyer. However, there are many careers in the legal field. These include legal secretaries, court reporters, and paralegals. You may also choose pursue a career in the political science field or public policy.
The occupation related to legal professions with the most projected jobs is Law Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,017,747.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,017,747 | -2.9% |
| Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 807,227 | 10.5% |
| Interpreters and Translators | 424,722 | 12.2% |
| Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | 286,021 | -4.0% |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | 236,128 | 0.0% |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | 214,979 | 0.6% |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | 211,572 | 10.2% |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | 197,456 | -0.5% |
Legal Professions graduates earn a median $78,563 one year after completing their program, $113,059 after four years and $106,225 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $78,563 |
| 4 years | $113,059 |
| 5 years | $106,225 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to legal professions is Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers, with a median salary of $137,571.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | $137,571 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $134,350 |
| Judicial Law Clerks | $132,226 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $93,794 |
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,726 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $84,793 |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $80,735 |
| Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners | $76,955 |
Legal Professions includes 5 concentrations that together award 67,847 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Law (36,931), Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (12,178) and Legal Support Services (10,718). Browse the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Law | 36,931 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 12,178 |
| Legal Support Services | 10,718 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | 5,475 |
| Legal Professions and Studies, Other | 2,545 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
