by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, legal studies was the 195th most popular major nationwide with 3,818 degrees awarded. This represents a 7.1% increase in legal studies degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 3,546.
Our 2023 Best Legal Studies Schools ranking analyzes 47 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for legal studies students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of legal studies programs later in this article.
A major in legal studies prepares you for careers in which talking to others to convey information effectively is crucial. Required skills include understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents and giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. In addition to these basic legal studies program qualifications, to serve in some legal studies careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
Legal Studies degree levels vary. You can get anything from a in legal studies to the highest legal studies degree, a . Different legal studies degrees vary in how long they take.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A doctor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to legal studies, with approximately 35.3% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for legal studies workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| First Professional Degree | 46.2% |
| Doctoral Degree | 35.3% |
| Master’s Degree | 15.4% |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | 2.1% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 1.1% |
About 98.9% of workers in careers related to legal studies obtain at least master's degrees. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in legal studies have received.
The education level required is different depending on the legal studies career you are seeking.
Want a job when you graduate with your legal studies degree? Legal Studies careers are expected to grow 12.3% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to legal studies.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Law Professors | 23,800 | 12.3% |
As you might expect, salaries for legal studies graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for legal studies graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers legal studies grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Law Professors | $130,710 |
With over 251 different legal studies degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased legal studies school rankings to help you with this.
Learn about other programs related to Legal Studies that might interest you.
One of 1 majors within the Non-Professional General Legal Studies area of study, Legal Studies has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Pre-Law | 586 |
