Law
Legal Professions & Studies
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $77,880 | $57,993 to $99,741 | 8 | 100% |
| Doctoral Degree | $100,382 | $89,499 to $121,408 | 26 | 100% |
| First Professional Degree | $96,470 | $84,403 to $117,872 | 181 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +3% (2024 to 2034), about 36,400 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawyers | $151,160 | +4.1% | 31,500 |
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $126,650 | +2.2% | 2,200 |
| Judicial Law Clerks | $60,400 | +2.5% | 1,000 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $156,210 | +2.5% | 900 |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | $115,230 | -0.7% | 500 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $67,710 | +4.3% | 300 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.