If you’re considering a career in law, you’re probably looking at the most affordable law schools for your education. Here we have assembled a list of the “Top Public Law Schools” to help you in finding a law school and make your dream come true.
According to the U.S. News and World Report, these law schools are the least expensive out of all the public law schools in the country and offering excellent educational degree programs, courses, and scholarship opportunities in this renowned filed.
In this list, I’m only going to focus on public schools for law studies. Now let’s crack open your textbooks and get started!
Table of Contents
University of Michigan
Michigan Law School
The University of Michigan is a large, four-year, residential research university. Michigan’s academic vigor offers excellence across disciplines and around the globe. They are recognized as a leader in higher education due to the outstanding quality of our 19 schools and colleges, internationally recognized faculty and departments with 250-degree programs. The UMich offers over 200 undergraduate majors, and 100 doctoral and 90 master’s programs.
Founded in 1859, Michigan Law School is one of the world’s finest institutions of legal education. The school (Michigan Law) offers Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Laws (LLM), and Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degree programs. At The University of Michigan Law School, The Office of Career Planning provides a broad range of programs to help students and graduates as they explore career opportunities while also serving employers both nationally and internationally.
Ranking: #8 in Best Law Schools Programs
Acceptance Rate: 27.9%
Tuition Approximately: $57,262 (in-state) & $60,508 (out-of-state)
Contact Information: 734.764.1358, (734) 764-0537, law.jd.admissions@umich.edu
Website: http://www.law.umich.edu/
University of California at Berkeley
UC Berkeley School of Law
The University of California, Berkeley is a public research university offers 106 Bachelor’s degrees, 88 Master’s degrees, 97 research-focused doctoral programs, and 31 professionally focused graduate degrees. Berkeley’s 130-plus academic departments and programs are organized into 14 colleges and schools in addition to UC Berkeley Extension. Berkeley Law is one of the nation’s premier law schools and is one of 14 schools and colleges at the University of California–Berkeley. It is consistently ranked as one of the top law schools in the nation. The school offers JD, LLM, JSD and joint degrees, as well as individual courses. Berkeley Law’s curriculum gives students the opportunity to study one subject in a sustained manner and at a more advanced level than is usually possible in general law school courses.
Ranking: #9 in Best Law Schools Programs
Acceptance Rate: 25%
Tuition Approximately: $49,364 (in-state) & $53,315 (out-of-state)
Contact Information: 510.642.1741
Website: https://www.law.berkeley.edu/admission
University of Virginia
School of Law
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university offers 48 bachelor’s degrees, 94 master’s degrees, 55 doctoral degrees, 6 educational specialist degrees, and 2 first-professional degrees (Medicine and Law) to its students. UVA’s academic strength is broad, with 121 majors across the eight undergraduate and three professional schools. Students come to attend the university in Charlottesville from all 50 states and 148 countries.
Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University of Virginia School of Law is the second-oldest continuously operating law school in the nation. At UVA, law students share their experiences in a cooperative spirit, both in and out of the classroom, and build a network that lasts well beyond their three years here. The law school offers the J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law and hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers.
Ranking: #9 in Best Law Schools Programs
Acceptance Rate: 19.9%
Tuition Approximately: $58,300 (in-state) & $61,300 (out-of-state)
Contact Information: (434) 924-7351, admissions@law.virginia.edu
Website: https://www.law.virginia.edu/admissions
University of Texas–Austin
UT School of Law (Texas Law)
The University of Texas at Austin is one of the most selective universities in the region. UT Austin offers more than 100 undergraduate and 170 graduate degrees. The University of Texas School of Law is one of the professional graduate schools offers both Juris Doctor and Master of Laws degrees. It also offers dual degree programs with the JD, such as an MBA, MPA, and Ph.D. At The UT School of Law, students train to become masters of many arts, including rigorous analytical thinkers, precise communicators, and world-changing legal professionals. Their students have ample opportunities to lead and learn inside and outside the classroom and work alongside attorneys and faculty members on real cases and projects.
Ranking: #15 in Best Law Schools Programs
Acceptance Rate: 24%
Tuition Approximately: $35,015 (in-state) & $51,995 (out-of-state)
Contact Information: (512) 232-1200, admissions@law.utexas.edu
Website: https://law.utexas.edu/admissions/apply/
The University of California at Los Angeles
UCLA School of Law
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is organized into six undergraduate colleges, seven professional schools, and four professional health science schools. It offers 337 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines.
Founded in 1949, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law is one of five law schools within the University of California system. The UCLA School of Law offers standard Juris Doctor degrees in addition to notable programs of specialization within the schools. UCLA School of Law has a faculty of over 100 members with expertise in all major disciplines of law, representing “one of the most diverse in the country. Several joint degree programs are available, which require four years of study and result in the simultaneous award of a Juris Doctor and master’s degree in Afro-American Studies, American Indian Studies, Law and Management, Public Health, Public Policy, Philosophy, Social Welfare, and Urban Planning. The school also offers a Master of Laws (LL.M.) law program, which involves one year of post-law-graduate studies.
Ranking: #16 in Best Law Schools Programs
Acceptance Rate: 20%
Tuition Approximately: $45,657 (in-state) & $52,151 (out-of-state)
Contact Information: (310) 825-2260, admissions@law.ucla.edu
Website: http://www.law.ucla.edu/prospective-students/admission-information/pages/default.aspx
University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota Law School
The University of Minnesota is one of America’s Public Ivy universities. The university organization structure consists of 19 colleges, schools, and other major academic units. The university has six university-wide interdisciplinary centers and institutes whose work crosses collegiate lines. The University of Minnesota Law School is a leader in preparing students to solve the complex social, economic and business issues of their time. Founded in 1888, the Law School is consistently ranked among the best law schools in America and was ranked 20th by the 2018 U.S. News & World Report “Best Law Schools” rankings. The school confers four law degrees: a Juris Doctor (J.D.), a Master of Laws (LL.M.), a Master of Science in Patent Law (M.S.P.L.), and a Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.). The J.D. program offers a number of concentration opportunities, as well as dual and joint degree options with other graduate and professional schools of the university.
Ranking: #20 in Best Law Schools Programs
Acceptance Rate: 45%
Tuition Approximately: $44,066 (in-state) & $52,586 (out-of-state)
Contact Information: (612) 625-3487, jdadmissions@umn.edu
Website: https://www.law.umn.edu/admissions/jd-admissions/how-apply
University of California–Irvine
School of Law
The University of California, Irvine (UCI or UC Irvine) offers 80 undergraduate degrees and 98 graduate and professional degrees. The University of California, Irvine School of Law is the culmination of several generations of revolutionary dreamers. It is the fifth law school in the UC system. UCI Law provides an innovative and comprehensive curriculum and prioritizes public service and a commitment to diversity within the legal profession. UCI Law students have completed more than 80,000 hours of pro bono work in the past decade. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2018, the School of Law begins its second decade a larger, stronger, more dynamic academic institution than its founders could have ever imagined. UCI Law has an innovative curriculum designed to prepare students for the practice of law at the highest levels of the profession.
Ranking: #21 in Best Law Schools Programs
Acceptance Rate: 27%
Tuition Approximately: $45,155 (in-state) & $51,649 (out-of-state)
Contact Information: (949) 824-4545, lawadmit@law.uci.edu
Website: http://www.law.uci.edu/admission/
Arizona State University
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Arizona State University (ASU) is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the U.S. ASU offers over 250 majors to undergraduate students, and more than 100 graduate programs leading to numerous masters and doctoral degrees. The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law (ASU Law) is one of the professional graduate schools at Arizona State University. ASU Law is ranked 25th overall in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, the 8th-highest public law school, and the highest-ranked law school of the three in Arizona. It is one of the country’s preeminent law schools provides comprehensive and personalized legal education through graduate programs with a wide range of courses, popular focus areas, and unique experiences. ASU Law’s world-class faculty and administrators provide students with unparalleled opportunities to gain insights and practical skills needed to address legal challenges locally, nationally, and globally.
Ranking: #27 in Best Law Schools Programs
Acceptance Rate: 43.3 %
Tuition Approximately: $27,388 (in-state) & $44,888 (out-of-state)
Contact Information: (480) 965-1474, law.admissions@asu.edu
Website: https://www.law.asu.edu/admissions/apply/jd
University of Alabama
UA School of Law
The University of Alabama (UA) is the oldest and largest of the public universities in Alabama. The university offers programs of study in 13 academic divisions leading to bachelors, masters, Education Specialist, and doctoral degrees. UA offers 72 undergraduate degree programs through its 12 colleges and schools. The UA School of Law is one of five law schools in the state, and one of three that are ABA accredited. Alabama Law provides a top-rate education at an affordable cost in a supportive and diverse environment. The school has 406 JD students, a 6.3 to 1 student to faculty ratio, 6 clinical programs, and first-year JD students currently represent 58 undergraduate institutions. The School of Law offers the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, as well as an International LL.M., an LL.M. in Taxation, and an LL.M. in Business Transactions. A joint J.D./M.B.A. program is also available.
Ranking: #27 in Best Law Schools Programs
Acceptance Rate: 27%
Tuition Approximately: $23,720 (in-state) & $40,670 (out-of-state)
Contact Information: (205) 348-5440, admissions@law.ua.edu
Website: http://www.law.ua.edu/apply/
University of Iowa
College of Law
The University of Iowa is one of the nation’s premier public research universities with 33,564 students from 114 countries and all 50 states. Founded in 1847, it is the state’s oldest institution of higher education. The UI College of Law is one of the eleven professional graduate schools at the University of Iowa. Iowa is ranked the 27th-best law school in the United States by the U.S. News and World Report “Best Law School” rankings. Your three years at Iowa Law are designed to make the most of your ambitions. You’ll get cutting-edge legal theory and many opportunities to put that theory into practice. Their faculties are nationally and internationally recognized experts in their fields who are invested in your career.
Ranking: #27 in Best Law Schools Programs
Acceptance Rate: 44%
Tuition Approximately: $30,264 (in-state) & $45,217 (out-of-state)
Contact Information: (319) 335-9095, law-admissions@uiowa.edu
Website: https://law.uiowa.edu/apply
