Is law school worth the debt in 2025?

Law school can be a hefty investment, but like many postgraduate programs, it may be the key to entering your career field of choice. Factors to consider include graduates’ average debt load, your career goals and the potential return on investment.

What to consider before going to law school

Before you invest considerable time and financial resources into law school, it’s crucial to weigh the pros and cons and consider some alternatives. After all, there are many other careers that pay six-figure salaries without the lengthy higher education commitment and the additional costs involved in earning a law degree.

When deciding if law school is worth it, compare the costs of earning a law degree to the salary you can expect in the end. Since law school takes several more years to complete after you earn a bachelor’s degree, you should also consider the opportunity cost of spending more time in school and less time in the workforce.

Average cost of law school

The average cost of a law school education in 2023 was $230,163 for a 3-year program, according to the Education Data Initiative.

Public institutions tend to cost significantly less than private schools– to the tune of over a $20,000 difference annually. Though scholarships and grants can help students to offset some of the cost, the nonprofit Law School Transparency notes that for decades, the cost of law school has soared above the rate of inflation.

Average law school debt

The average law school debt is $130,000, and 71 percent of law school graduates in the U.S. had student loan debt in 2024. Some schools, including Howard University and the University of Idaho, reported more than 90 percent of their graduates have law school debt.
Student loan debt can be made up of federal student loans, private student loans or both. The standard repayment term for federal student loans is 10 years; an average interest rate of 6 percent on $160,000 of loan debt would cost you a staggering $1,776 per month to pay it off in that time.

Depending on your career path after graduation, it may take some time to get to the point where you can afford that. Fortunately, there are some programs available to make payments more affordable based on your income or even assist you with paying them off — we’ll get to those below.

Average earnings with a law degree

How much you earn with a law degree will depend on a few different factors, including where you attended school, whether you choose a private- or public-sector career and which field of law you choose.

For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the average lawyer salary as $176,470 and the median annual salary for all legal occupations as $133,820.

Your salary as a lawyer will vary widely depending on the year of practice you’re in, how much success you achieve in your field and which industry you’re in. The following chart compares average lawyer salaries in different career fields using national Bureau of Labor Statistics data:

Should I go to law school?

There are myriad important factors to keep in mind as you try to determine if law school is right for you. Here are the main considerations to weigh as you decide whether law school is worth it:

• Your school’s reputation: Where you attend school is incredibly important in the legal profession. The Internet Legal Research Group has found that the median salary for private attorneys can range from $40,000 to $180,000, depending on which law school you attend.
• Your rank: Your standing among your peers is a huge factor in whether you’ll land that lucrative career in law. Some might argue that it’s even more important than the reputation of your law school.
• Your specialty: Research which areas of law have higher demand and relatively high earnings, then try to find a match based on your interests. If you’re willing to practice law in the field of management of companies and enterprises instead of the state government, for example, you could earn twice as much.
• Your expectations: If your only reason for going into law is to make a lot of money, you may end up burning out quickly. Law often requires a great amount of time and sacrifice. If your heart isn’t in it, you will find yourself in a miserable position. A great way to determine where your expectations fall (and if law school is worth it) is to pursue a part-time career in a law firm. This can give you valuable experience and a chance to shadow lawyers to determine if it’s the right career path for you.
• Your connections: Getting into a good school and acing your classes is only half the battle. Hobnobbing with future employers is also vital to finding a good job. Joining student organizations and attending networking events can increase your marketability considerably.
• Your financial prospects: Part of the reason so many people ask if law school is worth it is because of just how expensive it is. If your financial prospects were not stellar to begin with — and if there aren’t any great financial aid options — that could be a sign to steer clear of law school. The good news is that many law schools offer loan assistance and forgiveness incentives, and public interest workers may be eligible for accelerated federal loan forgiveness or repayment assistance.
• Your goals: Your decision should involve a healthy balance between ethics and ambition. However, it cannot be stressed enough just how important experience is in reaching this conclusion. You should spend as much time as possible familiarizing yourself with the day-in and day-out of an attorney’s career. If you find that your life goals do not fall in line with the job, law school might not be right for you.
• Bar exam: To practice law, you’ll need to complete a two-day bar exam. This daunting standardized test’s first portion is 200 questions covering six areas of law: constitutional law, contracts, criminal law, evidence, real property and torts. The second portion consists of essays.

Bottom line

Whether attending law school is worthwhile depends ultimately on your law school loan debt and career opportunities. Before enrolling, be sure to explore potential areas of practice, the projected job growth in your area of interest, and options for which institution to attend. You may ultimately be able to offset some costs through grants, scholarships or law school loan forgiveness.