Best Law Degrees in California by ROI
Colleges in California ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment — calculated from median graduate earnings, total attendance cost, and average student debt. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs in California
20
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
+$956,858
Across California programs
Average Annual Cost
$60,297
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Stanford University
Grad rate: 94.0% |
+$3,212,416 | $210,837 | $82,162 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
University of California-Berkeley
Grad rate: 93.5% |
+$1,954,264 | $143,984 | $42,708 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
University of California-Los Angeles
Grad rate: 92.6% |
+$1,688,454 | $130,087 | $36,643 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
University of Southern California
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,683,284 | $134,632 | $84,678 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 | University of California College of the Law-San Francisco | +$1,122,740 | $98,137 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
University of California-Irvine
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$1,114,458 | $101,335 | $36,121 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Santa Clara University
Grad rate: 88.5% |
+$1,017,244 | $100,639 | $77,768 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
University of San Diego
Grad rate: 82.1% |
+$857,162 | $92,346 | $74,879 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
University of California-Davis
Grad rate: 85.7% |
+$835,586 | $87,586 | $38,067 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Loyola Marymount University
Grad rate: 80.6% |
+$805,766 | $89,875 | $75,867 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 | Southwestern Law School | +$693,140 | $76,657 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 12 | California Western School of Law | +$680,860 | $76,043 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 13 | Golden Gate University | +$606,940 | $72,347 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
University of the Pacific
Grad rate: 70.5% |
+$605,974 | $79,116 | $68,173 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Chapman University
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$581,566 | $79,211 | $81,327 | N/A | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost (annual cost × programme years) − Debt Payoff (avg debt × 1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20 = $840,000)
A positive ROI means a degree in this field pays off relative to entering the workforce without one. Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Law Degrees by State
Browse Law programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.