Best Law Degrees in New York by ROI
Colleges in New York 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 New York
13
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
+$1,117,840
Across New York programs
Average Annual Cost
$65,721
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Columbia University in the City of New York
Grad rate: 95.1% |
+$3,588,316 | $230,020 | $86,042 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
New York University
Grad rate: 87.8% |
+$3,184,438 | $209,134 | $79,121 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Fordham University
Grad rate: 81.8% |
+$1,488,618 | $124,166 | $77,351 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 | Brooklyn Law School | +$856,520 | $84,826 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Yeshiva University
Grad rate: 84.1% |
+$814,806 | $89,652 | $69,117 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
St. John's University-New York
Grad rate: 68.9% |
+$729,758 | $84,681 | $61,931 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 | New York Law School | +$691,080 | $76,554 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Hofstra University
Grad rate: 67.4% |
+$589,704 | $78,315 | $68,298 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Touro University
Grad rate: 66.4% |
+$569,512 | $74,258 | $37,824 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Pace University
Grad rate: 61.4% |
+$536,836 | $75,651 | $68,092 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 | CUNY School of Law | +$508,640 | $67,432 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
University at Buffalo
Grad rate: 73.5% |
+$488,594 | $69,334 | $29,043 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Syracuse University
Grad rate: 82.4% |
+$485,108 | $74,295 | $80,396 | 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.