BACHELOR'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 2201

Law: is this bachelor's degree worth it?

National picture across 1 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Strong payoff

+$853,682 over 10 years

National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.

Observed earnings clearly outpace the comparison earnings and estimated education cost in this scenario.

2.3 yrsModeled economic break-even

+329%Modeled 10-year ROI

$156,311Observed earnings · year 4

Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$156,311Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

100thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

1Reporting programs

1With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

CURRENT VIEW

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $156,311
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $77,881
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 6

6 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $100,383
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 26

26 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings: $97,854
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 176

176 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$156,311National median$156,31175th percentile$156,311

1 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1The University of Texas at Austin$156,311

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing OfficersSOC 23-1021 · 1 crosswalk linksArbitrators, Mediators, and ConciliatorsSOC 23-1022 · 1 crosswalk linksJudges, Magistrate Judges, and MagistratesSOC 23-1023 · 1 crosswalk linksJudicial Law ClerksSOC 23-1012 · 1 crosswalk linksLaw Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1112 · 1 crosswalk linksLawyersSOC 23-1011 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR LAW

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	10-year ROI	Verdict
1	The University of Texas at AustinBachelor's Degree	Austin, TX	$156,311	Not available	+329%	Strong payoff

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.