Tuition, also known as "nominal tuition" or "sticker price," continues to climb at U.S. law schools. The following chart reflects the average nominal tuition prices for each category over 39 years, from 1985 to 2023, for all ABA-Approved law schools.
About the data
We do not have school-specific tuition data for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years.
Nominal Tuition Averages
Line chart with 3 lines.
for ABA-approved schools
The chart has 1 X axis displaying values. Data ranges from 2011 to 2023.
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying Nominal Dollars (Tuition). Data ranges from 21851 to 55963.
End of interactive chart.
Inflation has been a factor in rising law school prices, but law school tuition increases exceed the inflation rate between 2011 and 2023. In 2011, the average private school tuition was $39,184 (2011 dollars), which would have cost a student $53,106 in 2023. Instead, average tuition was $55,963 (2023 dollars). In other words, private law school was 1.05 times as expensive in 2023 as it was in 2011 after adjusting for inflation.
ProTip!
Change the data scope on the top right to view tuition from different years.
In 2011, the average public school tuition was $21,851 (2011 dollars) for residents, which would have cost a student $29,615 in 2023. Instead, average tuition was $30,554 (2023 dollars) for residents. In other words, public school was 1.03 times as expensive in 2023 as it was in 2011 after adjusting for inflation.
Private ABA-Approved Schools
Line chart with 2 lines.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying values. Data ranges from 2011 to 2023.
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying Tuition. Data ranges from 39184 to 55963.
End of interactive chart.
Public ABA-Approved Schools
Line chart with 2 lines.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying values. Data ranges from 2011 to 2023.
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying Resident Tuition. Data ranges from 21851 to 30554.
End of interactive chart.
Public ABA-Approved Schools
Line chart with 2 lines.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying values. Data ranges from 2011 to 2023.
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying Non-resident Tuition. Data ranges from 34634 to 46940.
End of interactive chart.
What Tuition Looks Like When Rising With Inflation
Line chart with 3 lines.
for ABA-approved schools from a 2011 baseline
The chart has 1 X axis displaying values. Data ranges from 2011 to 2023.
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying Tuition. Data ranges from 21851 to 53106.
End of interactive chart.
About the data
Nationwide averages from 1985 to 2013 come from the American Bar Association. Starting in 2014, LST calculates the nationwide average from individual schools, using data the schools reported to the American Bar Association. LST uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) for inflation, which covers 89% of the total U.S. population. For an explanation of various indices to compare tuition over time, see this paper. LST uses normal averages rather than weighted averages for the nationwide averages in 2014 and later. The ABA uses normal averages from 1985 to 2013.