Last Updated on May 19, 2023 by Spynaija
California, the third-largest state in the United States is home to many start-ups and global technology brands. Apple, Facebook, and Google are amongst the most prominent. California also houses some very good law schools, Many of these schools are duly accredited by the American Bar Association, and they offer world-class J.D., LL.M., J.S.D., and Ph.D. degrees. Here’s a look at the cheapest law schools in California.
How Do I Get into Law School?
To gain admission to a law school that is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), applicants must usually take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), and have an undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree in any major.
What is the Cost of Studying Law in California?
Due to the reputations, rankings, and academic standards of the law schools in California, studying law in California is very expensive, but then, there are some of these institutions which are fairly affordable and that’s the essence of this article. We have painstakingly compiled a list of the 10 cheapest law schools in California, kindly read through it to learn more.
Top 10 Cheapest Law Schools in California
Below are the cheapest law schools in California. Several factors were taken into consideration while making this list, regardless, the primary factor remained the cost of tuition.
1. University of San Diego
Tuition: $56,230 per year
The University of San Diego is one of the cheapest law schools in California. Since its establishment in 1949 as San Diego College for Women and San Diego University, the institution has grown to become one of the most revered tertiary institutions in California.
The University of San Diego comprises nine (9) undergraduate and graduate schools. The institution has an annual enrolment of over 5,000.
San Diego University features a comprehensive, innovative curriculum and specialized centers, providing unsurpassed opportunities for students to learn just about every area of the law as students gain access to leading legal practitioners and judges in San Diego, who bring their practical skills and expertise into the classroom.
Furthermore, the University of San Diego has been ranked between 801-1000 by QS Rankings, 126 by Washington Monthly, 85 by U.S News and World Report, and 140 by Forbes.
2. Chapman University School of Law
Chapman School of Law is a private, non-profit law school located in Orange, California. It was established in 1995. The school offers the Juris Doctor degree (JD), combined programs offering a JD/MBA and JD/MFA in Film & Television Producing, and multiple LL.M. degree options. The school also offers emphasis options in Business Law, Criminal Law, Entertainment Law, Environmental Law, International Law, Trial Advocacy, and Taxation. Currently, the school has 74 full- and part-time faculty members
Chapman University was ranked 125th for the first time by the National Universities Group. Afterward, it was ranked 5th among Master’s level universities in the Western region, while nationally the business school was ranked tied for 85th, the education school tied for 143rd, and the law school tied for 132nd. Chapman School of Law was ranked 134th (2023) by USNWR
- Tuition: $54, 540 per year
- Bar pass rate: 81%
3. Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is one of the cheapest law schools in California. It is the law school of Stanford University, a private research university located in Stanford, California, United States. Stanford University was established in 1893, and Since 1992 till date, Stanford Law School has consistently been ranked one of the top three law schools in the United States, with Yale Law School and Harvard Law School.
The school currently has a student population of about 634 students spread across its 128 faculties. The School is known for its student-to-faculty ratio of (7.3 to 1), one of the lowest in the country.
- Stanford Law School Bar pass rate 98.25%
- Tuition $20,604
- Stanford Law School Acceptance Rate 9.72%
4. UC Berkeley School of Law
The UC Berkeley School of Law is one of 14 schools and colleges at the University of California, Berkeley. The school originated in 1894 as the Department of Jurisprudence of the University of California. Berkeley School of Law is consistently ranked amongst the top 10 law schools in the United States and the world and also the top three public law schools in the United States.
In 2018, 97 percent of graduates obtained full-time employment within 10 months of graduation; the school’s bar passage rate was 91 percent, and the median salary of graduates was $180,000. The law school offers J.D., LL.M., J.S.D., and Ph.D. degrees, and enrolls approximately 3520 to 380 J.D. students in each entering class, annually, with each class being further broken down into smaller groups that take courses together.
UC Berkeley School of Law currently has a total student body of about 924 students spread across its 119 faculties.
- UC Berkeley School of Law Bar Pass rate: 92%
- UC Berkeley School of Law Tuition: Local tuition $44,244, Domestic tuition $52,245
- UC Berkeley School of Law Acceptance rate: 31%
5. UCLA School of Law
The UCLA School of Law is a law school at the University of California, Los Angeles. The UCLA School of Law is located in Los Angeles, California, U.S. The UCLA School of Law officially opened in September 1949 in temporary quarters in former military barracks behind Royce Hall and later moved into its permanent home upon the completion of the original Law Building in 1951.
The school currently has a total enrollment of 975 students spread across its 104 faculties
- UCLA School of Law’s acceptance rate is 20%
- UCLA School of Law Tuition $55,456
- UCLA School of Law Bar Pass Rate 97%
6. UC Davis School of Law
The UC Davis School of Law, commonly known as King Hall and UC Davis Law, is one of the cheapest accredited law schools in California. It is an American Bar Association-approved law school located in Davis, California on the campus of the University of California, Davis. The school received ABA approval in 1968. It joined the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) in 1968.
UC Davis School of Law is the smallest of the five law schools in the University of California system, with a total enrollment of under 700 students spread across the 62 faculties.
- UC Davis School of Law Bar Pass rate 94%
- UC Davis School of Law Acceptance rate 38.6%
- UC Davis School of Law Tuition is $78,366 for California residents and $95,591 for non-residents.
7. William S. Richardson School of Law
The William S. Richardson School of Law is the professional graduate law school of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Located in Honolulu, Hawaii, the school is named after its patriarch, former Hawaii State Supreme Court Chief Justice William S. Richardson, a zealous advocate of Hawaiian culture, and is Hawaii’s only law school.
Richardson’s regime of legal studies places special emphasis on fields of law of particular importance to Hawaii and the surrounding Pacific and Asian region, including Native Hawaiian Law, Pacific-Asian Legal Studies, Environmental Law, and maritime law.
A member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS), the school is accredited by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association (ABA). It offers a Juris Doctor, with certificates available in Native Hawaiian Law, Pacific-Asian Legal Studies, and Environmental Law, with students able to matriculate either full-time or part-time. It also offers an Advanced Juris Doctor, for foreign students who have earned a law degree abroad, and an LLM.
In 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked Richardson 96th among American law schools. Richardson’s part-time program was ranked 30th.
- William S. Richardson School of Law Bar Pass rate 95%
- William S. Richardson School of Law Acceptance rate 31.6%
- William S. Richardson School of Law Tuition $37,546
8. Santa Clara University School of Law
The Santa Clara University School of Law (Santa Clara Law) is the law school of Santa Clara University, a Jesuit university in Santa Clara, California, United States, in the Silicon Valley region. The School of Law was founded in 1911. It joined the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) in 1940.
The Santa Clara University School of Law is one of the cheapest law schools in California. The school offers a Juris Doctor (J.D.) law degree. It also offers several double degree programs, including J.D./Master of Business Administration (J.D./M.B.A.) and J.D./Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) offered in conjunction with Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business, ranked 10th in graduate programs on the U.S. News & World Report graduate schools rankings.
In addition, the school offers Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees in intellectual property law, in U.S. law for foreign lawyers, and in international and comparative law. Santa Clara Law also features specialized curricular programs in high-tech and intellectual property law, international law, public interest, social justice law, and a Privacy Law Certificate. The school offers more summer study abroad programs than any other law school in the United States, with 13 different programs in 17 countries.
- Santa Clara University School of Law Bar Pass rate 95%
- Santa Clara University School of Law Acceptance rate 45.6%
- Tuition: $52,528 per year
9. University of San Francisco School of Law
The University of San Francisco School of Law is the American Bar Association (ABA) approved law school of the private University of San Francisco. Established in 1912, it received ABA approval in 1935 and joined the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) in 1937.
The University of San Francisco School of Law is of the cheapest accredited law schools in California. It offers full- and part-time programs leading to the J.D. degree. Students can also enroll in the J.D./M.B.A. program which takes at least four years of study. USF also offers a J.D./Master of Urban and Public Affairs dual degree program. J.D. students can also receive certificates at graduation in Public Interest Law, Intellectual Property, Employment Law, International Law, and other areas.
- University of San Francisco School of Law Bar Pass rate 81%
- University of San Francisco School of Law Acceptance rate 45.6%
- Tuition: $80,307 per year
10. The University of California, Hastings College of the Law
The University of California, Hastings College of the Law is a public law school located in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1878 by Serranus Clinton Hastings, UC Hastings was the first law school of the University of California as well as one of the first law schools established in California and the Western United States.
UC Hastings is of the cheapest law schools in California, the school offers a three-year Juris Doctor program with concentrated studies available in seven areas: civil litigation, criminal law, international law, public interest law, taxation, family law, and recently, a new concentration in intellectual property law. Most J.D. students follow a traditional three-year plan. During the first year, students take required courses as well as one elective course.
In the second and third years, students may take any course or substitute or supplement their courses with judicial externships or internships, judicial clinics, or study abroad. The college also offers a one-year LL.M. degree in U.S. legal studies for students holding law degrees from foreign law programs. It is an American Bar Association (ABA) approved law school since 1939.
- The University of California, Hastings College of the Law Bar Pass rate 89%
- The University of California, Hastings College of the Law Acceptance rate 45.6%
- Tuition: $55,538 per year
Conclusion
In this article, we listed some of the cheapest law schools in California for prospective law students living in California, United States. Has this article provided an answer(s) to your query? if yes, leave a comment in the comment box to express your satisfaction or ask any question you have and we will reply to you as soon as possible.
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