Law schools in California are highly competitive institutions that result in a limited space for applicants. Students will need a high Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score, competitive GPA, and a bachelor’s degree in an associated field like criminal justice, homeland security, or counterterrorism to be considered. A law program generally takes three years to complete, resulting in a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. Graduates wishing to practice law in California must pass the Bar Examination, which grants licensure and allows the graduate to practice law in the state. Our law school page provides additional information regarding education and careers for interested individuals.
California is home to a plethora of top ranked law schools listed below. Additionally, you may find an array of areas of study that span a general law degree to specializations in the field. Examples of specialized areas of study include personal injury, maritime, business, civil rights, health, corporate, labor, bankruptcy, entertainment, criminal, environmental, real estate, military, tax, criminal, family, contracts, intellectual property, immigration, and international. Online law schools in California provide a unique learning modality with flexibility and autonomy not found in traditional law programs. Emerging programs known as joint degrees can enhance your marketability by combining an MBA or MSA with a JD degree. Get the information you need from the best California law schools today with MatchCollege.
Detailed List of Law Schools in California (28 Schools)
Only law schools accredited by the American Bar Association - Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar are listed below. Other law schools may also exist in California, however they are may not listed here.
Schools are sorted by size with the largest school first, based on the number of law students graduating each year.
University of California - Los Angeles in Irvine, CA
Visit the website for University of California - Los Angeles at http://www.ucla.edu/
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 1950
- About 320 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $47,000 per year (Nonresidents: $53,000)
University of California Hastings College of Law in San Francisco, CA
Visit the website for University of California Hastings College of Law at http://www.uchastings.edu
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 1939
- About 310 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $45,000 per year (Nonresidents: $51,000)
University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA
Visit the website for University of Southern California at http://www.usc.edu/
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 1924
- About 230 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $68,000 per year
Santa Clara University (SCU) in Santa Barbara, CA
Visit the website for Santa Clara University at http://www.scu.edu
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 1937
- About 210 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $58,000 per year
California Western School of Law in Vallejo, CA
Visit the website for California Western School of Law at http://www.cwsl.edu
Program Details
- About 210 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $56,000 per year
Southwestern Law School (USC) in Los Angeles, CA
Visit the website for Southwestern Law School at http://www.swlaw.edu
Program Details
- About 200 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $28,000 per year
University of San Diego (USD) in San Diego, CA
Visit the website for University of San Diego at http://www.sandiego.edu
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 1961
- About 180 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $58,000 per year
Pepperdine University in Pasadena, CA
Visit the website for Pepperdine University at http://www.pepperdine.edu/
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 1972
- About 180 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $59,000 per year
Chapman University in Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Visit the website for Chapman University at http://www.chapman.edu
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 1998
- About 170 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $56,000 per year
University of California - Davis in Berkeley, CA
Visit the website for University of California - Davis at http://ucdavis.edu
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 1968
- About 150 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $49,000 per year (Nonresidents: $58,000)
University of the Pacific (Pacific) in Angwin, CA
The law school is located on the University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of Law Campus in Sacramento. Visit the website for University of the Pacific at http://www.pacific.edu
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 1969
- About 150 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $55,000 per year
University of California - Irvine (UCI) in Davis, CA
The law school is located on the UC Irvine School of Law Campus in Irvine. Visit the website for University of California - Irvine at http://www.uci.edu/
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 2014
- About 140 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $47,000 per year (Nonresidents: $53,000)
Thomas Jefferson School of Law in Berkeley, CA
Visit the website for Thomas Jefferson School of Law at http://www.tjsl.edu
Program Details
- About 130 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $39,000 per year
University of San Francisco (SFTS) in San Anselmo, CA
Visit the website for University of San Francisco at http://www.usfca.edu
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 1935
- About 120 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $52,000 per year
Golden Gate University - San Francisco in Glendale, CA
Visit the website for Golden Gate University - San Francisco at http://www.ggu.edu
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 1956
- About 100 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $5,000 per year
University of La Verne (La Verne) in San Dimas, CA
Visit the website for University of La Verne at http://www.laverne.edu/
Program Details
- About 90 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $16,000 per year
Ave Maria School of Law in Costa Mesa, CA
Visit the website for Ave Maria School of Law at http://www.avemarialaw.edu
Program Details
- About 60 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $41,000 per year
Whittier College in Santa Barbara, CA
The law school is located on the Whittier Law School Campus in Costa Mesa. Visit the website for Whittier College at http://www.whittier.edu
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 1978
- About 50 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $46,000 per year
(Life West) in Hayward, CA
Visit the website for at http://www.lincolnlaw.edu
Program Details
- About 50 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $13,000 per year
in Bakersfield, CA
Visit the website for at http://www.purdueglobal.edu/
Program Details
- About 40 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $12,000 per year (Nonresidents: $13,000)
San Joaquin College of Law in San Francisco, CA
Visit the website for San Joaquin College of Law at http://www.sjcl.edu
Program Details
- About 30 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $22,000 per year
in Riverside, CA
Visit the website for at http://www.savannahlawschool.org/
Program Details
- About 30 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $45,000 per year
Trinity Law School (Trinity Law School) in Merced, CA
Visit the website for Trinity Law School at http://tls.edu
Program Details
- About 30 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $31,000 per year
The Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law - Ventura in Ventura, CA
Visit the website for The Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law - Ventura at http://www.collegesoflaw.edu
Program Details
- About 20 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $20,000 per year
Humphreys College - Stockton and Modesto Campuses in Arcata, CA
Visit the website for Humphreys College - Stockton and Modesto Campuses at http://www.humphreys.edu
Program Details
- About 20 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $1,000 per year
John F Kennedy University (Bellus Academy) in El Cajon, CA
Visit the website for John F Kennedy University at http://www.jfku.edu
Program Details
- About 20 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $28,000 per year
Alliant International University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, CA
Visit the website for Alliant International University at http://www.alliant.edu
Program Details
- About 10 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $21,000 per year
University of California - Berkeley in Sacramento, CA
Visit the website for University of California - Berkeley at http://www.berkeley.edu
Program Details
- Law program accredited since 1923
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $51,000 per year (Nonresidents: $54,000)
Average attorney salaries in California range between $61,000 to $156,000. The variety of employment options available to lawyers can result in a very broad pay range, however here is a list of average salaries from areas across California.
- Bakersfield: $133,000
- Santa Maria, Santa Barbara: $143,000
- Stockton, Lodi: $135,000
- Santa Rosa: $151,000
- Salinas: $118,000
Lawyer's in California Compared to Median Income Averages
+113% Above State Median Income
+117% Above National Median Income
Lawyer's in California take home an average 42.00 per hour. Annual earnings for Lawyer's working in the State of California average $87,859 which is 113% above the state median income and 117% above the national median income for all occupations. Employment for a Lawyer makes up just of the working population in California and is limited due to the specific qualifications required along with the schooling involved in this career path. The increasing demand for qualified Lawyers coupled with the educational barrier to enter the field is met with a steady supply of eager college graduates anxious to make a long-lasting impact in the lives of others in and around California.
Average Income for a Lawyer in California
| Employment | Median Hourly Wage | Median Annual Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Lawyer | 1,656,560 | $42.00 | $87,859 |
| State Average | 16,070,230.00 | $19.75 | $41,090.00 |
| National Average | 155,760,000.00 | $19.33 | $35,977.00 |
Notes: Tuition & fee amounts are for both California in-state residents and out of state students, unless noted otherwise. The tuition information displayed is an estimate, which we calculated based on historical data and should be solely used for informational purposes only. Please contact the respective lawyer school for information about the current school year.
Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2020: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.