Law Schools that Give the Best Value for Your Dollar

While 58.97% of University of Chicago Law School graduates received employment within NLJ 250 firms, more than any other school, it charged higher tuition than 17 other schools on the list. With an annual tuition of $44,757 in 2010, the University of Chicago Law School was ranked at number 18 in that category.

Howard University School of Law was the third cheapest school on the list, with an annual tuition of $24,490, but only 15.04% of its 2010 graduates took on NLJ jobs. This put the school at number 31 on the Go-To Law School List.

Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law charged the most tuition when compared to the percentage of graduates that the school sent to NLJ 250 first-year associate jobs. With tuition at $45,170, it was ranked as the 14^th most expensive school on the list. Overall the school received the number 34 rank on the NLJ Go-To List.

Washington and Lee University School of Law received similar ranks due to the fact that its tuition is higher than that of 16 other schools on the list. Despite the higher tuition, the law school sent the lowest number of graduates into NLJ 250 law firms in 2010.

The average annual tuition for the 50 Go-To Law Schools was $40,167. The University of Cornell Law School charged the highest tuition, at $49,020 per year. Cornell also ranked number two on the Go-To List. At the other end of the cost spectrum, Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School, only charged $19,960 per year. The school was ranked as number 47 on the list.

Overall, this year's 50 Go-To Law Schools sent less graduates into large firm jobs than last year's did. In 2009, 30.3% of graduates received jobs within NLJ 250 law firms, compared to 27.3% this year. The rankings are based on the percentage of juris doctor graduates to take jobs at NLJ 250 firms, following graduation.

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