Law at American University
Washington, DC · First Professional Degree · about 317 graduates a year
American University graduates in law earn 2% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 148% of one year’s pay at that point.
How American University Compares for Law
All 174 colleges reporting law earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | $308,943 | $294,050 | #2 | $220,843 |
| 2 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | $302,120 | $307,259 | #1 | $210,273 |
| 3 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | $291,490 | $256,687 | #6 | $175,880 |
| 4 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | $291,132 | $286,035 | #3 | $210,979 |
| 5 | University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA | $284,309 | $258,889 | #5 | $204,216 |
| 6 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | $279,203 | $274,315 | #4 | $199,603 |
| 7 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | $259,944 | $236,532 | #9 | $162,001 |
| 8 | New York University New York, NY | $255,401 | $243,089 | #7 | — |
| 9 | Fordham University Bronx, NY | $232,595 | $221,382 | #10 | $170,942 |
| 10 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | $226,996 | $206,551 | #12 | $196,724 |
| … | |||||
| 61 | Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL | $111,515 | $109,563 | #55 | $73,249 |
| 62 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL | $110,931 | $125,916 | #30 | $74,203 |
| 63 | Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA | $110,606 | $100,717 | #85 | $77,253 |
| 64 | American University Washington, DC | $109,523 | $95,971 | #103 | $73,725 |
| 65 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO | $109,411 | $102,321 | #79 | $73,809 |
| 66 | New York Law School New York, NY | $109,122 | $103,862 | #73 | $76,166 |
| 67 | Southwestern Law School Los Angeles, CA | $108,350 | $98,591 | #90 | $67,597 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do American University law graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $73,725 one year after graduating and $109,523 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does American University rank for law?
Among 174 colleges reporting earnings for law graduates, American University ranks #64 by median pay four years after graduation, and #103 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is law at American University worth it?
Its graduates earn 2% more than the national median for law ($107,773), and the median federal debt at graduation is $161,696.
← All data for American University · Methodology
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.