The best law schools in the country prepare students for successful and fulfilling careers. Given how expensive those degrees are, though, do they prove worth the cost?
Payscale shared data with CNBC Make It as to how much alums of highly ranked law schools in the U.S. earn with 10 or more years of experience.
Graduates of Duke University School of Law take home the largest checks, earning a median annual salary of $243,000. Here's how other top programs fare.
Yale University
Law school ranking: 1
Mid-career median pay: $195,000
Tuition: $62,017
Estimated annual cost of attendance: $85,294
Stanford University
Law school ranking: 2
Mid-career median pay: $222,000
Tuition: $60,072
Estimated annual cost of attendance: $96,429
Harvard University
Law school ranking: 3
Mid-career median pay: $210,000
Tuition: $63,800
Estimated annual cost of attendance: $95,930
University of Chicago
Law school ranking: 4
Mid-career median pay: $166,000
Tuition: $61,626
Estimated annual cost of attendance: $93,414
Columbia University
Law school ranking: 5
Mid-career median pay: $214,000
Tuition: $65,252
Estimated annual cost of attendance: $93,740
New York University
Law school ranking: 6
Mid-career median pay: $211,000
Tuition: $61,644
Estimated annual cost of attendance: $92,906
University of Pennsylvania
Law school ranking: 7
Mid-career median pay: $190,000
Tuition: $61,608
Estimated annual cost of attendance: $95,400
University of Michigan
Law school ranking: 8 (TIE)
Mid-career median pay: $164,000
Tuition: $60,090 (out-of-state resident)
Estimated annual cost of attendance: $80,018
University of Virginia
Law school ranking: 8 (TIE)
Mid-career median pay: $185,000
Tuition: $63,700 (out-of-state resident)
Estimated annual cost of attendance: $83,156
Duke University
Law school ranking: 10
Mid-career median pay: $243,000
Tuition: $61,000
Estimated annual cost of attendance: $86,600
Don't miss: Here's how much grads earn 10 years after attending the top business schools in America
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