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# Best Legal Studies Programs in the Midwest (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Regional list from [Best Legal Studies Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-legal-studies-programs/)

This page ranks the 5 Legal Studies programs in the Midwest by the median earnings of Legal Studies graduates four years after completing. [Michigan State University](/school/michigan-state-university/majors/) leads the list at $72,414, with a gap of $2,291 over second-ranked [University of Wisconsin-Madison](/school/university-of-wisconsin-madison/majors/).

Across the listed schools, median earnings range from $72,414 to $35,416, with a median of $65,460. For 2 of the 5 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

The list includes 2 public and 3 private nonprofit institutions. Michigan State University ranks 69th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

University of Wisconsin-Madison posts the lowest average net price on the page, at $17,354.

## The ranked list

5 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI | $72,414 | $19,680 | $7,068 | 84.8% |
|  | [Michigan State University](/school/michigan-state-university/majors/) ranks 1st on this list and 69th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with [median earnings of $72,414](/school/michigan-state-university/outcomes/) for its Legal Studies graduates four years after completing. |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI | $70,123 | $17,354 | $4,200 | 45.2% |
|  | [University of Wisconsin-Madison](/school/university-of-wisconsin-madison/majors/) [admits 45% of applicants](/school/university-of-wisconsin-madison/admissions/) and reports an average net price of $17,354, the lowest among the five listed schools. |
| 3 | Hamline University · Saint Paul, MN | $65,460 | $20,744 | $15,371 | 87.6% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Saint Paul, [Hamline University](/school/hamline-university/majors/) posts [median earnings of $65,460](/school/hamline-university/outcomes/) for its Legal Studies graduates four years after completing, matching the list median of $65,460. |
| 4 | Webster University · Saint Louis, MO | $41,789 | $27,047 | $22,359 | 86.2% |
|  | [Webster University](/school/webster-university/majors/) reports an [average net price of $22,359](/school/webster-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, and its Legal Studies graduates four years after completing earn a median of $41,789. |
| 5 | Northwestern University · Evanston, IL | $35,416 | $29,167 | $1,764 | 7.7% |
|  | [Northwestern University](/school/northwestern-university/majors/) is the most selective school on the page, admitting 8% of applicants, and its Legal Studies graduates four years after completing earn a [median of $35,416](/school/northwestern-university/outcomes/). |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Legal Studies graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Midwest appear. The figure is the median for federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing for three of the five programs and two years after completing for the other two. For 2 of the 5 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from Michigan State University to University of Wisconsin-Madison is $36,998.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Legal Studies Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-legal-studies-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-midwest/)
-   [Best Legal Studies Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-legal-studies-programs-in-the-northeast/)
-   [Best Legal Studies Programs in the South](/rankings/best-legal-studies-programs-in-the-south/)
-   Legal Studies Colleges in the Midwest for Social Mobility
-   Legal Studies Colleges in the Midwest