Faculty, students, and parents are, quite reasonably, interested in comparative information on the quality of different law schools. This site compiles such information about many (but, unfortunately, not all) U.S. law schools, along dimensions like faculty quality and job placement. Five or six new studies are posted each year, and are listed under “Newest Rankings.” Prior studies, some going back a decade, are listed under each of the subject-area categories. Each study begins with an explicit statement of the measure being utilized, often with caveats that should affect the interpretation of the results.

Each year, U.S. News ranks professional-school programs in business, education, engineering, law, and medicine. These rankings are based on two types of data: expert opinions about program quality and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school's faculty, research, and students. It's important that you use the rankings to supplement—not replace—careful thought and your own inquiries.

We surveyed more than 18,000 students at 172 law schools, in additon to collecting data from school administrators, to create 11 ranking lists. See the complete list of Best Law Schools.

A career in law starts with finding the school that fits you best. With U.S. News’s rankings, narrow your search by location, tuition, school size, and test scores. Plus, see the top schools in specialties such as environmental law, intellectual property law, and tax law.