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Law school ranked in nation’s Top 20 best values

October 1, 2010
Jennifer Rosato

Jennifer Rosato

The Northern Illinois University College of Law was ranked among the Top 20 law schools in the nation based on value by preLaw magazine, sister publication of the National Jurist, as part of its 2010 Best Value Law Schools study.

As the only public school in the Chicago metropolitan area to make the Top 20, the study ranked the top 60 schools, both public and private institutions.

NIU Law ranked 13th on the list out of the nearly 200 American Bar Association-approved law schools in the United States.

The study generated its rankings from meeting certain criteria based on bar passage rate, average indebtedness, employment rate nine months after graduation and tuition for in-state residents.

“At NIU Law, we consider value a total package. Not only is our tuition less than half that of private schools, but the quality of our education is just as excellent,” Dean Jennifer Rosato said. “In addition, the value of our education allows students to have greater flexibility in selecting their career of choice, whether it is private practice or public service.”

As the only public law school in the Chicago area, NIU Law allows students to obtain their juris doctorate degree without the weight of incurring a large debt at the end of their legal education.

The current tuition and fees total for in-state students is $17,268 and, for out-of-state students, the total is $30,460. The average indebtedness of NIU Law students is $50,880, compared to a national average of $83,225. In addition, almost half of all NIU Law students receive grants and scholarships, increasing the law school’s value to an even higher degree.