Summary: With rising costs of law school, some students may find it more comforting to attend a program that will require less debt to be acquired up to graduation.
Law school is expensive; there is no hiding that fact. Job prospects are still recovering. With both factors where they are, law school is a risky investment. The average student debt for the graduating class of 2014 was $111,899. Luckily there are some schools that are substantially cheaper than other schools.
The least expensive law school to attend is at the Brigham Young University in Utah. Tuition and fees run Mormon members $11,620 per year and $23,240 for non-members.
Brigham Young University law school in Utah is ranked 34th by U.S. News but number one with an average debt load for the 2014 graduating class of $54,203.
University of Hawaii-Manoa is ranked 82nd but second with an average debt of $56,266.
North Carolina Central University was not ranked but is ranked third with an average debt of $58,061.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln was ranked 56th but fourth with a debt of $62,985.
University of Arkansas-Fayetteville was ranked 75th but fifth with an average debt of $63,541.
University of North Dakota was ranked 138th but sixth with a student debt of $64,818.
University of Tennessee-Knoxville was ranked 52nd but seventh with a debt of $66,201.
University of Wyoming was ranked 108th but eighth with an average debt of $67,087.
University of Missouri was ranked 59th but ninth with a student debt of $67,289.
University of Alabama was the highest ranked at 22nd and is ranked tenth with an average debt of $69,440.
Photo: universe.byu.edu