Did you know that in four states — California, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington — you can become a licensed attorney without attending law school at all? What Degree Do You Need to Be a Lawyer | Success 2025 explores how educational requirements vary by state, highlighting alternative paths like law office study programs and apprenticeships that make becoming a lawyer more accessible than many realize.
However, for most aspiring lawyers, the journey typically requires seven years of post-high school education: four years of undergraduate study followed by three years of law school. Despite what many assume, there’s actually no single “pre-law” major required to pursue a legal career. In fact, the American Bar Association does not suggest any specific bachelor’s degree major for law school hopefuls.
Instead, you may choose majors traditionally associated with law preparation, such as history, English, philosophy, political science, economics, or business. The legal profession has also become increasingly diverse over the decades. Back in 1963, only 1,739 women were enrolled in ABA-approved law schools, but by 1990, that number had grown to 54,097—representing 42.5% of all Juris Doctor candidates.
Throughout this guide, we’ll walk you through each step of becoming a lawyer—from selecting the right undergraduate degree to navigating law school requirements and ultimately preparing for the bar exam. We’ll also explore how different educational paths can align with various legal specialties and career goals.
Understand What Education Is Needed to Become a Lawyer
The standard path to becoming a lawyer involves a substantial educational commitment. Understanding these requirements will help you plan your journey effectively and make informed choices along the way.
Overview of lawyer education requirements
Becoming a lawyer typically requires seven years of full-time study after high school: four years for your undergraduate degree followed by three years in law school. While some states offer alternative paths (as mentioned in the introduction), most jurisdictions require a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school.
Law school admissions typically require several components:
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- LSAT or GRE test scores
- Letters of recommendation (usually two)
- A personal statement
- Complete application including all transcripts
During law school, you’ll study foundations of legal systems, legal research and writing, legal analysis, and specialized areas like corporate, criminal, or environmental law. Part-time students may take up to five years to complete their J.D.. Additionally, some specialized legal fields require additional education—for example, patent lawyers typically need a science or engineering background plus passage of the patent bar exam.
Why there’s no single ‘pre-law’ major
Contrary to popular belief, there is no mandatory undergraduate major for law school admission. The American Bar Association explicitly states that “students are admitted to law school from almost every academic discipline”. In fact, choosing a major simply because it sounds “pre-law appropriate” may be counterproductive.
According to 2023 data from the Law School Admissions Council, nearly half (48.3%) of law school applicants come from social sciences backgrounds, while 20.5% studied arts and humanities, 15.7% focused on business and management, and 6.6% pursued STEM fields. Law schools value diverse perspectives and experiences, making your unique background an asset rather than a liability.
What matters most is selecting a major that:
- Develops critical thinking and logical reasoning skills
- Challenges you academically
- Genuinely interests you (leading to better grades)
- Builds strong reading, writing, and research abilities
How your degree choice affects your legal career
Although any major can lead to law school, your undergraduate field of study may impact your legal career trajectory and earning potential. Research indicates that law degree holders with STEM and business undergraduate majors typically have higher total earnings across education levels.
Furthermore, certain legal specializations benefit from specific undergraduate backgrounds. Patent attorneys must have scientific or technical qualifications to sit for the USPTO’s patent bar exam. Similarly, tax lawyers often pursue a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in taxation after their J.D..
The financial benefits of a law degree vary significantly based on your undergraduate major. Interestingly, humanities and social sciences majors see a larger percentage increase in earnings after obtaining a law degree compared to STEM or business majors, although the latter groups maintain higher absolute earnings overall. Among popular pre-law majors, economics, history, and philosophy show the highest law earnings premium.
Ultimately, your undergraduate education should build skills essential for legal practice—critical reading, effective communication, logical reasoning, and research proficiency. Focus on developing these competencies regardless of your major, as they’ll serve you well throughout your legal education and career.
Choose the Right Undergraduate Path
Selecting an undergraduate major is one of the first critical decisions on your path to becoming a lawyer. Unlike other professional paths, the legal profession welcomes graduates from virtually all academic disciplines.
Top majors for different legal fields
When considering what degree to pursue, certain majors naturally complement specific legal specialties:
- Political Science and History: These majors develop research skills and understanding of governmental systems—ideal for constitutional law, public policy, or government positions.
- Economics and Business: These fields prepare students for corporate law, tax law, and finance-related legal work with impressive median LSAT scores (160 for Economics) and GPAs (3.54).
- English and Philosophy: These majors foster strong writing and logical reasoning abilities essential for litigation, with Philosophy majors averaging 159 on the LSAT.
- Psychology and Sociology: These social sciences provide insights into human behavior valuable for criminal law, family law, or mediation.
- STEM Fields: These backgrounds are especially valuable for patent law, intellectual property, or environmental law.
How to align your major with your law interests
Essentially, choose a major that genuinely interests you. Your enthusiasm will lead to better academic performance—a crucial factor since your GPA remains one of the two key components of your law school application.
If your career goals include specialized legal practice, consider how your undergraduate major might provide advantages. For instance, if you aspire to intellectual property law, a technical background might give you an edge. Consequently, students uncertain about their specific legal interests should prioritize majors that develop broadly applicable skills.
“Take courses that challenge you and show your range of academic talents,” notes one law school expert. Some ambitious pre-law students even pursue double majors to demonstrate versatility—perhaps combining history’s writing focus with economics’ quantitative components.
Building a strong academic and extracurricular profile
Beyond classroom performance, law schools value candidates who demonstrate leadership and commitment through strategic extracurricular involvement. First thing to remember: depth matters more than breadth. As the LSAC advises, “It is better to pursue a few select activities seriously than to half-heartedly participate in a variety of clubs”.
Activities that particularly strengthen your law school application include:
- Writing for school newspapers or policy journals to showcase communication skills
- Community service demonstrating your commitment to helping others
- Student government roles developing negotiation and leadership abilities
- Law-related activities showing genuine interest in the profession
The American Bar Association emphasizes gaining “significant experience… in which you may devote substantial effort toward assisting others” before law school. At the same time, law schools seek candidates who can balance academics with meaningful activities—demonstrating the time management skills critical for success in legal education.
Throughout your undergraduate years, aim to build relationships with professors who can write compelling recommendation letters, primarily by offering research assistance and actively participating in smaller classes.
Meet Law School Admission Requirements
After building a strong undergraduate foundation, you’ll need to navigate the competitive law school admissions process. Understanding what admissions committees look for can dramatically improve your chances of acceptance.
Law school prerequisites and GPA expectations
Your undergraduate GPA remains one of the strongest predictors of law school success. Among the top 20 law schools, the median GPA for accepted students in 2021 was an impressive 3.86. For perspective, the average median GPA across all 191 ranked law schools was 3.55. The University of Alabama School of Law topped the charts with a median GPA of 3.94.
Nonetheless, admissions committees evaluate transcripts holistically. They often consider:
- Course difficulty and selection
- Grade trends (improving performance over time is viewed favorably)
- Major difficulty (challenging disciplines may offset slightly lower GPAs)
Many schools discount a slow start if you performed exceptionally well in later years. Conversely, strong early performance followed by declining grades raises concerns about your potential.
LSAT vs. GRE: Which test to take?
As of 2022, more than 94 accredited law schools accept the GRE as an alternative to the LSAT. The LSAT remains the only test accepted by every ABA-accredited law school, making it the safer choice if you’re applying broadly.
Key differences to consider:
The LSAT focuses specifically on skills relevant to legal work—reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical thinking. Meanwhile, the GRE tests verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing.
Test availability varies too. The GRE is offered year-round at your convenience, whereas the LSAT is administered only during specific periods. Moreover, LSAT scores come with stricter retake limitations—three times within a testing year with a lifetime cap of seven attempts.
Crafting a compelling personal statement
Your personal statement provides the opportunity to showcase who you are beyond numbers. Most law schools recommend a two-page, double-spaced statement. When writing:
Focus on concrete experiences rather than general aspirations. The most effective statements illustrate specific incidents that demonstrate your qualities and potential contribution to the law school community.
Admissions officers want to understand what sets you apart from other qualified applicants. Avoid recounting your resume; instead, highlight experiences that shaped your character or decision to pursue law.
Start early, establish a clear theme, and solicit feedback from multiple reviewers. Remember that brevity and conciseness—hallmarks of good legal writing—should be evident even at this stage.
Select the Right Law School for You
With 198 ABA-accredited law schools across the United States serving over 139,000 students, selecting the right institution demands careful consideration of several factors that will impact your legal education and career trajectory.
Factors to consider when choosing a law school
Selecting a law school involves evaluating bar exam passage rates, job placement statistics, and alumni networks. Schools that consistently achieve bar passage rates above state averages demonstrate effective preparation of their students. Job placement statistics reveal how well the school connects graduates with employment opportunities—a critical factor for your post-graduation success.
Furthermore, your choice often affects where you’ll practice law. Unless graduating from a top-ranked school, securing jobs in regions distant from your law school can prove challenging. Many graduates end up practicing in the state where they attended law school, making location a crucial consideration for your long-term career plans.
ABA accreditation and why it matters
The American Bar Association has been the gold standard for law school accreditation since 1952. This accreditation serves three primary purposes: consumer protection, institutional integrity assurance, and confirmation of the school’s commitment to legal education.
Most importantly, graduation from an ABA-accredited institution determines bar exam eligibility. Currently, 23 states and territories require completion of an ABA-accredited degree to sit for their bar exams. Without this credential, your practice options become severely limited.
Data consistently shows that graduates from ABA-accredited schools pass bar exams at substantially higher rates than those from non-accredited institutions. In California, for example, ABA-accredited schools achieved a 73% pass rate among first-time test takers versus 30% for California Bar Association-accredited schools and only 11-25% for unaccredited programs.
Cost, location, and program strengths
The financial investment in law school varies dramatically—from approximately $12,000 to $60,000 annually for in-state students at public schools (averaging $29,610) to around $55,000 for private schools. Beyond tuition, consider mandatory fees, housing costs (averaging $24,464 annually), and other expenses.
Location influences both educational experience and future opportunities. Major legal markets like New York, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. offer extensive employment possibilities alongside fierce competition, while secondary cities like Charlotte (finance), Pittsburgh (technology), or Oklahoma City (energy) provide specialized industry experience with less competition.
Finally, match the school’s program strengths with your legal interests. Research faculty qualifications, curriculum choices, and specializations that align with your career goals.
Plan for the Bar Exam and Beyond
The final hurdle after law school graduation is the bar examination—your gateway to licensed practice.
What to expect from the bar exam
The bar exam is typically administered twice annually—at the end of February and July. Most jurisdictions use a two-day format where one day features the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE)—a standardized 200-question multiple-choice test covering six core subjects. The second day often includes locally crafted essays or nationally developed tests like the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) and Multistate Performance Test (MPT). Together, these components form the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) in many states, creating a portable score transferable between jurisdictions.
Post-law school options and clerkships
Many graduates pursue judicial clerkships—prestigious one- to two-year positions working directly for judges. These roles offer invaluable experience drafting opinions and researching law. Remarkably, 97% of former clerks would choose the experience again. Beyond traditional practice, graduates explore diverse paths including private investigation, journalism, policy analysis, and diplomatic work—with nearly 25% of Harvard Law graduates leaving traditional practice within a decade.
Continuing education and specialization
Afterwards, many attorneys pursue certification as specialists in specific practice areas. California’s program—the first in the nation—requires passing a written examination, practicing law for five years with 25% in the specialty area, completing additional continuing education, and demonstrating comprehensive experience. This specialization can significantly enhance career opportunities and earning potential.
Conclusion
The journey to becoming a lawyer requires careful planning, dedication, and strategic decision-making at each step. From selecting an undergraduate major that genuinely interests you to passing the bar exam, every choice shapes your legal career trajectory. Contrary to popular belief, law schools welcome students from diverse academic backgrounds, valuing critical thinking and strong communication skills over specific pre-law coursework.
Throughout this process, your undergraduate GPA and standardized test scores remain crucial factors for law school admission. Additionally, a compelling personal statement and meaningful extracurricular activities demonstrate your unique qualities beyond academic metrics. Most aspiring attorneys benefit from attending ABA-accredited institutions, which provide recognized credentials essential for bar admission in many states.
Choosing the right law school involves balancing multiple considerations – location, cost, specialization strengths, and career placement rates all affect your professional prospects. After completing your Juris Doctor degree, preparing thoroughly for the bar examination becomes your final academic hurdle before licensure.
Legal careers extend far beyond traditional practice paths. Judicial clerkships offer invaluable experience for recent graduates, while specialized certifications later in your career can enhance your expertise and marketability. Although demanding, the path to becoming a lawyer rewards persistence with a professionally fulfilling career helping others navigate complex legal challenges.
Remember that success in the legal profession stems not just from academic achievement but also from developing practical skills, professional networks, and ethical judgment. Each step described in this guide builds toward creating a competent, confident attorney ready to tackle the diverse challenges of legal practice.
Key Takeaways
Here are the essential insights for anyone considering a legal career, from undergraduate planning through bar admission:
• No specific “pre-law” major required – Law schools accept students from virtually any academic discipline, so choose a major that genuinely interests you and develops critical thinking skills.
• Seven-year educational commitment – Plan for four years of undergraduate study followed by three years of law school, with strong GPA (3.55+ median) being crucial for admission.
• ABA accreditation is essential – Attend an ABA-accredited law school since 23 states require this credential for bar exam eligibility, with graduates achieving 73% pass rates versus 11-25% for unaccredited programs.
• Location impacts career opportunities – Most graduates practice near their law school, so choose your institution’s location strategically based on where you want to build your legal career.
• Bar exam is the final hurdle – Prepare for a two-day examination typically offered twice yearly, featuring standardized multiple-choice questions and state-specific essays or performance tests.
The legal profession offers diverse career paths beyond traditional practice, including judicial clerkships, policy work, and specialized certifications. Success depends on strategic planning at each educational stage, from undergraduate coursework through bar preparation, combined with developing practical skills and professional networks throughout your journey.
FAQs(What Degree Do You Need to Be a Lawyer)
Q1. How long does it typically take to become a lawyer? The standard path to becoming a lawyer usually takes about seven years after high school. This includes four years for a bachelor’s degree and three years of law school. However, the exact timeline can vary depending on individual circumstances and specific state requirements.
Q2. What undergraduate major is best for aspiring lawyers? There is no single “best” major for future lawyers. Law schools accept students from diverse academic backgrounds. The most important factors are choosing a major that interests you, develops critical thinking skills, and allows you to maintain a high GPA. Popular choices include political science, history, English, and economics, but STEM majors can also be valuable for certain legal specialties.
Q3. Is attending an ABA-accredited law school necessary? While not absolutely required in all states, attending an ABA-accredited law school is highly recommended. Many states require graduation from an ABA-accredited institution to be eligible for the bar exam. Additionally, ABA-accredited schools generally have higher bar passage rates and better job placement opportunities compared to non-accredited programs.
Q4. What should I consider when choosing a law school? Key factors to consider include the school’s ABA accreditation status, bar passage rates, job placement statistics, location (as it often influences where you’ll practice), cost, and program strengths that align with your career goals. Also, consider the school’s reputation and alumni network in your desired practice area or region.
Q5. What comes after law school graduation? After graduating from law school, the next crucial step is passing the bar exam in the state where you intend to practice. This typically involves a two-day examination covering various legal topics. Many graduates also pursue judicial clerkships or enter specialized legal fields. Continuing education and obtaining certifications in specific practice areas are common ways lawyers enhance their expertise throughout their careers.