Understanding the Cost of a Fordham University Law School Education
Pursuing a law degree is a substantial investment, and understanding the financial implications is crucial for prospective students. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the tuition costs associated with Fordham University Law School, along with related financial considerations.
Rising Tuition Costs in Law Schools
Tuition at ABA-accredited law schools has been steadily increasing. Since 1994, there has been a consistent rise, with an average increase of $4,352 every 4 years since 2011. This trend highlights the importance of careful financial planning for aspiring law students. Public schools generally offer more affordable tuition compared to private schools, a factor to consider when choosing a law school.
J.D. Program Tuition and Fees
The Juris Doctor (J.D.) is the traditional three-year degree required to take the bar exam and become an attorney. For full-time J.D. students at Fordham Law, the tuition was $75,728. Part-time J.D. students face a tuition of $56,970. It's important to note that tuition and fees can be expected to increase each fall semester. The 2015-2016 tuition at Fordham Law was $53,440 for full-time J.D. students and $40,080 for part-time J.D.
Additional Expenses and Cost of Attendance
When budgeting for the academic year, it is essential to know that your cost of attendance covers only educationally related expenses for those nine months. All Fordham graduate students taking more than 5 credits a semester are required to have health insurance. The Student health insurance charge is $4,994. Students are automatically assessed this fee unless and until a waiver is requested. The insurance cost is split between $1,805 in the fall and $3,189 in the spring, reflecting continuing coverage throughout the following summer. Students have the option to request a COA adjustment for a one-time computer purchase necessary for their program. All adjustment requests must be submitted in writing and include the necessary supporting documentation, along with a completed COA Adjustment Request form. The Law School Financial Aid Office seldom approves budget increases for purposes other than childcare expenses or one-time computer purchases.
LL.M. and M.S.L. Programs
Fordham Law also offers LL.M. and M.S.L. programs. LL.M. Tuition is charged on a per-credit basis of $2,898. The books and supplies estimate varies depending on the number of credits you are taking for the academic year. Most Fordham Law LL.M. students are enrolled during the fall and spring semesters only, i.e., for nine months. Most Fordham Law M.S.L. students are enrolled during the fall and spring semesters only, i.e., for nine months.
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Financial Aid and Scholarships
One form of financial aid for law students is conditional scholarships, which require students to maintain a certain GPA or class ranking.
Loan Repayment Assistance Program
It is important to investigate whether Fordham Law offers a loan repayment assistance program for J.D. graduates.
Alternative Legal Degrees
Alternative degrees exist for those seeking to work in the legal field but not become lawyers themselves. These programs are typically shorter and less expensive than a J.D. Examples include the J.M. and M.L.S.
Rankings and Bar Passage Rates
Fordham Law ranks #30 in terms of highest tuition among full-time law students ($78,078). Fordham Law ranks #25 in terms of bar passage rate among first-time test takers (93.0%), and it outperforms by +7.2% the state of New York's overall bar passage rate of 85.8%. Fordham Law ranks #26 in LSAT composite (167.7), an average of its 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile LSAT scores (165 · 168 · 170). Fordham Law ranks #52 in GPA composite (3.76), an average of its 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile GPAs (3.60 · 3.79 · 3.88).
Employment Outcomes for Graduates
According to Fordham Law's official 2014 ABA-required disclosures, 80% of the Class of 2014 were employed full-time 10 months after graduation; 67.8% were in full-time, long-term, JD-required positions; 11.1% held positions the ABA classifies as "J.D. Advantage" (defined by NALP as "legal training is deemed to be an advantage or even necessary in the workplace"); and 20.7% were employed in public sector positions in government, nonprofit organizations, and judicial clerkships. 88.12% of 2023 graduates obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment.
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Fordham University Law School Overview
The School of Law at Fordham University has an application deadline of March 15. The full-time program application fee at the School of Law at Fordham University is $75. The part-time program application fee at the School of Law at Fordham University is $75. The student-faculty ratio is 6.4:1. For the class entering in 2023, 21.13% of applicants to Fordham Law were accepted. Of those accepted 32.14% enrolled. Originally located in New York's downtown Financial District, Fordham Law is currently located in Lincoln Square, Manhattan, as part of Fordham University's Lincoln Center campus. As part of the university's Lincoln Center Master Plan, unveiled in 2005, a new law school building was built. The law school portion of the building was dedicated on September 18, 2014.
Academic Programs
Fordham Law offers programs/courses in clinical training, dispute resolution, environmental law, health care law, intellectual property law, international law, business/corporate law, constitutional law, and contracts/commercial law, criminal law. Fordham Law offers three joint degrees in conjunction with Fordham University's other graduate schools: J.D./M.A. Fordham University offers a "3-3 Program" that allows students to earn a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science and a Juris Doctor in six years of study: three at Fordham College and three at Fordham Law. LL.M. students can take a second concentration after finishing the first one by enrolling in a third semester. At Fordham, clinical education is available but not required. Students are selected for clinics via a competitive application process. Fordham students have an opportunity to enroll in clinics following their first year, and after taking the Fundamental Lawyering Skills course. Fordham's Public Interest Resource Center (PIRC) serves as the clearinghouse for student community service and pro bono work, and hosts 19 student-run organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, Unemployment Action Center, Just Democracy, and others. Students at Fordham Law publish six nationally recognized law journals.
Notable Alumni
Governor of New York Malcolm Wilson, New York City Mayor Vincent R. Impellitteri, and United States Attorney General John N. Mitchell are Fordham Law graduates. House of Representatives are Fordham Law graduates including Thomas Suozzi, Thomas Vincent Quinn, Bill Owens, Jerrold Nadler, Vito Fossella, Geraldine Ferraro, Francis E. Criminal defense attorney Brian Steel, a Fordham Law graduate, gained notoriety during the 2022 YSL Records racketeering trial as the lead attorney representing rapper Jeffery "Young Thug" Williams. In April 2025, Steel requested to join the trial team of music executive Sean "P Diddy" Combs for his federal sex trafficking criminal case.
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