Getting Your JD Degree: What to Expect from Law School

Key takeaways

A Juris Doctor (JD) degree is required to practice law in the United States, involving coursework, concentrations, and hands-on extracurriculars.

• Law school takes three years to complete full-time, with an average total cost of $198,788 [1].

• JD programs often allow students to concentrate in a specific field of law, such as intellectual, property, criminal, or environmental law.

• You can build practical legal experience while in law school by participating in extracurricular activities, such as moot court, mock trial, and clerking.

Learn more about the JD degree, popular pre-law majors and fields of law, and how the JD compares to other advanced law degrees.

What is a JD degree?

A JD degree is a professional degree for anyone interested in being a lawyer. A JD degree is considered a terminal degree, meaning that it’s the highest achievable degree in a professional discipline. While some students go on to earn their Doctor of Juridical Science (JSD), they typically do so to teach at law schools. For those interested in becoming a practicing lawyer or attorney, a JD degree is more common. 

JD law degree: Costs and time

The average tuition and fees for law school are $50,720 per year, according to the Education Data Initiative, with living expenses and other materials adding to the overall price. The average total cost of law school is $198,788, but not every program is that expensive [1].

Law school takes three years to complete when you’re able to attend full-time. However, certain undergraduate programs offer combined bachelor’s and JD degrees, thereby reducing the overall time from seven years to six. 

Popular law school majors

Law school admissions can be incredibly competitive. While the median acceptance rate sits around 41 percent, the top 15 law schools in the United States have an average acceptance rate closer to 14 percent, and they often receive a greater number of applications [2].

While law schools do not typically require students to major in any specific subject, there are certain majors that may be more beneficial if you plan on attending law school. Majors that emphasize critical thinking, writing, reading, and problem-solving can help you develop useful skills to succeed in law school. 

Popular majors for future law school students include: 

• Communications

• Economics

• English

• Philosophy

• Political science

• Psychology 

• Sociology

Learn more: What Is the LLB Degree? Your Law Degree Guide

How to get a law degree: JD degree options

Once you’re enrolled in a JD degree program, you may have the option to concentrate in a field of law or participate in various extracurricular activities intended to strengthen your resume. 

JD degree concentrations

Enrolling in a JD degree program will introduce you to the basic concepts of law, which you’ll learn by taking several required courses outlined in your program. But you may also have an opportunity to focus your studies on a specific field of law. Popular concentrations include: 

• Advocacy law

• Business law

• Constitutional law

• Criminal law

• Entertainment (or media) law

• Environmental law

• General practice law

• Intellectual property law

• Maritime law

When you choose a concentration, you can expect to complete a portion of your required coursework in classes that deepen your knowledge of your selected area and prepare you to practice law in that field. Not every school offers every concentration, so it can help narrow down your options by researching the programs available in your area of interest.

5 JD program extracurriculars

Extracurricular programs can bolster your resume. Beyond completing your studies, participating in various activities can show prospective employers that you gained additional legal experience, skills, and knowledge while attending law school. 

1. Law review

Law reviews are scholarly journals that law students oversee. Law reviews regularly publish articles by legal professionals, such as lawyers and judges, that add to the current understanding and practice of law. Working as part of a law review is a prestigious credential, but you must first be invited, and invitations are typically reserved for honors students. 

2. Moot court

You can gain valuable appellate court experience by being a member of a moot court, where you’ll work with a team of fellow students to research and write briefs, and eventually argue a case before a panel of judges. While moot courts do not require invitations, they typically have a selection process that may include auditioning.

3. Mock trial 

You can gain valuable trial experience by participating in a mock trial, which will help you develop your litigation skills. Mock trials tend to involve two teams, which review the assigned case and argue a side. Unlike moot court, you’ll present your case before a jury, including interviewing witnesses. 

4. Clerking

Many students “clerk” for a lawyer or judge as part of their time in law school. Clerking is another term for working, and allows you to apply what you’ve learned in a professional setting. A clerking position can add to your resume and help you make powerful connections. 

5. Student bar association

If you enjoy having a say in the way things are run, you may enjoy participating in the Student Bar Association (SBA), which is the law school version of student government. By joining an SBA, you can gain leadership experience and work with your peers outside of the classroom. 

JD degree vs. other advanced law degree options

While a JD degree is the most common type of law degree, you can earn other advanced law degrees. Each one is intended to support specific career outcomes and may require prerequisites, such as first earning your JD degree. 

• Master of Laws (LLM): LLM degrees advance your law knowledge and are available to earn after you’ve completed your JD degree. Pursuing an LLM means specializing in some area of law and furthering your subject knowledge. Programs typically take one year to complete.

• Master’s degree in legal studies (MSLS): If you’re a business professional whose work requires knowledge of regulation, compliance, or contracts, an MSLS can elevate your legal understanding. MSLS programs tend to take less than two years to finish on a part-time basis and are designed for working professionals.

• Doctor of Juridical Science (JSD/SJD): The highest legal academic degree available to earn, the JSD (sometimes called the SJD) prepares you to work in academia as a legal scholar. Programs require you to do research, teach, and publish original work.

Can you earn an online JD degree?

Yes, you can earn a JD degree online. The American Bar Association (ABA) maintains a list of law schools that have approved hybrid and fully online programs. However, each state's board of bar examiners decides who can sit for the bar exam, and some states limit the number of hours you can take through distance learning. For example, the New York State Bar accepts no more than 15 hours of coursework through online or correspondence learning [3].

What can you do with a JD degree?

Many law school graduates go on to practice law, either as a lawyer or attorney, but there are other careers you may want to consider after earning your JD degree. Though not every job listed below requires a JD degree, earning one may elevate your understanding of the work involved and qualify you for higher salaries. 

• Legal writers take the technical knowledge of law and develop written materials for use in the legal industry.

• Compliance officers ensure that companies and other entities adhere to legal standards and any internal policies.

• Mediators work with parties of two or more to enable clear and effective communication. Mediators are often called in to help parties resolve a dispute. 

• Legal marketing associates offer businesses legal expertise when it comes to understanding what they can and cannot say in their marketing efforts. They work on marketing teams, reviewing copy, assets, and more to verify that a company is acting responsibly and legally. 

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