What Is a Juris Doctor (JD) Degree?

Key takeaways

• A Juris Doctor degree (JD) is a terminal, professional degree that prepares you to become a lawyer after taking the bar exam and gaining licensure.

• Common coursework during a JD program includes courses in areas like constitutional, contract, criminal, and contract law during your first year, and advanced courses like art, sports, and antitrust law, international taxaction, and corporate crime during years two and three.

• A Juris Doctor degree typically takes an average of three years to compete, although you might also explore options like dual degrees, which may take four to five years, or accelerated degrees, which combine your bachelor’s and JD in an average of six years. 

Learn more about what it takes to earn a JD degree, including the skills you'll develop, and prerequisites, like earning a bachelor’s degree and taking the LSAT. Earning your bachelor’s degree in various majors can help prepare you for a thriving legal career. 

What is a Juris Doctor degree? 

A Juris Doctor (JD) degree is the professional degree necessary to become a lawyer. A JD degree is a terminal degree, or the highest level of degree you can achieve in a given discipline. In order to begin a Juris Doctor program, you will need to have first earned your bachelor’s degree, but you do not need a master’s degree.

Juris Doctor law degree: Typical requirements

The median acceptance rate for major US law schools is 41 to 42 percent, with the top 15 law schools averaging around 14 percent [1]. First-year law students claim to read an average of 50 to 75 pages daily because of the “case study method” many law schools use, which requires students to study past cases or precedents in order to understand current legal principles [2].

Explore some of the coursework you'll encounter in a Juris Doctor program, as well as the other requirements you may need to fulfill before graduation.

Common Juris Doctor coursework

Law school coursework teaches you how to think like a lawyer, which includes developing advanced analytical, critical-thinking, and writing skills. 

First-year coursework: During your first year, you'll take foundational law courses that help you gain a firm understanding of the following areas:

• Constitutional law

• Civil procedure

• Contract law 

• Criminal law

• Property law

• Torts

• Legal research and writing

Advanced coursework: During your second and third years of law school, you’ll take upper-level coursework that advances your understanding of certain industries or certain practices.

• Sports law

• Art law

• Animal law and policy 

• Corporate crime

• Antitrust law and policy 

• International arbitration 

• International taxation

Capstone project

Not every law school requires a capstone project, but it may be worthwhile to complete one because it can provide you with an opportunity to apply what you've learned. Capstone projects tend to take the form of a legal document, such as a brief or draft complaint or a scholarly article submitted to a law review. 

Externship 

You may have the option to complete an externship during your time in law school. In exchange for college credit, you’ll work in a professional setting that ideally provides practical experience to augment what you’ve been learning. Not only can an externship help you develop or refine important professional skills, but it can also be an ideal opportunity to network.

Thinking about studying law, but not sure it's the right subject for you? Gain a handle on the subject with the University of Pennsylvania's course An Introduction to American Law.

Licensure after graduation 

Typically, once you earn your Juris Doctor from a law school approved by the American Bar Association, you can earn your licensure to practice law by taking the bar exam. However, four states (California, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington) currently permit aspiring lawyers to take the bar without first attending law school, though they must complete an apprenticeship with a licensed attorney or judge first.

The exam typically spans two days. On the first day, you'll take a standardized test called the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), which includes questions on Torts, Contracts, Criminal Law, Real Property, Constitutional Law, Evidence, and Contracts. On the second day, you’ll need to draft essays based on an array of broad topics. In addition to showing competence, you will also need to submit to a background check so that the American Bar Association can verify your character. 

How long does the Juris Doctor take? 

It takes an average of three years to earn your Juris Doctor degree if you’re able to attend full-time. If you need to attend law school part-time, it can take between four and five years. Many law schools stipulate that you complete your program within five years of enrollment, and the American Bar Association (ABA) requires completion within 84 months.

Dual degrees

Some law students choose to pursue a dual degree, like a Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration (MBA), Juris Doctor/Master of Social Work (MSW), or Juris Doctor/Master of Public Health (MPH). Earning two graduate-level degrees can help you learn more about a specific field and gear your law practice toward a specific industry. Dual degree programs take around four or five years to complete, though it’s often shorter than if you were to earn each degree separately. 

Accelerated Juris Doctor degrees

If you know before you begin your bachelor’s degree that you want to study law, some accelerated programs exist where you can earn your bachelor’s degree and your Juris Doctor in six years rather than seven. But that option does require a great deal of foresight, including committing to a six-year education plan. 

It's more common for students to take a break before pursuing their JD degree. In fact, among Harvard Law School’s Class of 2028, 84 percent took at least one year off between their undergraduate studies and law school, ad 22 percent took four or more years off [3].

Juris Doctor (JD) degree prerequisites 

Law schools confer Juris Doctor degrees, and they tend to require the following in order to apply: 

Earn a bachelor’s degree.

Most law schools require you to have a bachelor's degree. What you choose to major in shouldn’t have an effect on your application because law schools accept students who study a variety of different subjects, according to the American Bar Association [4]. Ultimately, you should choose a major that's best aligned with your interests and goals. 

That said, some undergraduate majors do help prepare you for both law school and practicing law. Some popular options, according to Forbes, include [5]:

• Political science: This is among the most popular pre-law majors because many universities include law-related courses as part of their political science curriculum. You'll also complete a large amount of reading, research, and writing, all of which can help prepare you for the work of your Juris Doctor.

• Economics: If you’re interested in going into tax or corporate law, majoring in economics can be particularly important, though an economics degree can give you applicable skills for multiple areas. While earning an economics degree, you'll hone key analytical skills that may help later as you move into graduate-level work. 

• English or communications: A good deal of your time in law school will be spent conducting research and writing papers. When you major in English or communications, you’ll likely develop a strong foundation that you can apply both to law school and your law career, such as drafting briefs and presenting oral arguments. 

Read more: What Degree Do You Need to Become a Lawyer?

What is the difference between a lawyer and a Juris Doctor?

The difference between a lawyer and a JD is that a lawyer has passed the Bar Exam and is now licensed to legally practice law in the state where they passed it. At the same time, a JD is a person who has completed and earned a Juris Doctor degree. 

Take the LSAT.

Although some law schools have started accepting the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for admission, the majority require you to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) before you can apply. This standardized test will analyze the relevant skills deemed important to be successful in law school, including analyzing arguments, making deductions, reading strategically, and understanding formal logic.

The test is typically offered four times every year, and it's administered in testing centers approved by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) across the country. Because of limited seating, registering early is typically recommended. 

Is a JD higher than a master’s?

A JD is a terminal degree, considered a “professional degree” by many institutions, but on the same level as a PhD. A JD typically takes three years to complete, while master’s degrees in law, such as the Master of Legal Studies (MLS), typically take one to two years and don’t qualify you to practice as an attorney. 

If you have a JD and want to specialize, you might consider adding a Master of Laws (LLM) degree to your profile. This degree takes one to two years to complete and allows you to specialize in fields like health care compliance law, financial regulations, international law, business law, human rights, and environmental law. 

What can you do with a Juris Doctor?

Most students earn their Juris Doctor in order to practice law. Demand for legal professionals in the US is expected to grow by 4 percent over the next decade, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) [6]. While you can practice law in a law firm, many corporations rely on in-house legal departments to help save them on legal costs. 

What is the highest law degree?

The Doctor of Judicial Science (SJD), Doctor of Jurisprudence (JSD), or Doctor of Comparative Law (DCL) are among the three highest law degrees. The highest law degree available at each school may vary. For example, the SJD is the highest option at Harvard, while Stanford’s most advanced option is the JSD. These degrees can help you advance in an academic or research-oriented career path. 

Juris Doctor salary potential 

The costs associated with earning a Juris Doctor can be high, but lawyers tend to earn higher-than-average salaries. Lawyers in the United States earned a median annual salary of $151,160 in 2024, according to the BLS [6]. Ultimately, your salary will depend on a variety of factors, including your experience level, your location, and both the size and type of employer you work for.

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