Advanced Legal Research and Studies: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Advanced Legal Research and Studies is a specialized academic pathway designed for students seeking to deepen their analytical and investigative expertise within the legal domain. This program emphasizes rigorous inquiry, critical thinking, and the application of advanced methodologies to complex legal problems, preparing learners for high-level roles in law, policy, or scholarly research.
- Legal Research Methodologies: Mastery of systematic techniques for locating, evaluating, and synthesizing primary and secondary legal sources, including statutes, case law, and scholarly commentary.
- Statutory Interpretation: In-depth exploration of principles and strategies used to analyze and interpret legislative texts, including textual, contextual, and purposive approaches.
- Case Analysis and Precedent Application: Development of advanced skills in dissecting judicial opinions, identifying legal reasoning, and applying precedent to novel factual scenarios.
- Legal Writing and Advocacy: Refinement of persuasive writing techniques tailored to legal briefs, memoranda, and policy documents, with emphasis on clarity, precision, and argumentative structure.
- Research Design and Project Management: Training in planning and executing independent legal research projects, including defining research questions, selecting appropriate sources, and managing timelines and data.
- Interdisciplinary Legal Studies: Engagement with legal issues through the lens of related fields such as public policy, ethics, economics, and social justice, fostering a holistic understanding of legal phenomena.
Advanced Legal Research and Studies Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Advanced Legal Research and Studies Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Advanced Legal Research and Studies degrees, including Lawyers and Law Teachers, Postsecondary. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 770,550 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawyers 23-1011 | $151,160 | $72,780 - $239,200 | 747,750 | $72.67 |
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1112 | $126,650 | $58,330 - $239,200 | 22,800 | N/A |
Advanced Legal Research and Studies Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $79,245 in Mississippi to $172,710 in Delaware—a 118% difference. The highest-paying states include Delaware, Massachusetts, and Colorado. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 770,550 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Advanced Legal Research and Studies by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 75 institutions offering Advanced Legal Research and Studies programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Advanced Legal Research and Studies is found at Texas A & M University, College Station (585 graduates), Georgetown University (GU) (459 graduates), Columbia University in the City of New York (340 graduates), Florida State University (FSU) (302 graduates), and Arizona State University, Digital Immersion (263 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 4,628 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A & M University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
585 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| Georgetown University (GU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
459 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | georgetown.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
340 | New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| Florida State University (FSU) |
Master's
|
302 | Tallahassee, Florida | Public | fsu.edu |
| Arizona State University |
Master's
|
263 | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Northeastern University (NU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Professional)
|
241 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| University of California (UCLA) |
Master's
|
225 | Los Angeles, California | Public | ucla.edu |
| Washington University in St Louis (WashU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
221 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | wustl.edu |
| Harvard University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
182 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| New York University (NYU) |
Master's
|
182 | New York, New York | Private | nyu.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Post-Master's
|
167 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) |
Master's
|
102 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | upenn.edu |
| Stanford University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
88 | Stanford, California | Private | stanford.edu |
| Pepperdine University |
Master's
|
87 | Malibu, California | Private | pepperdine.edu |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
86 | Champaign, Illinois | Public | illinois.edu |
| Liberty University |
Master's
|
83 | Lynchburg, Virginia | Private | liberty.edu |
| University of Akron |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
71 | Akron, Ohio | Public | uakron.edu |
| James Madison University (JMU) |
Bachelor's
|
70 | Harrisonburg, Virginia | Public | jmu.edu |
| American University (AU) |
Master's
|
55 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | american.edu |
| Wake Forest University (WFC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
48 | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Private | wfu.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Master's
|
41 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Yale University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
41 | New Haven, Connecticut | Private | yale.edu |
| Seattle University (Seattle U) |
Master's
|
39 | Seattle, Washington | Private | seattleu.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMB) |
Master's
|
38 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | umaryland.edu |
| Suffolk University |
Master's
|
36 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | suffolk.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
35 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| University of St Thomas |
Master's
|
28 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | stthomas.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Master's
|
27 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| University of Colorado Boulder (CU) |
Master's
|
26 | Boulder, Colorado | Public | colorado.edu |
| George Washington University (GW) |
Master's
|
25 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | gwu.edu |
| Florida International University (FIU) |
Master's
|
23 | Miami, Florida | Public | fiu.edu |
| Hamline University |
Master's
|
22 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | hamline.edu |
| Indiana University (IU Indianapolis) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
21 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Public | indianapolis.iu.edu |
| Western New England University (WNE) |
Master's
|
21 | Springfield, Massachusetts | Private | wne.edu |
| Northeastern University Professional Programs |
Master's
|
21 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Master's
|
20 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| University of the Pacific (UOP) |
Master's
|
19 | Stockton, California | Private | pacific.edu |
| Emory University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
19 | Atlanta, Georgia | Private | emory.edu |
| Wayne State University (WSU) |
Master's
|
18 | Detroit, Michigan | Public | wayne.edu |
| Drexel University |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | drexel.edu |
| University of Connecticut (UConn) |
Master's
|
16 | Storrs, Connecticut | Public | uconn.edu |
| Cleveland State University (CSU) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
15 | Cleveland, Ohio | Public | csuohio.edu |
| University of Notre Dame (ND) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
14 | Notre Dame, Indiana | Private | nd.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Master's
|
14 | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) |
Master's
|
12 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | iit.edu |
| The Catholic University of America |
Master's
|
11 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | catholic.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Master's
|
11 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
11 | University, Mississippi | Public | olemiss.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
9 | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| Georgia State University |
Master's
|
9 | Atlanta, Georgia | Public | gsu.edu |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU) |
Post-Master's
|
9 | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Public | lsu.edu |
| Champlain College |
Postbac Cert.
|
9 | Burlington, Vermont | Private | champlain.edu |
| University of California College of the Law (UC Law SF) |
Master's
|
8 | San Francisco, California | Public | uclawsf.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| Tulane University of Louisiana |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Private | tulane.edu |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico (UIPR) |
Master's
|
8 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Private | derecho.inter.edu |
| University of San Francisco (USF) |
Master's
|
6 | San Francisco, California | Private | usfca.edu |
| University of Puerto Rico (UPR) |
Master's
|
6 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Public | uprrp.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| Nova Southeastern University (NSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
5 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | Private | nova.edu |
| University of Missouri (UMKC) |
Master's
|
5 | Kansas City, Missouri | Public | umkc.edu |
| University of Chicago (UChicago) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | uchicago.edu |
| University at Buffalo (UB) |
Doctorate (Professional)
|
4 | Buffalo, New York | Public | buffalo.edu |
| University of Oklahoma (OU) |
Master's
|
4 | Norman, Oklahoma | Public | ou.edu |
| Texas Southern University (TSU) |
Master's
|
4 | Houston, Texas | Public | tsu.edu |
| Stetson University |
Master's
|
3 | DeLand, Florida | Private | stetson.edu |
| University of Iowa |
Master's
|
3 | Iowa City, Iowa | Public | uiowa.edu |
| University of New Mexico (UNM) |
Master's
|
3 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | unm.edu |
| University of San Diego (USD) |
Master's
|
2 | San Diego, California | Private | sandiego.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| Barry University |
Master's
|
1 | Miami, Florida | Private | barry.edu |
| Washburn University (WU) |
Master's
|
1 | Topeka, Kansas | Public | washburn.edu |
| Syracuse University |
Doctorate (Research)
|
1 | Syracuse, New York | Private | syracuse.edu |
| Willamette University |
Master's
|
1 | Salem, Oregon | Private | willamette.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Advanced Legal Research and Studies programs
How much can I earn with a Advanced Legal Research and Studies degree?
Salaries for Advanced Legal Research and Studies graduates vary by role and location. Lawyers earn a median of $151,160 annually, while Law Teachers, Postsecondary earn around $126,650. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Delaware average $172,710 compared to $79,245 in Mississippi. Approximately 770,550 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Advanced Legal Research and Studies programs?
Currently 75 accredited institutions offer Advanced Legal Research and Studies degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Texas A & M University, College Station (585 graduates), Georgetown University (GU) (459 graduates), and Columbia University in the City of New York (340 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Advanced Legal Research and Studies growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 1,346 in 2010 to 4,628 in 2023-24. This represents a 244% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Advanced Legal Research and Studies degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Lawyers, Law Teachers, Postsecondary, . Related occupations employ approximately 770,550 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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