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 |
Salary Comparison
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 | Admissions | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A & M University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
585 |
SAT: 1140-1380 ACT: 25-31 |
College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| Georgetown University (GU) |
Master's
Doctorate (R)
Other Award
|
459 |
SAT: 1390-1550 ACT: 32-34 |
Washington, District of Columbia | Private | georgetown.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Master's
Doctorate (R)
|
340 |
SAT: 1490-1570 ACT: 34-35 |
New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| Florida State University (FSU) |
Master's
|
302 |
SAT: 1240-1390 ACT: 27-31 |
Tallahassee, Florida | Public | fsu.edu |
| Arizona State University |
Master's
|
263 | N/A | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Northeastern University (NU) |
Master's
Doctorate (P)
|
241 |
SAT: 1460-1550 ACT: 33-35 |
Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| University of California (UCLA) |
Master's
|
225 | N/A | Los Angeles, California | Public | ucla.edu |
| Washington University in St Louis (WashU) |
Master's
Doctorate (R)
|
221 |
SAT: 1500-1570 ACT: 33-35 |
Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | wustl.edu |
| Harvard University |
Master's
Doctorate (R)
|
182 |
SAT: 1500-1580 ACT: 34-36 |
Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| New York University (NYU) |
Master's
|
182 |
SAT: 1480-1570 ACT: 33-35 |
New York, New York | Private | nyu.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Post-Master's
|
167 |
SAT: 1440-1550 ACT: 32-35 |
Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) |
Master's
|
102 |
SAT: 1500-1570 ACT: 34-35 |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | upenn.edu |
| Stanford University |
Master's
Doctorate (R)
|
88 |
SAT: 1510-1580 ACT: 34-35 |
Stanford, California | Private | stanford.edu |
| Pepperdine University |
Master's
|
87 |
SAT: 1250-1450 ACT: 26-32 |
Malibu, California | Private | pepperdine.edu |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) |
Master's
Doctorate (R)
|
86 |
SAT: 1270-1510 ACT: 29-34 |
Champaign, Illinois | Public | illinois.edu |
| Liberty University |
Master's
|
83 | N/A | Lynchburg, Virginia | Private | liberty.edu |
| University of Akron |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
71 |
SAT: 950-1190 ACT: 18-25 |
Akron, Ohio | Public | uakron.edu |
| James Madison University (JMU) |
Bachelor's
|
70 |
SAT: 1170-1320 ACT: 25-29 |
Harrisonburg, Virginia | Public | jmu.edu |
| American University (AU) |
Master's
|
55 |
SAT: 1300-1450 ACT: 29-33 |
Washington, District of Columbia | Private | american.edu |
| Wake Forest University (WFC) |
Master's
Doctorate (R)
|
48 |
SAT: 1390-1510 ACT: 32-34 |
Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Private | wfu.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Master's
|
41 | N/A | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Yale University |
Master's
Doctorate (R)
|
41 |
SAT: 1500-1580 ACT: 33-35 |
New Haven, Connecticut | Private | yale.edu |
| Seattle University (Seattle U) |
Master's
|
39 |
SAT: 1130-1350 ACT: 23-30 |
Seattle, Washington | Private | seattleu.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMB) |
Master's
|
38 | N/A | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | umaryland.edu |
| Suffolk University |
Master's
|
36 |
SAT: 1090-1280 ACT: 24-32 |
Boston, Massachusetts | Private | suffolk.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Master's
Doctorate (R)
|
35 |
SAT: 1350-1530 ACT: 31-34 |
Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| University of St Thomas |
Master's
|
28 |
SAT: 1223-1416 ACT: 25-30 |
Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | stthomas.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Master's
|
27 |
SAT: 1150-1360 ACT: 24-29 |
Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| University of Colorado Boulder (CU) |
Master's
|
26 |
SAT: 1230-1420 ACT: 28-33 |
Boulder, Colorado | Public | colorado.edu |
| George Washington University (GW) |
Master's
|
25 |
SAT: 1350-1500 ACT: 31-34 |
Washington, District of Columbia | Private | gwu.edu |
| Florida International University (FIU) |
Master's
|
23 |
SAT: 1060-1250 ACT: 20-26 |
Miami, Florida | Public | fiu.edu |
| Hamline University |
Master's
|
22 |
SAT: 1146-1393 ACT: 20-28 |
Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | hamline.edu |
| Indiana University (IU Indianapolis) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
21 |
SAT: 1040-1230 ACT: 21-28 |
Indianapolis, Indiana | Public | indianapolis.iu.edu |
| Western New England University (WNE) |
Master's
|
21 |
SAT: 1130-1310 ACT: 25-27 |
Springfield, Massachusetts | Private | wne.edu |
| Northeastern University Professional Programs |
Master's
|
21 | N/A | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Master's
|
20 |
SAT: 1230-1490 ACT: 27-33 |
Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| University of the Pacific (UOP) |
Master's
|
19 |
SAT: 1160-1420 ACT: 23-31 |
Stockton, California | Private | pacific.edu |
| Emory University |
Master's
Doctorate (R)
|
19 |
SAT: 1460-1550 ACT: 32-34 |
Atlanta, Georgia | Private | emory.edu |
| Wayne State University (WSU) |
Master's
|
18 |
SAT: 1040-1260 ACT: 21-28 |
Detroit, Michigan | Public | wayne.edu |
| Drexel University |
Bachelor's
|
17 |
SAT: 1230-1430 ACT: 27-33 |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | drexel.edu |
| University of Connecticut (UConn) |
Master's
|
16 |
SAT: 1210-1420 ACT: 29-33 |
Storrs, Connecticut | Public | uconn.edu |
| Cleveland State University (CSU) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
15 | ACT: 17-25 | Cleveland, Ohio | Public | csuohio.edu |
| University of Notre Dame (ND) |
Master's
Doctorate (R)
|
14 |
SAT: 1440-1540 ACT: 33-35 |
Notre Dame, Indiana | Private | nd.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Master's
|
14 | N/A | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) |
Master's
|
12 |
SAT: 1180-1410 ACT: 25-31 |
Chicago, Illinois | Private | iit.edu |
| The Catholic University of America |
Master's
|
11 | N/A | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | catholic.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Master's
|
11 |
SAT: 1160-1390 ACT: 25-32 |
Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
11 |
SAT: 1020-1210 ACT: 21-29 |
University, Mississippi | Public | olemiss.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Doctorate (R)
|
9 | N/A | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| Georgia State University |
Master's
|
9 |
SAT: 1040-1280 ACT: 19-26 |
Atlanta, Georgia | Public | gsu.edu |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU) |
Post-Master's
|
9 |
SAT: 1150-1330 ACT: 24-29 |
Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Public | lsu.edu |
| Champlain College |
Postbac Cert.
|
9 |
SAT: 1165-1340 ACT: 27-31 |
Burlington, Vermont | Private | champlain.edu |
| University of California College of the Law (UC Law SF) |
Master's
|
8 | N/A | San Francisco, California | Public | uclawsf.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Doctorate (R)
|
8 |
SAT: 1170-1400 ACT: 27-32 |
Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| Tulane University of Louisiana |
Master's
Doctorate (R)
|
8 |
SAT: 1390-1510 ACT: 31-33 |
New Orleans, Louisiana | Private | tulane.edu |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico (UIPR) |
Master's
|
8 | N/A | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Private | derecho.inter.edu |
| University of San Francisco (USF) |
Master's
|
6 |
SAT: 1210-1390 ACT: 26-31 |
San Francisco, California | Private | usfca.edu |
| University of Puerto Rico (UPR) |
Master's
|
6 | N/A | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Public | uprrp.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Doctorate (R)
|
5 |
SAT: 1160-1420 ACT: 21-30 |
Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| Nova Southeastern University (NSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
5 |
SAT: 1050-1310 ACT: 21-28 |
Fort Lauderdale, Florida | Private | nova.edu |
| University of Missouri (UMKC) |
Master's
|
5 |
SAT: 1150-1540 ACT: 21-29 |
Kansas City, Missouri | Public | umkc.edu |
| University of Chicago (UChicago) |
Doctorate (R)
|
4 |
SAT: 1510-1570 ACT: 34-35 |
Chicago, Illinois | Private | uchicago.edu |
| University at Buffalo (UB) |
Doctorate (P)
|
4 |
SAT: 1210-1380 ACT: 27-32 |
Buffalo, New York | Public | buffalo.edu |
| University of Oklahoma (OU) |
Master's
|
4 |
SAT: 1140-1330 ACT: 23-29 |
Norman, Oklahoma | Public | ou.edu |
| Texas Southern University (TSU) |
Master's
|
4 |
SAT: 800-1000 ACT: 15-19 |
Houston, Texas | Public | tsu.edu |
| Stetson University |
Master's
|
3 |
SAT: 1090-1290 ACT: 23-29 |
DeLand, Florida | Private | stetson.edu |
| University of Iowa |
Master's
|
3 |
SAT: 1130-1320 ACT: 22-28 |
Iowa City, Iowa | Public | uiowa.edu |
| University of New Mexico (UNM) |
Master's
|
3 |
SAT: 900-1160 ACT: 19-26 |
Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | unm.edu |
| University of San Diego (USD) |
Master's
|
2 | N/A | San Diego, California | Private | sandiego.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Doctorate (R)
|
2 |
SAT: 1270-1450 ACT: 29-33 |
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Doctorate (R)
|
2 |
SAT: 1360-1510 ACT: 28-32 |
Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| Barry University |
Master's
|
1 | N/A | Miami, Florida | Private | barry.edu |
| Washburn University (WU) |
Master's
|
1 | N/A | Topeka, Kansas | Public | washburn.edu |
| Syracuse University |
Doctorate (R)
|
1 |
SAT: 1260-1430 ACT: 28-32 |
Syracuse, New York | Private | syracuse.edu |
| Willamette University |
Master's
|
1 |
SAT: 1220-1430 ACT: 27-32 |
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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