4 Ways to Pay for Law School in 2025

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Ways to Pay for Law School

Paying for law school can feel overwhelming—though maybe not as nerve-wracking as the Bar exam! As you plan to pursue a law degree, it’s important to consider the significant tuition costs. But don’t worry, we’re here to help. This article provides valuable insights into financial options for law school students, including scholarships, grants, student loans, and affordable law programs. Whether you’re a prospective, current, or graduating student, this guide is a helpful resource to navigate the financial side of your law school journey.

Best Private Student Loans for Law School

Fixed APR 3.19% - 17.99%¹

Variable APR 4.24% - 17.99%¹

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Fixed APR 3.24% - 16.49%¹

Variable APR 4.99% - 16.85%¹

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Check your eligibility in just 2 minutes
No fees for origination, disbursement, prepayment, or late payment³
Skip a payment once per year (once repayment period restarted)⁴

This information is for graduate and undergraduate students attending Title IV-qualified, not-for-profit, 4-year institutions. Rates offered vary by loan type (undergraduate, graduate, cosigner). Borrowers must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents if the school is located outside of the United States. Non-U.S. citizen borrowers who reside in the U.S. are eligible with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident) and are required to provide an unexpired government-issued photo ID to verify identity. Applications are subject to a requested minimum loan amount of $1,000. Current credit and other eligibility criteria apply.

Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your financial profile. Fixed annual percentage rates (APR) range from 3.49% to 16.74% (3.24% - 16.49% with auto pay discount). Variable annual percentage rates (APR) range from 5.24% to 17.10% (4.99% - 16.85% with auto pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent. The rate will not increase more than once a month, but there is no limit on the amount that the rate could increase at one time. Please note, Earnest Private Student Loans are not available in Nevada. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and requires selection of our shortest term offered (5 years), full principal and interest payment while in school, and enrollment in our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account. Enrolling in autopay is not required as a condition for approval.

¹You can take advantage of the Auto Pay interest rate reduction by setting up and maintaining active and automatic ACH withdrawal of your loan payment. The interest rate reduction for Auto Pay will be available only while your loan is enrolled in Auto Pay. Interest rate incentives for utilizing Auto Pay may not be combined with certain private student loan repayment programs that also offer an interest rate reduction. For multi-party loans, only one party may enroll in Auto Pay.

²Nine-month grace period is not available for borrowers who choose our Principal and Interest Repayment plan while in school.

³Earnest does not charge fees for origination, late payments, or prepayments. Florida Stamp Tax: For Florida
residents, Florida documentary stamp tax is required by law, calculated as $0.35 for each $100 (or portion thereof) of the principal loan amount, the amount of which is provided in the Final Disclosure. Lender will add the stamp tax to the principal loan amount. The full amount will be paid directly to the Florida Department of Revenue. Certificate of Registration No. 78-8016373916-1.

⁴Earnest clients may skip one payment every 12 months. Your first request to skip a payment can be made once you’ve made at least 6 months of consecutive on-time payments, and your loan is in good standing. The interest accrued during the skipped month will result in an increase in your remaining minimum payment. The final payoff date on your loan will be extended by the length of the skipped payment periods. Please be aware that a skipped payment does count toward the forbearance limits. Please note that skipping a payment is not guaranteed and is at Earnest’s discretion. Your monthly payment and total loan cost may increase as a result of postponing your payment and extending your term.

1.) Earnest’s Loan Cost Examples: These examples provide estimates based on principal and interest payments beginning immediately upon loan disbursement. Variable annual percentage rate ("APR"): A $10,000 loan with a 15-year term (180 monthly payments of $152.84) and a 16.85% APR would result in a total estimated payment amount of $27,511.20. For a variable loan, after your starting rate is set, your rate will then vary with the market. Fixed APR: A $10,000 loan with a 15-year term (180 monthly payments of $152.84) and a 16.85% APR would result in a total estimated payment amount of $27,511.20.

2.) These examples provide estimates based on interest only payments while in school. Variable interest rate: A $10,000 loan with a 15-year term (180 monthly payments of $152.84) and a 16.85% interest rate (16.85% APR) would result in a total estimated payment amount of $35,515.14. For a variable loan, after your starting rate is set, your rate will then vary with the market. Fixed interest rate: A $10,000 loan with a 15-year term (180 monthly payments of $152.84) and a 16.85% interest rate (16.85% APR) would result in a total estimated payment amount of $35,515.14. Your actual repayment terms may vary. Other repayment options are available. The calculation assumes that the “in-school” period is 4 years (48 months) and includes our 9 month grace period, during which the monthly payment will be $140.42 for 57 months.

3.) These examples provide estimates based on fixed $25 payments while in school. Variable interest rate: A $10,000 loan with a 15-year term (180 monthly payments of $253.39) and a 16.85% interest rate (14.92% APR) would result in a total estimated payment amount of $47,035.20. For a variable loan, after your starting rate is set, your rate will then vary with the market. Fixed interest rate: A $10,000 loan with a 15-year term (180 monthly payments of $253.39) and a 16.85% interest rate (14.92% APR)would result in a total estimated payment amount of $47,035.20. Your actual repayment terms may vary. Other repayment options are available.The calculation assumes that the “in-school” period is 4 years (48 months) and includes our 9 month grace period, during which the monthly payment will be $25.00.

4.) These examples provide estimates based on deferred payments. Variable interest rate: A $10,000 loan with a 15-year term (180 monthly payments of $275.17) and a 16.85% interest rate (14.67% APR) would result in a total estimated payment amount of $49,530.60. For a variable loan, after your starting rate is set, your rate will then vary with the market. Fixed interest rate: A $10,000 loan with a 15-year term (180 monthly payments of $275.17) and a 16.85% interest rate (14.67% APR) would result in a total estimated payment amount of $49,530.60. Your actual repayment terms may vary. Other repayment options are available. It is important to note that the 0.25% Auto Pay discount is not available while loan payments are deferred. The calculation assumes that the “in-school” period is 4 years (48 months) and includes our 9 month grace period, during which the monthly payment will be $0.

The information provided on this page is updated as of 06/24/2025. Earnest reserves the right to change, pause, or terminate product offerings at any time without notice.

Earnest Private Student Loans are made by One American Bank, Member FDIC, or FinWise Bank, Member FDIC. One American Bank, 515 S. Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104. Finwise Bank, 756 East Winchester, Suite 100, Murray, UT 84107.

Earnest loans are serviced by Earnest Operations LLC, 300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 340, Oakland 94612. NMLS #1204917, with support from Higher Education Loan Authority of the State of Missouri (MOHELA) (NMLS# 1442770) One American Bank, FinWise Bank, and Earnest LLC and its subsidiaries, including Earnest Operations LLC, are not sponsored by agencies of the United States of America.

THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO MAKE ANY PAYMENT OR TAKE ANY OTHER ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS OFFER.

Fixed APR 3.09% - 14.93%*

Variable APR 4.31% - 14.97%*

Cosigner Recommended

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AFFORDABLE fixed rates starting at 3.09% APR with Automatic Debit Discount*
1% CASH BACK Graduation Reward*
COVER UP TO 100% of your tuition and eligible living expenses.

* Ascent’s undergraduate and graduate student loans are funded by Bank of Lake Mills or DR Bank, each Member FDIC. Loan products may not be available in certain jurisdictions. Certain restrictions, limitations, terms and conditions may apply for Ascent's Terms and Conditions please visit: AscentFunding.com/Ts&Cs. Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) displayed above are effective as of 7/1/2025 and reflect an Automatic Payment Discount of 0.25% on credit-based college student loans submitted prior to 6/1/2025, a 0.5% discount for on credit-based college student loans submitted on or after 6/1/2025 and a 1.00% discount on outcomes-based loans when you enroll in automatic payments. Loans subject to individual approval, restrictions and conditions apply. Loan features and information advertised are intended for college student loans and are subject to change at any time. For more information, see repayment examples or review the Ascent Student Loans Terms and Conditions. The final amount approved depends on the borrower’s credit history, verifiable cost of attendance as certified by an eligible school and is subject to credit approval and verification of application information. Lowest interest rates require full principal and interest (Immediate) payments, the shortest loan term, a cosigner, and are only available for our most creditworthy applicants and cosigners with the highest average credit scores. Actual APR offered may be higher or lower than the examples above, based on the amount of time you spend in school and any grace period you have before repayment begins. Variable rates may increase after consummation. 1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. For details on Ascent borrower benefits, visit AscentFunding.com/BorrowerBenefits. Ascent applicants and borrowers that agree to the AscentUP Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, as well as students associated with an Ascent parent loan application, have access to the AscentUP platform.

The minimum amount is $2,001 except for the state of Massachusetts. Minimum loan amount for borrowers with a Massachusetts permanent address is $6,001.

Fixed APR 3.29% - 15.99%*

Variable APR 4.39% - 15.99%*

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All online, all easy.
SoFi private student loans cover up to 100% of school-certified costs.
No fees required.
Repay your way with flexible repayment options (find the monthly student loan payment and rate that fits your budget).
Applying with a cosigner may increase your chances of approval and getting a better rate.*
Over 1 million students have chosen SoFi.

SoFi Private Student Loan

Undergraduate, Graduate, MBA, Law, Health Interest Rates: Eligibility and Important Details. Fixed rates range from 3.29% APR to 15.99% APR with 0.25% autopay discount. Variable rates range from 4.39% APR to 15.99% APR with a 0.25% autopay discount. Unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law, Variable Interest rates are capped at 17.95%. SoFi rate ranges are current as of 5/21/25 and are subject to change at any time. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on the term and type of repayment option you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, presence of a co-signer (if applicable) and a variety of other factors. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Check out our eligibility criteria at https://www.sofi.com/eligibility-criteria/. For the SoFi variable-rate product, the variable interest rate for a given month is derived by adding a margin to the 30-day average SOFR index, published two business days preceding such calendar month, rounded up to the nearest one hundredth of one percent (0.01% or 0.0001). APRs for variable-rate loans may increase after origination if the SOFR index increases. The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. This benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit lowers your interest rate but does not change the amount of your monthly payment. This benefit is suspended during periods of deferment and forbearance. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi. SoFi Private Student loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

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Interest Rates: Eligibility and Important Details. Fixed rates range from 5.74% APR to 16.85% APR with a 0.25% autopay discount. Variable rates range from 6.07% APR – 16.85% APR with a 0.25% autopay discount. Unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law, Variable Interest rates are capped at 17.95%. SoFi rate ranges are current as of 5/21/25 and are subject to change at any time. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on the term and type of repayment option you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, presence of a co-signer (if applicable) and a variety of other factors. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Check out our eligibility criteria at https://www.sofi.com/eligibility-criteria/. For the SoFi variable-rate product, the variable interest rate for a given month is derived by adding a margin to the 30-day average SOFR index, published two business days preceding such calendar month, rounded up to the nearest one hundredth of one percent (0.01% or 0.0001). APRs for variable-rate loans may increase after origination if the SOFR index increases. The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. This benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit lowers your interest rate but does not change the amount of your monthly payment. This benefit is suspended during periods of deferment and forbearance. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi.

Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. We encourage you to evaluate all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs.

Terms and Conditions Apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. SoFi Private Student loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, such as completion of a loan application and self-certification form, verification of application information, the student's at least half-time enrollment in a degree program at a SoFi-participating school, and, if applicable, a co-signer. In addition, borrowers must be U.S. citizens or other eligible status, be residing in the U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or American Samoa, and must meet SoFi’s underwriting requirements, including verification of sufficient income to support your ability to repay. Minimum loan amount is $1,000. See SoFi.com/eligibility for more information. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is current as of 6/9/2025 and is subject to change. SoFi Private Student loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891. (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

Fixed APR 3.69% - 14.22%*

Variable APR 5.00% - 13.97%*

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Can You Get Scholarships for Law School?

Yes, scholarships for law school are definitely available even if you’ve heard they may be harder to come by. Always check in with the financial aid office to see if they have any available information regarding grants and scholarships for law students. The law school price tag makes scholarships so much more enticing, and it makes sense because scholarships, like grants, do not have to be paid back. Check out our list of prominent law school scholarships below:

American Bar Association Legal Opportunity Scholarship

This scholarship for first-year law students awards 10-20 diverse law students $15,000 in aid over their three years in law school. These scholarships can help cover living expenses while also decreasing the amount of federal student aid you may need.

Arent Fox Diversity Scholarship

Law firm Arent Fox offers a $20,000 scholarship and salaried position to diverse second-year law students. The first $10,000 is paid during the second-year summer, and the other $10,000 is paid once the student returns to the firm as an associate ensuing graduation. Locations are in Boston, DC, Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco.

MALDEF Law School Scholarship Program

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) provides $2,000 scholarships to law students seeking to advance the civil rights of the Latino community in the U.S. Each year, 5-15 law school scholarships have been awarded.

MCCA Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program

This diversity scholarship program is open to women and diverse students interested in corporate law. $10,000 scholarships are awarded to recipients for their first year of law school. A scholarship like this can help cover living expenses not covered by federal student aid.

Sidney B. Williams, Jr. Scholar Program

The Foundation for Advancement of Diversity in IP Law provides a $10,000 per year tuition grant to select scholars of the Sidney B. Williams, Jr. Scholar Program for up to three (3) years. Financial need, merit, and interest in intellectual property law are considered.

Are There Grants for Law School?

Grants that help pay for law school are typically awarded for law school based on financial need. And, like scholarships, they do not (generally) need to be paid back. Grants may be used to lighten the burden of paying for law school, which is why it’s worth exploring your options.

Here's the catch: searching for grants for law school can be a challenge. This is because most grants helping to pay for law school are sponsored by the law schools themselves. This means that your best bet for keeping your law school debt as low as possible is going to come from reaching out to your schools of interest. Contacting the school's financial aid office is typically a good place to start.

Applying for Grants

When looking at your options for federal student aid, keep in mind that there are many different grants available; sometimes, there are grants specific to those attending law school. Check with your school’s financial aid office and see what information they have regarding available grants.

The Grant Application Process

When applying for grants, there are many similarities to applying for private and federal loans and many differences. The process typically goes something like this:

Find the grant
Complete grant application
You are either approved or denied

IF APPROVED

Receive funds
Use funds to pay for school, housing, etc.

How to Reach Out to Financial Aid Offices

It is important to remember that there are resources available through your school’s financial aid office. Financial aid offices can sometimes be tricky to work with, depending on the school that you are applying to/currently enrolled in. Here are some tips we have when reaching out to your school’s financial aid office:

Write down your questions in advance

Depending on the time of year, the financial aid office can be very busy, and whether you seek help covering your law school costs in person or over the phone or email, it is valuable to your time to prepare.

Sometimes a well-worded email is all it takes

If the financial aid office is very busy, but you have important questions, try sending an email instead. Put enough information in the email that the financial aid office worker can get the scope of your situation and help you with what you need.

Always ask about available grants and scholarships

Keep in mind that the people helping you at the financial aid office are employed to assist students through the process. Many of them have information regarding available scholarships and/or /grants that could help you cover living expenses, existing student loan debt, or upcoming law school expenses.

Best Student Loans for Law School

Depending on where you decide to attend law school, your tuition costs could fall somewhere $100,000 and $200,000 to cover three (3) years of study. In addition to that, tuition doesn’t include other expenses such as housing, food, supplies, etc. With so many costs to account for, it’s quite evident that most aspiring lawyers should weigh their loan options before making any decisions on how they should pay for law school. Next, we break down the differences between federal student loans and private loans for law school.

Federal Loans for Law School

If you would like to use federal student aid loans for your law school education, you will have your choice between the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and the Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students, better known as Grad PLUS. We break these down below:

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

This federal student aid loan permits law students pursuing a law degree to borrow up to a total of $20,500 each academic year, and the aggregate borrowing limit is $138,000. Your lender for this loan, as with all federal loans, is the U.S. Department of Education. Interest rates are fixed, and interest rates and loan fees vary from year to year as determined by the government. The interest rate for loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 is 7.94% for 2025 - 2026. The loan fees for loans first disbursed on or after Oct. 1, 2024 through Sept. 30, 2025 is 1.057%.

Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students

With this federal student aid loan, law students may borrow up to the cost of attendance (COA) minus other aid. Interest rates on federal loans are fixed, and interest rates and loan fees vary from year to year as set by Congress. One important difference here is that borrowers must not have adverse credit history, as defined by the U.S. Department of Education. A cosigner, or endorser, may be required to secure the loan. The interest rate for federal loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 is 8.94% for 2025 - 2026. The loan fees for loans first disbursed on or after Oct. 1, 2024 through Sept. 30, 2025 is 4.228%.

Some additional perks about both of these federal loans include:

The ability to use income-driven repayment plans
Options to postpone payments, if needed (i.e. deferment or forbearance)
Consolidating through the Federal Direct Consolidation Loan program
Potential forgiveness through the PSLF program, also known as Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

To apply for federal loans, make sure you (1) complete the FAFSA, (2) wait for your financial aid award letter from your school which will include your federal student loan eligibility, and then (3) choose to accept or reduce your loan amounts.

Private Loans for Law School

The truth is that federal loans may not cover all of your costs, and private student loans might be necessary to cover the difference. If you find that private loans are the option of choice for you to help pay for a law degree, we’ve got you covered. We work with many lenders who offer loans you might benefit from. Visit our lenders page to see if any of the options work to help you pay for law school. You’ll find flexible repayment options with different loan terms and even income share agreements (ISAs), which prevent you from paying more than you can afford.

Furthermore, private loans come with their own perks.

You may borrow up to the cost of attendance (COA) minus any other aid you receive while enrolled in school
Several lenders offer zero origination fees, and many have lower interest rates than federal programs
You may use a cosigner to help you qualify or to potentially lower your interest rate. To determine if you're eligible for a private student loan, apply with a reputable lender. You can usually get pre-qualified in a matter of minutes.

Note: Remember Public Service Loan Forgiveness? If your goal is to take advantage of the PSLF program after law school, it's important to know that private loans cannot be forgiven by the federal government. That is only for Federal Direct Loans. So if you took out Federal Direct Loans AND private loans, you could still benefit from the PSLF program.

How Much Does Law School Cost?

According to AccessLex Institute^® (AccessLex), the average cost of tuition and fees for a full-time law school student at a private law school was $49,370 in 2019. Full-time public law school students on average paid less than their private law school counterparts. In addition, for public law school students, costs widen for students who are non-residents. Full-time public non-residents averaged $41,780 for tuition and fees, whereas students who were residents at public law schools averaged $27,710.

Here are some questions that you might want to ask if the price to pay for law school is a major factor for you.

Am I looking to attend a private or public law school?
Are there reputable schools within my state of residence I’d be willing to attend?
Could I get residency in my law school’s state before finishing my degree?
Are the possibilities greater with one school over another, despite the costs?
Are there grants available for students at schools I’m interested in?

Most Affordable Law Schools

grants, it is possible that tuition and fees might not be a good indicator of your out-of-pocket costs. U.S. News & World Report put together a list of the top 10 law schools that provide the most tuition assistance, and we want to break it down for you.

The percentages represent the amount of grant recipients who received funds covering more than half of tuition during the 2018-2019 school year. For grant recipients at these law schools, paying less than half of the expected tuition is common.

Most Affordable Law Schools 2018-2019

College	% of grant recipients with funds covering more than 50% of tuition	Tuition and fees per year
Pennsylvania State University - Carlisle (Dickinson)	93.2%	$50,582*
Pennsylvania State University - University Park	90%	$50,984*
Belmont University	88.2%	$44,470
University of Nevada - Las Vegas	85.6%	$27, 023 in-state; $39, 923 out-of-state
George Mason University	84.7%	$25,254 in-state; $40,740 out-of-state
University of Nebraska - Lincoln	81.3%	$16,078 in-state; $36,918 out-0f-state
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign	80.6%	$38,118 in-state; $48,118 out-of-state
Washington University in St. Louis	79.3%	$57,445
Villanova University	78%	$46,535
Liberty University	77.8%	$36,862

Source: U.S. News and World Report, for illustration purposes only
*This number represents the tuition and fees per year for in-state and out-of-state law students

How to Pay for Bar Exam Expenses

Bar exams are not cheap, and preparing for it isn’t cheap either. Most people won’t have sufficient funds put away to account for bar exam expenses, but there is financial help available for aspiring lawyers. Bar loans exist to help law school students getting ready for the big test cover the cost of the exam, exam prep, and even living expenses.

Note: You can cover the cost of your bar exam expenses with a private student loan lender or a Federal Grad PLUS Loan; however, you will have to meet more conditions with the federal loan, and you may not be able to cover as many expenses.

Refinance Law School Loans

If you're looking to refinance your law school loans, you've come to the right place. We work with some of the best lenders in the industry to provide you with competitive rates and flexible repayment options. We encourage you to check out our lenders and see if any of their offerings work for you.

Also, if you're considering consolidating, we recommend that you check out, "Should I Consolidate My Student Loans?" Refinancing and consolidating aren't exactly the same thing, and we educate you on the differences between the two, pros and cons of each, and more.