Cost & Value - Juris Doctor (JD) | USC Gould School of Law

The University of Southern California is a leading private research university located in Los Angeles — the nation’s second-largest legal market and a global center for business, technology, entertainment and public service.

USC Gould School of Law combines academic rigor with professional opportunity. Students benefit from nationally recognized faculty, interdisciplinary coursework, hands-on experiential learning, and access to the powerful Trojan Network — a lifelong professional community that extends across industries and around the world.

USC Gould is ranked among the nation’s top law schools by U.S. News & World Report, including as the #6 school for "Law Schools with the Most Graduates at Big Law Firms."

One of the most meaningful indicators of a law school’s return on investment is the salary-to-debt ratio of its graduates. According to U.S. News & World Report’s “Law Schools Where Graduates Have the Best Salary-to-Debt Ratios,” USC Gould ranks No. 4 nationally and No. 2 among private law schools.

These outcomes reflect strong employment results, competitive starting salaries and careful financial planning support for students throughout law school.

USC Gould is committed to transparency in tuition and financial planning. Most USC Gould students receive scholarship assistance, which significantly reduces net tuition. The USC Gould Financial Aid Office is available to meet and discuss detailed information about tuition, fees, and estimated cost of attendance, along with various payment options for financing your legal education.

Nearly all USC Gould students receive some form of scholarship assistance. Awards are based on academic achievement, leadership potential and demonstrated financial need.

USC Gould offers:

Merit-based scholarships
Need-based grants
Financial planning and counseling resources
Bar exam preparation stipends for students pursuing public interest work
Public interest summer funding

The law school’s financial aid programs are designed to make a USC Gould education accessible, while recognizing academic excellence and supporting long-term career flexibility.

USC Gould employs a need-blind admission process, evaluating applicants without regard to their financial circumstances.

The law school has expanded need-based grant funding through generous alumni support to ensure access for talented students from all backgrounds.

USC Gould provides additional support through need-based grants, interview attire funding, annual student awards, summer grants and bar preparation stipends.

USC Gould was among the first law schools in the nation to establish a Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) in the 1980s. Today, USC Gould’s LRAP remains among the most benevolent programs offered by peer institutions, supporting graduates who pursue qualifying public interest careers.

USC Gould also maintains the Barbara F. Bice Public Interest Law Foundation that provides summer funding for students working in public service positions.

These programs reflect USC Gould’s longstanding commitment to ensuring that financial considerations do not prevent graduates from pursuing meaningful public service careers.

For detailed information about financing a USC Gould legal education, please contact our financial aid team directly.