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

The estimated cost of attendance is detailed below and includes tuition, fees, books and living expenses during the nine-month academic year. This amount also represents the maximum total financial aid package (all loans, scholarships and grants combined) you can expect to receive during the academic year.

USC Gould students pay the same tuition rate regardless of their state of residence. Please note that rates for tuition and fees are set annually and are subject to change.

Law students are strongly discouraged from working during the first year, but may hold part-time employment up to 20 hours per week during the second and third years.

	Living w/Parents/Relatives	Living On Campus	Living Off Campus
Tuition	$84,034	$84,034	$84,034
Mandatory Fees	$1,914	$1,914	$1,914
Books/Supplies	$2,200	$2,200	$2,200
Housing	$2,800	$13,788	$14,400
Food	$8,028	$8,028	$8,028
Personal	$2,754	$2,754	$2,754
Transportation	$2,862	$2,862	$2,862
Total	$104,592	$115,580	$116,192

*These totals are only estimates; numbers are subject to change.

The figures below represent estimated costs for the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters.

Student Expense	Fall Charge	Spring Charge	Status
Tuition	$42,017	$42,017	Mandatory
Student Bar Association Fee	$60	$60	Mandatory
Student Health Services Fee	$700	$700	Mandatory
Norman Topping Scholarship Fund	$11	$11	Mandatory
Graduate Student Programming Fee	$40	$40	Mandatory
Transportation Fee	$146	$146	Mandatory
USC Health Insurance Plan	$1,224	$2,298	Can be waived, if proof of coverage provided
Public Interest Law Fund	$25	$25	Optional
Tuition Refund Insurance	$115 (approx.)	$115 (approx.)	Optional
Parking Permit	$558 (approx.)	$558 (approx.)	Optional
USC Dental Insurance	$192	N/A	Fall only enrollment, but coverage is for the full year

Notes:

1. Admission deposit credit will be split in half with one-half being credited to your fall semester bill and the other half to your spring bill.

2. All students will have an additional $1,692 added to their total cost of attendance to allow for the loan origination fees which are deducted from loan disbursements. This amount represents an average amount for all students borrowing student loans; actual loan fees may be lower or higher depending on the total amount borrowed.

3. 3L students only will have an increased Estimated Cost of Attendance to accommodate 'Licensing Fees'($2,112) as applicable for the State Bar Examination.

USC's Office of Student Financial Services offers numerous payment options, including an interest-free USC Payment Plan for tuition, fees, university housing, meals and other charges, paid in monthly installments.

USC Gould School of Law students should refer to the USC Catalogue for the official policy on tuition refunds due to withdrawal from classes.

Refunds for additional charges, including but not limited to housing, meal plans and parking permits, will be determined by the office assessing the charge.

If students receive Title IV federal financial aid funds (Federal Direct Loan, Federal Direct PLUS Loan) and withdraw from all classes after the refund deadline, they may be required to return any "unearned" Title IV federal financial aid, even if they are not entitled to a refund of tuition. Refer to Withdrawal Implications for Recipients of Financial Aid for more information.

The University does offer students the option to purchase Tuition Refund Insurance each semester which provides some protection to a student who must withdraw from ALL classes due to an illness or accidental injury. Students may visit https://arr.usc.edu/registration-counseling/registration/usc-tuition-refund-insurance-program/ to learn more.

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Juris Doctor (JD) - Cost of Attendance

In this Section

2025-26 Estimated Cost of Attendance*

Total

$104,592

$115,580

$116,192

2025-26 Estimated Tuition and Fee Details

Paying for Your Degree

Withdrawal/Tuition Refund Policy

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