Columbia University

Columbia Law School is one of the most selective J.D. programs in the nation. It also consistently has one of the highest tuition rates. It was $69,916 for the 2018-2019 school year.

All of that money translates into a low student-to-faculty, with 6-to-1, and the 23rd-best library in the U.S. Most importantly, it has the best employment rate in the country. They are known for getting their students into big law firms.

As for facilities, Columbia boasts some of the most sophisticated technologies of any law school in the nation. The law school’s main building has undergone significant expansion and improvements, including library renovations in 2010 and the creation of a student commons that includes a student lounge and café.

Columbia has a tradition for publi service. Social Justice Initiatives (SJI) provides career services and programming for students and graduates interested in public interest, international human rights, public service/government, and legal volunteer work. SJI also implements and oversees Columbia Law School's Pro Bono Program, which connects students with attorney-supervised projects in the public good, as well as the Law School's Guaranteed Summer Funding Program.

The Columbia student body has a very international composition, with 10 percent of its J.D. class coming from outside the U.S. Many LL.M. candidates from abroad are also studying at the law school, and it has the second-highest minority population in New York City.