The Alexander Blewett III School of Law at University of Montana, in Missoula, is the Best Value law school in the West and 11thnationwide. It is a bargain for locals at $12,562 a year, and still relatively inexpensive for out-of-state students. It has the lowest cost of living in the region and the second-lowest debt for graduates in the West, at just $71,604.
The school’s value is also underscored by an unexpectedly high employment rate. For the Class of 2017, 91.36 percent of graduates landed a job within 10 months of graduation. That outperformed other law schools with similar entering credentials.
It offers both legal theory and practical training in its curriculum, equipping graduates with the skills needed to hit the ground running.
It has one of the smallest enrollments in the nation, with fewer than 250 students, and offers one of the smallest first-year class sizes — typically less than 45.
Strengths: Trial advocacy A-, Best Value