Q: Is a law school education a good buy in the current economic environment? Why is law school so expensive?
A: Those who attend NYU Law are making a sound investment of time and money, even in these more difficult times. The average starting salary for our graduates at law firms in recent years has been more than $150,000, which makes it possible to shoulder debt payments. We’ve also been committed to making it economically viable for graduates to pursue public service employment, and through our Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP), a J.D. graduate working in an eligible public interest position for 10 years could have all of his or her eligible law school loans forgiven. Last year, we integrated LRAP with the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and raised from around $55,000 to $80,000 a year the threshold income below which graduates do not need to make payments on qualifying law school debt. We are now able to extend LRAP benefits to more graduates than ever before, and our improved program is among the most generous of its kind.
