Law graduates from Washington and Lee University earn $110,606 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $97,335.
Law at Washington and Lee University
Lexington, Virginia • First Professional
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Law at Washington and Lee University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Washington and Lee University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Law at the first professional credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 119 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Washington and Lee University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $110,606 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $110,426 across all institutions offering Law, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Washington and Lee University, the mean median-earnings figure is $91,084, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Law graduates at Washington and Lee University is $97,335, which translates to roughly $811 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.88 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Law at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $308,943 | $198,924 |
| University of Pennsylvania | $302,120 | $171,488 |
| Harvard University | $291,490 | $93,235 |
| Northwestern University | $291,132 | $154,286 |
| University of Virginia-Main Campus | $284,309 | $178,812 |
| University of Chicago | $279,203 | $188,691 |
| Stanford University | $259,944 | $153,302 |
| New York University | $255,401 | — |
| Fordham University | $232,595 | $147,561 |
| University of California-Berkeley | $226,996 | $155,891 |
Other Programs at Washington and Lee University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $121,699 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | $118,946 | $16,750 |
| Economics | $115,837 | $23,399 |
| Law (current) | $110,606 | $97,335 |
| History | $100,087 | — |
| Political Science and Government | $95,190 | — |
| Computer Science | $91,744 | — |
| Mathematics | $76,460 | — |
| Journalism | $42,682 | — |
| English Language and Literature, General | $37,593 | — |
Other Schools with Law
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About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.