Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Criminal defense lawyer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a criminal defense lawyer. Criminal defense lawyers usually study law, legal support services, or criminal justice. 41% of criminal defense lawyers hold a bachelor's degree, and 28% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 229 real criminal defense lawyer resumes to see exactly what criminal defense lawyer education sections show.
The most common colleges for criminal defense lawyers are the University of Florida and the University of Florida.
There are also many online criminal defense lawyer courses to help get the education required to be a criminal defense lawyer.
What education do you need to become a criminal defense lawyer?
What degree do you need to be a criminal defense lawyer?
- Bachelor's, 41%
- Doctorate, 28%
- Associate, 16%
- Master's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become a criminal defense lawyer?
- Law, 33%
- Criminal Justice, 10%
- Political Science, 10%
- Other Majors, 30%
Most common colleges for criminal defense lawyers
| Criminal defense lawyer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Florida | 8.00% |
| Boston University | 8.00% |
| University of California - Los Angeles | 8.00% |
| The University of Alabama | 6.00% |
| St. Mary's University | 6.00% |
Best majors for criminal defense lawyers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Law | 33.2% |
| 2 | Legal Support Services | 16.8% |
| 3 | Criminal Justice | 9.8% |
| 4 | Political Science | 9.8% |
| 5 | Psychology | 3.8% |
Best colleges for criminal defense lawyers
The best colleges for criminal defense lawyers are Stanford University, University of Chicago, and Northwestern University.
A criminal defense lawyer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for criminal defense lawyers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become criminal defense lawyers.
1. University of Richmond
University of Richmond, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,610
Enrollment
3,215
2. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
3. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
5. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
6. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$58,230
Enrollment
6,600
7. Mississippi College
Clinton, MS • Private
In-state tuition
$18,026
Enrollment
3,036
8. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
9. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
20 best online courses for criminal defense lawyers
Advertising disclosure
1. Introduction to International Criminal Law
-- About the Course -- From the Nuremberg trial to the case against Saddam Hussein, from the prosecution of Al-Qaeda terrorists to the trial of Somali pirates – no area of law is as important to world peace and security as international criminal law. Taught by one of the world’s leading experts in the field, this course will educate students about the fundamentals of international criminal law and policy. We will explore the contours of international crimes such as genocide, war crimes,...
2. Hot Topics in Criminal Justice
The American criminal justice system is in need of reform. We incarcerate too many people. We pay insufficient attention to scientific advances that can help separate out the most and least culpable and dangerous. We grant the police far too much power to use force and technological surveillance. As a way of thinking about dealing with these problems, this course examines two over-arching issues: What should we do with people who have committed crime, and how should we identify who they are? On...
3. Criminal Law in 120 Minutes: A Fast Track Course
A 2 hour fast track summary of Criminal Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...
4. Criminology and Criminal Psychology Certified CSI+ Course
Learn Criminal Law and Start your career with certification of Criminal Law and Criminal Psychology, Learn Criminology...
5. An Introduction to American Law
This course will give you a glimpse into six different areas of American law: Tort Law, Contract Law, Property, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Civil Procedure. You will gain insight into the complexities and dilemmas that arise from the application of law in different settings, and what is distinctive about American approaches...
6. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes
‘Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes’ is the second course in Leiden University’s new series on International Law in Action. The first course covered international courts and tribunals in The Hague in general. This second course provides an insider perspective into the work of international criminal courts and tribunals. You will learn about the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in The Hague. Atrocities produce unspeakable forms of violence. We will explore...
7. Introduction to Criminal Psychology
Understand the Forensic Psychology of the Criminal Mind...
8. Psychology of Criminal Behaviour & Criminology - ACCREDITED
Personality Disorders, Violence, Sex Offence, Murder, and other types of crime...
9. International Law in Action: A Guide to the International Courts and Tribunals in The Hague
International Law in Action explains the functions of each international court and tribunal present in The Hague, and it looks at how these institutions address contemporary problems. On the basis of selected cases, and through interviews with judges and lawyers, you will explore the role of these courts and tribunals and their potential to contribute to global justice. The first module of the course will investigate how judicial settlement is different from other more political forms of...
10. American Contract Law II
Course description: Contracts I & II provides a comprehensive overview of contract law in the United States. The course covers most of the key concepts found in a first year law school class. Each lecture is based on one or more common-law cases, integrating legal doctrines with policy discussions. The course also covers key sections from the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), which governs the sale of goods. By the end of the course, the learner should be able to understand: Formation defenses:...
11. Effective Legal Office Administration
Effective Legal Office Administration...
12. Forensic Psychology: Criminal Profiling Certificate
Criminology Crash Course...
13. A Law Student's Toolkit
Whether you are an advanced law student looking to review the basics, or an aspiring law student looking for head start, this course will help you build the foundation you will need to succeed in law school and beyond. This course will introduce you to terminology, concepts, and tools lawyers and legal academics use to make their arguments. It will help you follow these arguments—and make arguments of your own. This course consists of a series of short lectures and assignments. A reading list...
14. European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals
The European Union is one of the world’s largest and most important economies. This six week course is the first in a series of three that will provide students with an insight into European Business Law. The series ranges from considering the basic structures and principles of the European Union to focusing on various specialized areas of law. Each course will give the students an understanding of the laws and policies that regulate the internal market of European Union, as well as relevant...
15. English for Business and Law - Contract Law
An English language course for business and law...
16. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy
A comprehensive course for management to understand key employment law issues in the workplace...
17. Legal Tech and the Digital Transformation of Law
The digital revolution changed the way we communicate and trade. Now, it is coming into the world of law. This program will give you a broad overview of the main trends that are affecting the legal industry: - The birth of the legal tech market and the application of technology in law. - The role of artificial intelligence in the automation of the work of lawyers. - Blockchain technology and its impact on the way we sign and execute contracts. - Initiatives to ensure access to justice through...
18. CYBER CRIME & CYBER LAW - DR. PAVAN DUGGAL - CYBERLAW UNIV.
The most crucial paradigms in our digital lives today...
19. Company Law: A Comprehensive Summary
An in-depth summary of Company Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations...
20. Legal Writing Master Class
Learn with lawyers by learning the correct use of prepositions and articles, drafting contracts and writing letters...
Top 10 most affordable universities for criminal defense lawyers
The most affordable schools for criminal defense lawyers are University of Florida, florida international university, and florida state university.
If the best universities for criminal defense lawyers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for criminal defense lawyers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
3. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
6. University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$8,178
Cost of attendance
20,934
7. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Cost of attendance
21,034
8. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
9. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
10. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for criminal defense lawyers
The hardest universities for criminal defense lawyers to get into are Stanford University, University of Chicago, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for criminal defense lawyers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for criminal defense lawyers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
7. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
10. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for criminal defense lawyers
The easiest schools for criminal defense lawyers to get into are University of North Texas at Dallas, marymount university, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a criminal defense lawyer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for criminal defense lawyers.
1. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
2. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
6. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
7. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
8. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Camden
Camden, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,086
9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
10. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
Average criminal defense lawyer salary by education level
| Criminal defense lawyer education level | Criminal defense lawyer salary |
|---|---|
| Doctorate Degree | $63,409 |
Criminal defense lawyer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common legal questions.
Search for criminal defense lawyer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025