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Family lawyer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a family lawyer. Family lawyers usually study law, legal research and advanced professional studies, or management. 42% of family lawyers hold a bachelor's degree, and 33% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 19 real family lawyer resumes to see exactly what family lawyer education sections show.

The most common colleges for family lawyers are the Southeastern University and the Southeastern University.

There are also many online family lawyer courses to help get the education required to be a family lawyer.

What education do you need to become a family lawyer?

What degree do you need to be a family lawyer?

The most common degree for family lawyers is bachelor's degree, with 42% of family lawyers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 33% and doctoral degree degree at 17%.
  • Bachelor's, 42%
  • Doctorate, 33%
  • Associate, 17%
  • Master's, 8%

What should I major in to become a family lawyer?

You should major in law to become a family lawyer. 56% of family lawyers major in law. Other common majors for a family lawyer include legal research and advanced professional studies and management.

Most common colleges for family lawyers

Family lawyers often get their degrees at Southeastern University, University of Delaware, and Gonzaga University. Here are the most common colleges for family lawyers in the US based on their resumes.
Family lawyer common collegePercentages
Southeastern University20.00%
University of Delaware20.00%
Gonzaga University20.00%
Faulkner University20.00%
Pennsylvania State University - Erie (The Behrend College)20.00%

Best majors for family lawyers

Best colleges for family lawyers

The best colleges for family lawyers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A family 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 family 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 family lawyers.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

10. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$53,430

Enrollment

5,963

20 best online courses for family lawyers

Advertising disclosure

1. Legal Tech and the Digital Transformation of Law

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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...

2. International Law in Action: A Guide to the International Courts and Tribunals in The Hague

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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...

3. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy

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4.7
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A comprehensive course for management to understand key employment law issues in the workplace...

4. Effective Legal Office Administration

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4.5
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Effective Legal Office Administration...

5. A Law Student's Toolkit

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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...

6. American Contract Law II

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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:...

7. Legal English

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Legal language and communication skills...

8. Legal Writing Master Class

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Learn with lawyers by learning the correct use of prepositions and articles, drafting contracts and writing letters...

9. European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals

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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...

10. Cross-border road transport in EU law context

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Have you ever wondered which legal rules are applicable to cross-border EU road transport? Are you interested in the issues revolving around EU employment law in the international road transport sector? Then, on behalf of the University of Antwerp, Erasmus University Rotterdam, University of Gdańsk, University of Luxembourg and Tilburg University, we would like to welcome you to this MOOC on Cross-border Road Transport in EU law context. This MOOC is a part of the Erasmus + Project funded by...

11. Legal English Language Certificate (LELC) Level 1 - CPD

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Learn from Lawyers - Learn the CORRECT use of articles, prepositions, legal terms & start writing your letter!...

12. English for Business and Law - Contract Law

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An English language course for business and law...

13. Helping Families Avoid Negative Court Involvement Teach-Out

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This course will teach learners how to understand when issues can become legal issues, encourage learners to recognize legal problems early, identify possible “legal soft spots” in their own situations, and act when issues are identified to avoid them escalating. This course will also teach and encourage learners to think preventatively and provide some tools to use with an eye toward preventing future legal issues. Finally, this Teach-out seeks to expand the idea of legal health checks to a...

14. Introduction to International Criminal Law

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-- 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,...

15. Intro to Business Law for Entrepreneurs (+Free Book!)

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How do I Protect My Family? What Type of Company to Register. Dealing with Investors. Patents. IPO. Ethics and More...

16. Diploma Course in Labour Laws and Statutory Compliances

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Every HR and Entrepreneur should know - with FAQs...

17. The Legal Implications of Social Media in the Workplace

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Regulatory and Case Law Considerations for Employers' Social Media Policy Development...

18. Payroll Accounting: Laws, Calculations, and Journal Entries

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Master the complex world of payroll with practical examples, legislation insights, and comprehensive problems...

19. Company Law: A Comprehensive Summary

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4.6
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An in-depth summary of Company Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations...

20. Corporate and Business Law

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4.3
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The need to know course for everything relating to Corporate and Business Law...

Top 10 most affordable universities for family lawyers

The most affordable schools for family lawyers are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for family 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 family lawyers.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

8. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

9. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

10. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for family lawyers

The hardest universities for family lawyers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for family 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 family 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

6. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

9. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

10. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,520

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for family lawyers

The easiest schools for family lawyers to get into are Barry University, notre dame de namur university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a family 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 family lawyers.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

7. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

8. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

9. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

10. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

Average family lawyer salary by education level

Family lawyer education levelFamily lawyer salary
Doctorate Degree$73,627

Family lawyer education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.