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Legal instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a legal instructor. Legal instructors usually study law, legal support services, or political science. 47% of legal instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 33% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 114 real legal instructor resumes to see exactly what legal instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for legal instructors are the University of the District of Columbia and the University of the District of Columbia.
There are also many online legal instructor courses to help get the education required to be a legal instructor.
What education do you need to become a legal instructor?
What degree do you need to be a legal instructor?
- Bachelor's, 47%
- Doctorate, 33%
- Associate, 10%
- Master's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a legal instructor?
- Law, 30%
- Political Science, 11%
- English, 10%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most common colleges for legal instructors
| Legal instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of the District of Columbia | 8.33% |
| University of Akron | 8.33% |
| Valparaiso University | 8.33% |
| Appalachian School of Law | 5.56% |
| Southwestern Law School | 5.56% |
Best majors for legal instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Law | 30.2% |
| 2 | Legal Support Services | 11.5% |
| 3 | Political Science | 11.5% |
| 4 | English | 10.4% |
| 5 | Business | 6.3% |
Best colleges for legal instructors
The best colleges for legal instructors are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Stanford University.
A legal instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for legal instructors. 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 legal instructors.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
4. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
6. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
8. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
9. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
10. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
20 best online courses for legal instructors
Advertising disclosure
1. 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:...
2. 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...
3. Effective Legal Office Administration
Effective Legal Office Administration...
4. Legal English
Legal language and communication skills...
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. 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...
7. English for Business and Law - Contract Law
An English language course for business and law...
8. 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!...
9. Cloud Computing Law
This Specialization is intended for anyone interested in understanding the legal rights and obligations of providers and customers of cloud services. Our three Courses cover the key legal and regulatory issues for cloud services, including cloud contracts, data protection law, law enforcement access, and much more! You will learn to describe cloud providers’ and customers’ legal rights, to identify and assess legal risks, and to suggest possible legal and technological solutions...
10. 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...
11. Law of Contracts in 60 Minutes: A Fast Track Course
A 60 minute fast track summary of the Law of Contracts, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...
12. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy
A comprehensive course for management to understand key employment law issues in the workplace...
13. 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,...
14. Healthcare Law
This Specialization is designed to help you navigate the complex legal framework that governs modern health systems. You will learn the fundamentals of American health law, then explore how privacy law shapes the relationship between healthcare providers and their patients. You will also learn how intellectual property law influences everything from the pharmaceutical industry, to medical research, to cutting-edge ethical issues involved in emerging technologies such as DNA-testing. Finally,...
15. Company Law: A Comprehensive Summary
An in-depth summary of Company Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations...
16. Legal Writing Master Class
Learn with lawyers by learning the correct use of prepositions and articles, drafting contracts and writing letters...
17. Intro to Business Law for Entrepreneurs (+Free Book!)
How do I Protect My Family? What Type of Company to Register. Dealing with Investors. Patents. IPO. Ethics and More...
18. Corporate and Business Law
The need to know course for everything relating to Corporate and Business Law...
19. The Legal Implications of Social Media in the Workplace
Regulatory and Case Law Considerations for Employers' Social Media Policy Development...
20. Law: A Comprehensive Summary for LLB Students
An essential 24 hours of Video Lectures, Spider Graphs and Case Summaries made to guide LLB students preparing for exams...
Top 10 most affordable universities for legal instructors
The most affordable schools for legal instructors are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for legal instructors 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 legal instructors.
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. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
8. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
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 legal instructors
The hardest universities for legal instructors to get into are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for legal instructors 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 legal instructors 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
7. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
8. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for legal instructors
The easiest schools for legal instructors to get into are Barry University, mount saint mary's university, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a legal instructor 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 legal instructors.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
5. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
6. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
7. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Camden
Camden, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,086
8. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
9. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
10. California University of Pennsylvania
California, PA • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,007
Average legal instructor salary by education level
| Legal instructor education level | Legal instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $89,712 |
| Doctorate Degree | $103,819 |
Legal instructor education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025