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Public defender education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a public defender. Public defenders usually study law, political science, or criminal justice. 46% of public defenders hold a doctoral degree, and 41% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 831 real public defender resumes to see exactly what public defender education sections show.
The most common colleges for public defenders are the Southwestern Law School and the Southwestern Law School.
There are also many online public defender courses to help get the education required to be a public defender.
What education do you need to become a public defender?
What degree do you need to be a public defender?
- Doctorate, 46%
- Bachelor's, 41%
- Associate, 5%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a public defender?
- Law, 50%
- Political Science, 11%
- Criminal Justice, 7%
- Business, 4%
- Other Majors, 28%
Most common colleges for public defenders
| Public defender common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Southwestern Law School | 8.57% |
| University of Arizona | 7.86% |
| California Western School of Law | 7.14% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 7.14% |
| University of San Diego | 6.43% |
Best majors for public defenders
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Law | 49.5% |
| 2 | Political Science | 11.3% |
| 3 | Criminal Justice | 7.3% |
| 4 | Business | 3.8% |
| 5 | History | 3.5% |
Best colleges for public defenders
The best colleges for public defenders are University of Chicago, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
A public defender with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for public defenders. 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 public defenders.
1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
2. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$58,230
Enrollment
6,600
3. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Enrollment
32,072
6. University of Richmond
University of Richmond, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,610
Enrollment
3,215
7. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,402
Enrollment
30,698
8. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
10. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
20 best online courses for public defenders
Advertising disclosure
1. Systems Thinking In Public Health
This course provides an introduction to systems thinking and systems models in public health. Problems in public health and health policy tend to be complex with many actors, institutions and risk factors involved. If an outcome depends on many interacting and adaptive parts and actors the outcome cannot be analyzed or predicted with traditional statistical methods. Systems thinking is a core skill in public health and helps health policymakers build programs and policies that are aware of and...
2. 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,...
3. Consulting Case Interviews & Guesstimates (CV tips included)
Crack management consulting case interviews at Mc Kinsey, Bain, BCG, Deloitte, Accenture. Course includes solved examples...
4. 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!...
5. Prisma Cloud: Protect your Cloud Instance with Host Defender
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This is a self-paced lab that takes place in the Google Cloud console. This lab is designed for Prisma Cloud customers, and you will deploy Prisma Cloud Host Defender from Google Cloud Marketplace. Having a Prisma Cloud SaaS portal is a prerequisite. If you are not a current Prisma Cloud customer, contact Palo Alto Networks prior to starting the lab to register for a free trial...
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9. ERPO: A Civil Approach to Gun Violence Prevention Teach-Out
Evidence shows that 1 life is saved for every 10-20 Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) issued. ERPOs are legally issued civil orders that allow people on the front lines to ask a court to prevent a person at imminent risk of harm to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing firearms during a critical period of risk. As of October 2020, ERPO laws have been enacted by nineteen states and the District of Columbia and while some aspects differ by state, the general process for applying...
10. The People, Power, and Pride of Public Health
The People, Power, and Pride of Public Health provides an engaging overview of the incredible accomplishments and promise of the public health field. The first module includes interviews with legendary public health figures whose work led to millions of lives saved with vaccines, air bags and car seats, and the federal Women Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program. The second module brings key public health tools to life -- including use of data, communications, and policy - through...
11. Addiction & Mental Health - Chemically Speaking Two (2hrs)
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Interventions - Understand Drug & Alcohol Addiction & Mental Health. How to help people...
12. Management Consulting Cases for Job Interview
A practical guide on how to prepare for a case interview and how to get into consulting firms Mc Kinsey, Bain, BCG, Pw C,...
13. Breastfeeding: Public Health Perspectives
Engaging in this course will provide you with the opportunity to think about breastfeeding and its public health implications. The Socio-Ecological Model will be the framework of the course as we think about how each level of the Model (individual, interpersonal, community, organizational, and public policy) impacts breastfeeding practices in the United States, and globally. Through short video lectures you will be introduced to relevant topics related to the public health perspectives of...
14. Major Depression in the Population: A Public Health Approach
Public Mental Health is the application of the principles of medicine and social science to prevent the occurrence of mental and behavioral disorders and to promote mental health of the population. This course illustrates the principles of public health applied to depressive disorder, including principles of epidemiology, transcultural psychiatry, health services research, and prevention. It is predicted that by 2020 depressive disorder will be the most important cause of disease burden in the...
15. Learn to make an Awesome Builder-Defender game in Unity!
Construct Buildings, Gather Resources, Defend your base from Enemies and more!...
16. Business Analysis: Developing Irresistible Business Cases
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17. Data and Health Indicators in Public Health Practice
Epidemiology is often described as the cornerstone science in public health. Epidemiology in public health practice uses study design and analyses to identify causes in an outbreak situation, guides interventions to improve population health, and evaluates programs and policies. In this course, we'll define the role of the professional epidemiologist as it relates to public health services, functions, and competencies. With that foundation in mind, we'll introduce you to the problem solving...
18. Public Health in Humanitarian Crises 2
This course, Public Health in Humanitarian Crises 2, addresses public health issues of people affected by disasters, both natural or conflict-related. It discusses the many changes that occur in people’s lives when they are uprooted by a disaster, including many important topics related to humanitarian crises, such as when there is an epidemic a public health emergency; what do we mean with the humanitarian development nexus; what are the basics of disaster epidemiology and surveillance;...
19. Criminology and Criminal Psychology Certified CSI+ Course
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20. Addiction & Mental Health (Dual Diagnosis) Integrative 12hrs
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Top 10 most affordable universities for public defenders
The most affordable schools for public defenders are University of Florida, brigham young university, and florida international university.
If the best universities for public defenders 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 public defenders.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
5. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
7. University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$8,178
Cost of attendance
20,934
8. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
9. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
10. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus
San Juan, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
11,299
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for public defenders
The hardest universities for public defenders to get into are University of Chicago, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for public defenders 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 public defenders 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. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
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. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
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 public defenders
The easiest schools for public defenders to get into are University of North Texas at Dallas, nyack college, and university of baltimore.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a public defender 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 public defenders.
1. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
2. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
3. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
4. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
5. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
6. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Camden
Camden, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,086
7. California University of Pennsylvania
California, PA • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,007
8. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
9. Saint Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
1,031
10. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
Average public defender salary by education level
| Public defender education level | Public defender salary |
|---|---|
| Doctorate Degree | $70,619 |
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025