State Report: Illinois

Note: A school is highlighted blue if IL is its most popular destination.
Sorting alphabetically by school
Employment Score Under-Employment Score Unknown Score Class of 2016 Projected Cost Non-Discounted Monthly Payment10-Year Plan
Chicago-Kent College of Law72.7% Employed in IL 56.4%* 21.6% 3.9% $229,245 $2,728
DePaul University63.6% Employed in IL 39.9%* 33.7% 5.2% $239,320 $2,850
Indiana University - Bloomington9.8% Employed in IL 53.4% 22.1% 0.5% $178,188 (Resident) $2,112
John Marshall Law School - Chicago65.9% Employed in IL 40.6%* 31.9% 1.7% $249,722 $2,976
Loyola University Chicago67.5% Employed in IL 52.8% 29.2% 0% $224,862 $2,675
Marquette University6.4% Employed in IL 54.6% 21.1% 3.2% $212,536 $2,527
Michigan State University5.2% Employed in IL 39.2%* 30.2% 6.9% $187,924 $2,229
Northern Illinois University72.5% Employed in IL 56%* 24.2% 3.3% $130,318 (Resident) $1,534
Northwestern University39% Employed in IL 75.9%* 11.5% 0.7% $291,900 $3,485
Southern Illinois University50.8% Employed in IL 46.9% 28.9% 7.8% $115,001 (Resident) $1,349
St. Louis University8% Employed in IL 58%* 18.1% 0% $210,991 $2,508
University of Chicago35.3% Employed in IL 94.9%* 3.3% 0% $265,817 $3,170
University of Illinois51.6% Employed in IL 61.5%* 24.4% 1.9% $206,678 (Resident) $2,456
University of Iowa11.9% Employed in IL 70.8% 16.2% 0% $160,265 (Resident) $1,895
University of Michigan12.6% Employed in IL 82.5%* 10.3% 1% $243,687 (Resident) $2,903
University of Notre Dame12.8% Employed in IL 64.3%* 20.4% 0% $228,623 $2,721
University of Wisconsin6% Employed in IL 60.6%* 16.5% 0.7% $140,083 (Resident) $1,652
Valparaiso University17.4% Employed in IL 39.5%* 40.1% 2.3% $190,596 $2,262
Washington University in St Louis8% Employed in IL 66.7%* 19% 0.3% $254,710 $3,036
Sorting alphabetically by school
School FundedRate Law Firms Public ServiceScore Clerkships Salary ResponseScore
101+ Attorneys 26-100 Attorneys 2-25 Attorneys Federal State/Local
Chicago-Kent College of Law72.7% Employed in IL 1.4% 11.3% 7.4% 27% 6.7% 0.4% 2.1% June 2013
DePaul University63.6% Employed in IL 0.8% 3.5% 3.3% 24.7% 10.1% 0.3% 1.9% June 2013
Indiana University - Bloomington9.8% Employed in IL 2.5% 13.7% 4.9% 10.8% 14.2% 1% 6.4% June 2013
John Marshall Law School - Chicago65.9% Employed in IL 1.4% 2.7% 4.1% 22% 15.5% 2.2% 0.7% June 2013
Loyola University Chicago67.5% Employed in IL 1.5% 10% 5.5% 24% 10.3% 0.7% 1.1% June 2013
Marquette University6.4% Employed in IL 0% 6.4% 4.6% 28.4% 8.7% 1.8% 2.3% June 2013
Michigan State University5.2% Employed in IL 10% 4.5% 7.2% 19.6% 7.9% 1% 2.1% June 2013
Northern Illinois University72.5% Employed in IL 4.4% 3.3% 1.1% 30.8% 11% 0% 0% June 2013
Northwestern University39% Employed in IL 3.7% 49.2% 4.4% 5.1% 7.1% 6.4% 1.7% June 2013
Southern Illinois University50.8% Employed in IL 0% 1.6% 2.3% 28.9% 11.7% 0.8% 0.8% June 2013
St. Louis University8% Employed in IL 1.4% 9.1% 7.2% 18.1% 16.7% 1.1% 3.6% June 2013
University of Chicago35.3% Employed in IL 7.9% 56.3% 5.1% 5.6% 10.7% 14.4% 1.9% June 2013
University of Illinois51.6% Employed in IL 10.3% 22.1% 6.1% 18.3% 8.5% 1.9% 1.9% June 2013
University of Iowa11.9% Employed in IL 0.5% 9.2% 6.5% 22.2% 16.8% 4.9% 6.5% June 2013
University of Michigan12.6% Employed in IL 3.1% 43.3% 2.6% 4.9% 16% 8.5% 3.6% June 2013
University of Notre Dame12.8% Employed in IL 2% 22.4% 5.6% 11.2% 11.7% 9.2% 2% June 2013
University of Wisconsin6% Employed in IL 2.8% 9.9% 4.2% 22.2% 19.4% 1.1% 3.9% June 2013
Valparaiso University17.4% Employed in IL 2.3% 1.2% 3.5% 24.4% 11.6% 1.2% 0% June 2013
Washington University in St Louis8% Employed in IL 9.7% 23% 5% 13.3% 14.7% 3.3% 1.7% June 2013
Sorting alphabetically by school
Fall 2012 (All 1Ls) 2010-2011 Academic Year (FT Only)
LSAT Scores Undergraduate GPA Cost Discounts
25th 50th 75th 25th 50th 75th Median Discount % Receiving Discount
Chicago-Kent College of Law72.7% Employed in IL 159 3.47 $20,000 62.2%
DePaul University63.6% Employed in IL 158 3.41 $15,000 93.7%
Indiana University - Bloomington9.8% Employed in IL 164 3.8 $15,883 94.1%
John Marshall Law School - Chicago65.9% Employed in IL 151 3.14 $10,000 48.2%
Loyola University Chicago67.5% Employed in IL 158 3.35 $10,600 78.6%
Marquette University6.4% Employed in IL 155 3.4 $7,750 51.3%
Michigan State University5.2% Employed in IL 157 3.55 $23,591 46.8%
Northern Illinois University72.5% Employed in IL 150 3.16 $6,846 45.8%
Northwestern University39% Employed in IL 170 3.75 $20,000 30.6%
Southern Illinois University50.8% Employed in IL 152 3.05 $5,000 40.8%
St. Louis University8% Employed in IL 156 3.45 $17,515 41.3%
University of Chicago35.3% Employed in IL 171 3.9 $10,000 56.2%
University of Illinois51.6% Employed in IL 163 3.55 $19,542 99.4%
University of Iowa11.9% Employed in IL 162 3.66 $22,554 49.5%
University of Michigan12.6% Employed in IL 169 3.73 $15,000 69.4%
University of Notre Dame12.8% Employed in IL 166 3.66 $16,000 71.6%
University of Wisconsin6% Employed in IL 162 3.61 $10,000 42.3%
Valparaiso University17.4% Employed in IL 149 3.16 $17,990 27.7%
Washington University in St Louis8% Employed in IL 166 3.68 $20,000 69.4%
Sorting by Non-Discounted Cost (Class of 2016 Projections)

Projected Debt Owed at First Loan Payment

  • The non-discounted cost is the total debt owed when a graduate debt-finances legal education without tuition discounts or other effective discounts
  • Projections assume a modest 3% annual tuition increase and 2% annual indirect cost (room, board, books, etc.) increase from 2011-2012 figures
  • Interest calculations are time-sensitive—based on semester disbursement periods—and use a blended interest rate. (The first 10.25k each semester is weighted at 6.8%, the rest at 7.9%.) Interest accrues upon disbursement and capitalizes six months after graduation when the first loan payment is due.

Notes:

  • Some students will not borrow all that the Department of Education permits: many use savings, receive aid from family, or receive tuition discounts
  • Average debt figures that schools advertise do not include the interest accrued during law school
  • In recent years, roughly 50% of students have paid full sticker for tuition & fees; LST expects this percentage to decline
  • Rely on your own, detailed financial planning tailored to your personal needs. Our goal is to estimate the debt-financed cost of obtaining a J.D. at ABA-approved law schools without discounts and to show how advertised rates and debt levels obfuscate real graduate outcomes for research and advocacy purposes.
Class of 2016 Projections Class of 2017 Projections 2011-2012 Academic Year
Non-Discounted Cost Resident Cost Non-Discounted Cost Resident Cost Non-Discounted Tuition Resident Tuition Indirect
Expenses
Chicago-Kent College of Law $229,245-$235,456-$42,030-$19,162
DePaul University $239,320-$245,790-$43,532-$20,343
Indiana University - Bloomington $244,632$178,188$251,287$182,849$45,602$28,130$19,650
John Marshall Law School - Chicago $249,722-$256,307-$41,100-$25,662
Loyola University Chicago $224,862-$230,889-$39,496-$20,584
Marquette University $212,536-$218,243-$37,570-$19,230
Michigan State University $187,924-$193,033-$34,783-$15,437
Northern Illinois University $185,928$130,318$190,941$133,663$33,311$18,688$16,412
Northwestern University $291,900-$299,740-$51,920-$25,941
Southern Illinois University $191,668$115,001$196,904$117,937$36,154$15,994$15,039
St. Louis University $210,991-$216,614-$36,175-$20,248
University of Chicago $265,817-$273,000-$48,369-$22,536
University of Illinois $233,222$206,678$239,646$212,306$45,547$38,567$16,618
University of Iowa $235,213$160,265$241,697$164,500$46,056$26,348$16,633
University of Michigan $254,753$243,687$261,768$250,369$49,740$46,830$18,130
University of Notre Dame $228,623-$234,871-$43,335-$17,650
University of Wisconsin $212,822$140,083$218,582$143,661$38,811$19,684$18,030
Valparaiso University $190,596-$195,884-$38,086-$12,760
Washington University in St Louis $254,710-$261,583-$46,042-$21,925
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