The Board of Regents of the University of California last week approved tuition increases for undergraduates, which will have ripple effects on law school fees. Needless to say, tuition increases are not popular with students. As a dean, I found first hand that tuition increases were not popular with law students. Importantly, tuition increases decrease access to an undergraduate education, which in turn affects the law school pipeline,

Given the recent UC tuition increases, I was interested in NPR’s look at tuition increases. NPR reported that, “[o]ver the past 30 years, the average tuition for public and private four-year colleges has roughly doubled when adjusted for inflation. Many families do not pay the full tuition amount because students receive financial or merit aid. That reduced cost is known as the net price. But even the net price is higher than it was two decades ago. What’s causing the cost of college to rise so quickly?” Three factors were identified:

— As state legislatures cut public funding, public colleges and universities increased tuition.

— A high price tag dictates prestige to some wealthy families who are willing to pay for it. 40% of Harvard’s incoming class pays the full tuition. 

— College prices vary dramatically but families often do not know the total cost of a school until the end of the admissions process, which makes comparison shopping difficult.

Listen to NPR’s analysis of why the cost of college has risen so dramatically.

Here is a summary of law school tuitions from Compare Law Schools. For the 2025/26 academic year,

The average law school tuition & fees is $51,235, increased by 4.40% from 2025.

In public law schools, the tuition & fees is $30,660 for state residents and $43,604 for out-of-state (3.03% increased).

The private law schools’ tuition & fees is $56,870, increased by 4.56% from 2025.

A legal education is expensive and law schools have been criticized. For a time, the criticism went mainstream and garnered public attention. Law schools have responded in a variety of ways, including skills courses, academic support, and more. Tuition increases may well bring the criticism back to the forefront. Law schools will again be pushed to respond. I look forward to seeing what those repsonses will be.