Online Master of Legal Studies Programs Ranked by Estimated Total Cost
The University of Illinois Springfield has the lowest estimated total in this comparison: $15,453 for its 36-credit online Master of Arts in Legal Studies, at its online tuition rate plus per-credit fees. Estimated totals for the 25 programs here run from $15,453 to $36,804 as of November 2026. These non-J.D. degrees don’t, by themselves, make you eligible for a bar exam.
A per-credit rate tells you very little until you multiply it out. Degrees with nearly the same name cost anywhere from about $15,000 to more than $77,000, because credit counts run from 21 to 39 semester credits (or 45 quarter credits at two schools) and rates run from $384 to $3,344 a semester credit.
That gap matters more now. Beginning July 1, 2026, new graduate and professional students generally can’t get Grad PLUS loans. A limited exception lets certain previously enrolled borrowers keep eligibility while continuously enrolled in the same program, for up to three academic years or the rest of the program, whichever is shorter. Most graduate students can borrow up to $20,500 a year in Direct Unsubsidized Loans, subject to proration for less than full-time enrollment, school limits, and aggregate limits (Federal Student Aid). Seven programs in this comparison have an estimated total below that one-year limit.
How We Chose These Schools
Which degrees count. We included master’s degrees built for people who don’t have a J.D. and don’t plan to practice law. Schools give them different names: Master of Legal Studies, Juris Master, Master of Science in Law, Master of Studies in Law, Master of Jurisprudence, and Master of Arts or Master of Science degrees in legal studies or a law field. LL.M. programs are out, since they’re for people who already have a law degree.
Which schools count. The school markets the program as online and is institutionally accredited. Schools in the 50 states and D.C. are included. We started from federal data on which schools award online master’s degrees in law fields, then checked each program on the school’s own website. We kept one program per school, its lowest-cost online option.
How we figured the total. When a school publishes a program total or estimate, we used it. Otherwise:
Estimated total = (tuition per credit + per-credit fees) × credits required
We used the out-of-state rate where a school charges residents less. When a school doesn’t state its credit count, we used 30 credits, the standard for this degree. Where a school charges part-time and full-time students different rates, we ranked on the part-time rate, since most students in these programs work.
The listed totals include tuition and per-credit fees, or the school’s own published estimate. They aren’t final student bills: semester, course, and one-time fees can raise what you actually pay, and each profile names the ones that apply.
Rates were checked on school websites in November 2026. Each profile gives the academic year when the school states it. Otherwise, the rate is the one listed in November 2026. Programs with the same total share a rank. Some online programs don’t publish a rate we could compare, so this is a comparison of 25 programs with published prices, not a complete list of every online program. Tuition changes every year, so confirm the current rate with the school before you apply.
The 25 Online Master of Legal Studies Programs in This Comparison
| Rank | School | Degree | Estimated total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Springfield | Master of Arts in Legal Studies | $15,453 |
| 2 | University of Pikeville | Master of Legal Studies | $16,500 |
| 3 | American Public University System | Master of Arts in Legal Studies | $16,920 |
| 4 | Purdue University Global | Master of Science in Legal Studies | $18,900 |
| 5 | Wayland Baptist University | Master of Legal Studies | $19,368 |
| 6 | Golden Gate University | Master of Law Studies | $19,800 |
| 7 | Liberty University | Juris Master | $19,950 |
| 8 | Drake University | Master of Jurisprudence in Compliance and Risk Management | $21,168 |
| 9 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | Master of Legal Studies | $21,555 |
| 10 | Northern Kentucky University | Master of Legal Studies in Digital Law and Technology | $21,870 |
| 11 | University of Arizona | Master of Legal Studies | $22,500 |
| 11 | Trinity Law School | Master of Legal Studies | $22,500 |
| 13 | Regent University | Master of Legal Studies | $22,880 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania Western University | Master of Science in Legal Studies | $23,010 |
| 15 | University of Tennessee, Knoxville | Master of Legal Studies | $24,570 |
| 16 | Nova Southeastern University | Master of Legal Studies | $25,800 |
| 17 | Michigan State University | Master of Jurisprudence in Global Food Law | $28,500 |
| 18 | University of Cincinnati | Master of Legal Studies | $29,250 |
| 19 | University of Akron | Master of Studies in Law | $29,775 |
| 20 | Cal Northern School of Law | Master of Legal Studies | $30,492 |
| 21 | Webster University | Master of Arts in Legal Studies | $31,200 |
| 22 | University of Utah | Master of Legal Studies | $33,703 |
| 23 | Hamline University | Master in the Study of Law | $33,876 |
| 24 | Texas A&M University | Master of Legal Studies | $36,000 |
| 25 | Samford University | Master of Studies in Law | $36,804 |
Program Profiles
1. University of Illinois Springfield
- Estimated total: $15,453
- Credits: 36
- Rate: $384.25 a credit online tuition, the same for every state, plus a $45-a-credit online academic support fee (Fall 2026)
- Format: online, with a mix of live and self-paced courses
UIS’s Master of Arts in Legal Studies is an interdisciplinary degree. It studies law as a social and political institution as well as a set of rules, which suits readers headed toward policy, government, or advocacy work. The program page lists a $13,834 two-year estimate, which covers tuition only and is labeled in-state. Our total adds the per-credit online fee. Flat term fees aren’t included, so confirm your full cost with the university.
2. University of Pikeville
- Estimated total: $16,500
- Credits: 30
- Rate: $550 a credit (2026-2027)
- Format: 100% online, can be finished in one year
Pikeville launched this Master of Legal Studies in October 2025 with the Appalachian School of Law. Courses include employment law, legal writing and research, and contract drafting. Because the program is new, it has no graduate outcomes to report yet. A $100 graduation fee isn’t in the total.
3. American Public University System
- Estimated total: $16,920
- Credits: 36
- Rate: $470 a credit
- Format: online, with courses starting monthly
APUS’s Master of Arts in Legal Studies combines a 24-credit core with focus areas such as law and public policy. Some students pay less: $250 a credit for active-duty service members, $399.50 with a veteran grant, and $423 with an opportunity grant. APUS states that the degree doesn’t qualify anyone to sit for a state bar exam.
4. Purdue University Global
- Estimated total: $18,900
- Credits: 45 quarter credits (nine courses)
- Rate: $420 a quarter credit
- Format: 100% online, average completion about one year
Purdue Global counts its credits in quarter credits, which is why the count looks high: 45 quarter credits equal 30 semester credits. The curriculum covers legal research, analysis, and writing, with tracks that include applied research. Military students and employees of Purdue Global partner organizations can get reduced rates.
5. Wayland Baptist University
- Estimated total: $19,368
- Credits: 36
- Rate: $538 a credit for online graduate courses, held under Wayland’s tuition freeze
- Format: online through WBUonline
Wayland’s Master of Legal Studies covers law as it applies to workplaces, schools, and communities. It offers a Title IX and sexual misconduct specialization, which includes Wayland’s Title IX Training Certificate. Wayland’s degree plan requires 36 credits. An optional course materials fee of $28 a credit isn’t in the total.
6. Golden Gate University
- Estimated total: $19,800
- Credits: 30 units
- Rate: $660 a unit (2025-2026 catalog)
- Format: online or hybrid
Golden Gate’s Master of Law Studies is aimed at law-adjacent careers and at readers weighing law school later. Golden Gate changed its graduate business tuition in summer 2026. Those changes didn’t apply to the law school, so the Master of Law Studies rate stands.
7. Liberty University
- Estimated total: $19,950 (part-time rate)
- Credits: 30
- Rate: $665 a credit part-time, or $600 full-time (9 or more credits a semester), for 2026-2027
- Format: 100% online, eight-week courses
Liberty’s Juris Master comes in a general version and versions in American legal studies, health law, compliance, and international legal studies. Taking 9 or more credits a semester at the $600 full-time rate brings the total to $18,000. A $349 technology fee each semester isn’t in the total, though qualifying active-duty students and spouses can be exempt. Liberty accepts transfer credit for up to half the degree.
8. Drake University
- Estimated total: $21,168
- Credits: 24
- Rate: $882 a credit
- Format: 100% online, self-paced six-week courses, about 1.5 years
Drake’s Master of Jurisprudence in Compliance and Risk Management covers the legal side of compliance work in regulated fields such as financial services and health care. At 24 credits, it’s one of the shortest degrees here. It starts six times a year, and there’s no application fee. Drake’s own cost estimate with fees is $21,580.
9. University of Missouri-Kansas City
- Estimated total: $21,555
- Credits: 30
- Rate: $660 a credit plus a $58.50 online course fee per credit (program page)
- Format: 100% online, part time, about two years
UMKC’s Master of Legal Studies charges the same rate regardless of where you live, and it offers emphases including health law. The program page lists $660 a credit, but UMKC’s student accounts schedule lists $686.40 for the online degree, which would bring the total to $22,347. Confirm the rate with UMKC. University of Missouri employees get 75% off tuition and fees.
10. Northern Kentucky University
- Estimated total: $21,870 (the school’s published total, fees included)
- Credits: 30 (10 courses)
- Rate: $713 a credit, the same for in-state and out-of-state students
- Format: 100% online, six start dates a year, as few as 10 months
NKU’s Master of Legal Studies in Digital Law and Technology, offered through its Chase College of Law, covers AI, blockchain, data privacy, and how they affect contract, property, and criminal law. Chase’s general Master of Legal Studies is mostly taught on campus and isn’t ranked here.
11 (tie). University of Arizona
- Estimated total: $22,500
- Credits: 30 units
- Rate: $750 a unit (2026-2027), fixed regardless of residency
- Format: online, part time or full time
Arizona Law’s online Master of Legal Studies has focus areas that include tribal law, regulation, and compliance. Its core courses cover procedure, the common law system, and legal writing. Mandatory university fees aren’t in the total. Arizona advises prospective students to confirm that it’s authorized to offer the program in their state.
11 (tie). Trinity Law School
- Estimated total: $22,500 (the school’s published total, tuition only)
- Credits: 30 units
- Rate: $750 a unit
- Format: online
Trinity’s Master of Legal Studies is taught from a Christian worldview and offers a general degree plus optional tracks, including criminal justice, human resources management, and contracts and negotiation. Fees aren’t in the published total. Trinity Law School is part of Trinity International University.
13. Regent University
- Estimated total: $22,880
- Credits: 32
- Rate: $715 a credit (2026-2027)
- Format: online
Regent’s Master of Legal Studies offers tracks including nonprofit and church law. A $750 online university services fee each semester isn’t in the total. Regent also offers a Master of Arts in Law at the same rate.
14. Pennsylvania Western University
- Estimated total: $23,010
- Credits: 30 (18 core, 12 electives)
- Rate: $767 a credit with specified fees, out of state (2026-2027 online master’s rate)
- Format: online through PennWest Global Online, 12 to 18 months
PennWest’s Master of Science in Legal Studies covers public policy, national security, and compliance, and no J.D. is required. Pennsylvania residents pay $692.07 a credit with fees, which brings the total to $20,762.
15. University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Estimated total: $24,570
- Credits: 30
- Rate: $819 a credit
- Format: fully online, self-paced
Tennessee’s Master of Legal Studies is offered through Vols Online and doesn’t require campus visits. The rate is the same for in-state and out-of-state students.
16. Nova Southeastern University
- Estimated total: $25,800
- Credits: 30
- Rate: $860 a credit (2026-2027)
- Format: 100% online, with live and self-paced classes, four start dates a year
Nova’s Shepard Broad College of Law offers its Master of Legal Studies in four areas: education law, employment law, health law, and law and policy. Concentrations such as cybersecurity law and regulatory compliance are also available. The degree takes one to two years. Institutional fees aren’t in the total.
17. Michigan State University
- Estimated total: $28,500
- Credits: 30
- Rate: $950 a credit, the same regardless of residency
- Format: fully online, most students take 3 credits a semester
Michigan State’s Master of Jurisprudence in Global Food Law is the most specialized degree here. It covers food regulation in the U.S. and abroad and is aimed at regulators and food-industry professionals. Its required Foundations of Law and Legal Research course introduces the U.S. legal system.
18. University of Cincinnati
- Estimated total: $29,250
- Credits: 30
- Rate: $975 a credit out of state, all fees included ($960 for Ohio residents)
- Format: 100% online, self-paced, no campus visits, five semesters part time
Cincinnati’s Master of Legal Studies asks for at least two years of professional experience, a bachelor’s degree, and a minimum 2.75 GPA. Admission tests are optional. Students can add focus areas such as business compliance, healthcare regulation, IT and cyber law, or sports law. Its all-in rate leaves few charges outside the total.
19. University of Akron
- Estimated total: $29,775
- Credits: 30
- Rate: $840 tuition plus $152.50 in per-credit fees (2026-2027)
- Format: 100% online, self-paced
Akron converted its Master of Studies in Law to fully online in fall 2024. The degree combines 12 core credits with business or technology electives. Its per-credit fees are a $37.50 law program fee, a $100 university fee, and a $15 online fee. A $110 fee per course isn’t in the total.
20. Cal Northern School of Law
- Estimated total: $30,492
- Credits: 36 units
- Rate: $847 a unit (2026-2027)
- Format: live online classes over Zoom or in person, Tuesday through Thursday evenings, two years part time, California residents only for online study
Cal Northern’s Master of Legal Studies students take classes alongside its J.D. students, live from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Pacific time. Its online option is open only to California residents. The degree ends with a thesis or project, or with comprehensive exams. Cal Northern School of Law holds institutional accreditation from WSCUC. Its law-school approval status under California’s rules is separate from ABA approval. Annual research, exam software, and materials fees aren’t in the total, and neither is a $300 administrative fee for the degree.
21. Webster University
- Estimated total: $31,200
- Credits: 39
- Rate: $800 a credit
- Format: live virtual and self-paced online classes, or a hybrid of online and in-person
Webster’s Master of Arts in Legal Studies covers legal research, legal ethics, jurisprudence, and a research and writing project. At least 9 credits of required legal specialty courses must be taken live.
22. University of Utah
- Estimated total: $33,703
- Credits: 30
- Rate: $1,123.43 a credit
- Format: online, 10 credits a semester over fall, spring, and the following fall, fall start only
Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law offers its Master of Legal Studies with courses in conflict and legal crisis management, mediation, and legal ethics. Its structure is fixed: 10 credits a semester for three semesters, starting in fall.
23. Hamline University
- Estimated total: $33,876
- Credits: 36
- Rate: $884 tuition plus $57 in per-credit fees (facilities, technology, and administration)
- Format: online, the first five classes meet live weekly, then courses are self-paced, 12 to 18 months
Hamline’s Master in the Study of Law is built on its 20-credit, ABA-approved paralegal certificate. Its 24 core credits are paralegal coursework, followed by 12 credits in a legal area of your choice. That makes it a strong fit if you want paralegal training plus a master’s degree, and a weaker fit if you want a broad survey of the law. The ABA approves the certificate program, not the master’s degree. ABA approval of a paralegal education program isn’t an individual paralegal certification or a license to practice law, and paralegal qualifications vary by state. A $250 new-student fee isn’t in the total.
24. Texas A&M University
- Estimated total: $36,000
- Credits: 30
- Rate: $1,200 a credit, tuition and fees combined, the same for every state
- Format: online, mostly self-paced, some tracks also offered as hybrid, three start dates a year
Texas A&M’s School of Law, in Fort Worth, offers its Master of Legal Studies with emphases including risk management and compliance, wealth management, human resources and employment law, health law, intellectual property, real estate and construction, and energy. No entrance exam is required. Some program pages still show an older estimate of about $35,009, so confirm the current rate with the school.
25. Samford University
- Estimated total: $36,804 (the school’s published estimate, fees included)
- Credits: 34
- Rate: $976 a credit (2025-2026)
- Format: fully online
Samford’s Cumberland School of Law offers its Master of Studies in Law with concentrations in regulatory compliance, including financial services, health care, and higher education, plus legal operations. Tuition alone comes to $33,184. Samford’s published estimate adds a $120 distance learning fee for each of 11 courses and its graduate fees each term.
Online Programs We Couldn’t Rank
These schools offer an online program that fits this list, but none publishes a current rate or total we could compare:
- No current rate published: Ohio State University (Master in the Study of Law), New York University (Master of Studies in Law in Taxation), Georgetown University (Master of Studies in Law in Taxation), Stetson University (Master of Jurisprudence), Western New England University (Master of Science in Elder Law and Estate Planning), and the University of Georgia (Master in the Study of Law with Sports Emphasis).
- No fall or spring rate published: the University of Tulsa (Master of Jurisprudence in Indian Law), which lists a $1,188-a-credit rate for summer 2026 only.
- Too new to have published rates: the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, whose online Master of Science in Law is scheduled to start in spring 2027, and the University of South Carolina, whose online Master of Legal Studies is listed as coming soon.
Arizona State University publishes the cost of its online Master of Legal Studies by the semester rather than by the credit or the program. For 2026-2027, a semester costs $3,660 at 3 credits, $7,194 at 6 credits, or $10,808 at 9 credits. Your total depends on how many credits you take each semester, so we didn’t rank it.
What the Estimated Total Doesn’t Include
The listed totals include tuition and per-credit fees, or the school’s own published estimate. Semester, course, and one-time fees can raise what you actually pay:
- Per-semester fees, such as Regent’s $750 online services fee and Liberty’s $349 technology fee. Over a two-year program, fees like these can add $1,000 to $3,000.
- Per-course and one-time fees, such as Akron’s $110 course fee, Hamline’s $250 new-student fee, and graduation fees.
- Books and materials, which UMKC estimates at about $1,000 a year.
- Travel, for programs with in-person options or live components.
Some students also pay less than the total shown: in-state students at public universities such as Cincinnati and PennWest, full-time students at Liberty, military students at APUS and Purdue Global, and University of Missouri employees at UMKC. Ask each school for a written cost estimate that matches your residency, credit load, and start date.
What an Online Master of Legal Studies Can and Can’t Do
A Master of Legal Studies, Juris Master, Master of Studies in Law, or similar degree teaches how the law works, so you can handle contracts, regulations, and compliance, and work with lawyers more effectively. An MLS, Juris Master, MSL, or similar non-J.D. degree doesn’t, by itself, establish eligibility for a state bar exam or a license to practice law. Each U.S. jurisdiction sets its own eligibility and admission requirements, and some allow nontraditional paths to qualify. Check with the bar admission authority in the jurisdiction where you want to practice, and see each state’s bar admission requirements.
Bar exam eligibility, required exams, and licensing decisions are made by each jurisdiction’s designated admissions authority, generally under its highest court. The National Conference of Bar Examiners publishes jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction information and administers exam programs, but it doesn’t set licensing requirements (NCBE’s Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements). Most schools also say credits from these degrees won’t transfer into their J.D. program later.
If you want to practice law, compare online J.D. programs instead. If you already have a law degree and want to specialize, look at LL.M. programs. To weigh whether a master’s in legal studies fits your career, see our guide to the degree.
How to Compare Programs Beyond Price
Price is the ranking here, but it shouldn’t be your only filter:
- Live or self-paced. Drake and Tennessee run self-paced courses. Cal Northern meets live three evenings a week. Others, such as Nova and Illinois Springfield, mix the two.
- Focus. Several programs here are specialized: food law (Michigan State), digital law and technology (Northern Kentucky), and compliance (Drake, Samford). Others are general.
- Schedule and start dates. Utah starts only in fall and requires 10 credits a semester. Drake and Northern Kentucky start six times a year.
- Admission requirements. Cincinnati asks for two years of professional experience. Most programs ask for a bachelor’s degree and a statement of purpose, and don’t require the LSAT or GRE.
- State authorization. Before you enroll, confirm that the university is authorized to offer its online program to students in your state, and whether the degree meets any requirements for your intended career. Cal Northern, for example, offers online study to California residents only.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest online master of legal studies?
In this comparison, the University of Illinois Springfield has the lowest estimated total: $15,453 for its 36-credit online Master of Arts in Legal Studies, as of November 2026. The University of Pikeville ($16,500) and American Public University System ($16,920) are next.
Can you take the bar exam with a master of legal studies?
Not on the strength of the degree alone. Each jurisdiction sets its own requirements, as explained in the section on what these degrees can and can’t do. Check with the bar admission authority where you want to practice.
How long does an online master of legal studies take?
Most programs take 12 months to two years part time. The 25 programs here require 24 to 39 semester credits. Purdue Global counts 45 quarter credits, equal to 30 semester credits.
Is a Juris Master the same as a Master of Legal Studies?
They’re the same kind of degree under different names. Both teach law to people who don’t plan to practice it. Schools also use Master of Studies in Law, Master of Science in Law, and Master of Jurisprudence for this degree.
Do online master of legal studies programs require the LSAT or GRE?
Most don’t. Programs here generally ask for a bachelor’s degree, transcripts, and a statement of purpose, and sometimes letters of recommendation or work experience. Check each school’s admission page, since requirements differ.
- Cost: Estimated totals for the 25 programs in this comparison run from $15,453 (Illinois Springfield) to $36,804 (Samford) as of November 2026.
- Loans: Grad PLUS loans ended for new graduate borrowers on July 1, 2026, with a limited exception, and most graduate students can borrow up to $20,500 a year in Direct Unsubsidized Loans, prorated below full time. Seven programs here cost less in total than that one-year limit.
- Method: Totals are the school’s published estimate, or tuition plus per-credit fees times credits, at the out-of-state rate. Semester, course, and one-time fees can add to what you pay.
- Not a law license: These degrees don’t, by themselves, make you eligible for a bar exam. Each jurisdiction sets its own rules.
- Fit: Format, focus, schedule, and state authorization vary, so compare more than price.
If you’re comparing master’s programs in law, start with total cost, then narrow by format, focus area, and whether the school can enroll students in your state. The school listings here include online programs built for working professionals.
