While it doesn't matter too much what you major in for your undergraduate degree, to work in law, you'll need to study at law school.
There are a lot of great law schools in the country and what's right for one student may not be right for another. Here, we'll look at the law schools with the best programs for contract or commercial law.
We'll also see some of the other factors you'll want to consider when choosing a law school beyond just the quality of the program that you'll be on.
Columbia University - New York City
Columbia University is an Ivy League school in New York City, New York. Not only is it one of the oldest and most prestigious schools in the country, it was founded by King George II and predates the Declaration of Independence.
Today, it remains one of the greatest schools in the country and the law school is no exception. The law school itself ranks regularly in the top 10 law schools in the country, but the commercial/contract law program comes highly recommended for anybody with aspirations of working in contract law.
As a private Ivy League institution, however, you can expect to pay the kinds of tuition fees that come with these schools. Full-time tuition at Columbia University's law school is around $76,000.
Of course, before you can go to law school, don't forget about the other requirements for becoming a contract lawyer.
Harvard University - Cambridge
Harvard University is another Ivy League school and is regularly found in the top lists for schools in the country regardless of the program, major, or subject.
Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, (the same city as MIT), Harvard has nearly 400 years of history and credibility, and its law school is considered one of the best in the country.
Tuition at Harvard University law school is close to $69,000 for full-time students. The law school boasts many famous graduates including former US President Barack Obama (who coincidentally completed his undergraduate degree at Columbia University).
New York University - New York City
New York University (NYU) is the first school on our list that isn't an Ivy League school. NYU was established in 1831 and the law school was established just a few years later in 1835.
The law school at New York University ranks highly for international law and tax law, but the commercial and contract law program is also of exceptional quality.
Not only does the law school rank highly in the US, but it also regularly ranks highly globally as one of the top 10 law schools in the world alongside a few of the others mentioned in this article.
While not Ivy League, NYU is highly respected in the law community and charges tuition fees of around $73,000, very similar to the going rates of the other schools we've seen.
Stanford University - Stanford
Stanford University is in California and the first school in our list not in the Northeast. This excellent and historic private university is one of the best in the country and the world for many areas of study including law and contract law in particular.
The Law School is in Palo Alto in the San Francisco Bay Area. Other areas where the law school excels are corporate law, constitutional law, criminal law, international law, and healthcare law.
The cost of tuition is around $66,000, making it slightly cheaper than some of the other schools that we've seen so far, but you should keep in mind that this amount doesn't include the cost of living, food, and accommodation, which is something you should be considering when looking at schools, too!
University of California, Berkeley - Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley is another great school for law in California (and the Bay Area) and also the first public university in our article.
Much like the other schools that rank highly for law and contract law, UC Berkeley is an older and more prestigious school with other a century and a half of history.
As a public university, the tuition fees are somewhat lower than what we've seen so far at around $57,000 for in-state students and $62,000 for out-of-state students.
This doesn't mean UC Berkeley isn't any good, though. The school is both a regular top 10 law school and regularly ranks in the top 10 in contract and commercial law, making it an excellent choice for aspiring attorneys, especially those from The Golden State.
University of Chicago - Chicago
The University of Chicago is our first great law school in the Midwest. This private university was established in the 19th century by none other than John D. Rockefeller.
The law school was later established in 1902 and is now (and has been for a long time) one of the best law schools in the country. In contracts and commercial law, this is one of the best schools around and you can expect to pay just over $72,000 for the privilege of studying law there.
It also ranks highly in other specialities such as business and corporate law, constitutional law, criminal law, and tax law.
Don't forget that while all of these schools are great for learning about law, there are lots of other skills that successful contract lawyers will need.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is another of the top schools in the country for many things, including contract law. The law school also offers dual degrees like law and business, options to study abroad, and a variety of student organizations.
While UMich is a public university, tuition fees are only slightly cheaper than the average we've seen so far. In-state students, for example, can expect to pay around $64,000 in tuition whereas out-of-state students will pay around $68,000.
University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia
Now over to Pennsylvania and Philadelphia more specifically for the University of Pennsylvania. Obviously, the prestige and quality of education at Ivy League schools make it hard to keep them out of this list.
UPenn isn't here just because it's Ivy League, though. The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School is one of the oldest law schools in the country and definitely one of the hardest to get into.
This is a law school that traces its origins back to Founding Father James Wilson who signed the Declaration of Independence and authored the first draft of the US Constitution.
For nearly two centuries, this has been one of the best law schools in the country and it's an excellent choice for contract law as well as corporate law and criminal law.
University of Virginia - Charlottesville
The University of Virginia is on a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it's neither an Ivy League school nor is it a private university.
This public university is another whose history goes back to the Founding Fathers with Thomas Jefferson's Academical Village, the UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can find the university.
The Law School was founded in 1819 by the third president of the country Thomas Jefferson and today is one of the most prestigious law schools in the country.
The in-state tuition fees are around $67,000 with out-of-state fees closer to $70,000. In addition to being great for aspiring contract law, it's also a great law school for constitutional law (perhaps unsurprisingly), criminal law, and tax law.
Yale University - New Haven
Last but certainly not least, we have the Ivy League Yale University. The Yale Law School is often considered the very best in the country and definitely one of the best for studying contract law.
Yale Law School is a bit different and students won't have areas of concentration. This doesn't mean that students can't study specific areas of law, it just means that these choices aren't recognized as a specialization in their program.
That said, the teaching at Yale is recognized for excelling in areas like constitutional law, criminal law, international law, and what we're interested in today, contract law.
Full-time tuition at Yale Law School costs around $69,000.
How to Choose the Right Law School for Contract or Commercial Law
While all of these schools offer excellent programs and academic experiences for students wanting to become attorneys, it's important to remember that this just only takes into account academic considerations and not the other things that you need to consider before applying to law schools.
It can also help to study law in the state where you ultimately want to work. Think about the best cities in the country for contract lawyers as it may be a good idea to get your JD and pass the bar there, too.
It's important that you also consider other factors such as location, the cost of the school, the facilities that there are available there, and extra-curricular activities.
You may also want to think about what life is like on and off campus as while you'll certainly be very busy with your studies, it's important to have something to do that you enjoy during your limited free time!
The best school is whichever one works best for you to achieve your academic and personal goals and if it isn't featured in some list of the best schools in the country, that doesn't matter.
These are all great schools to start your search with, but if you find something else that's a better fit, that's great! Don't forget to consider the reasons for becoming a contract lawyer as well.
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