As a field of practice, law isn’t as easy as other professions out there. It’s multidisciplinary, and it requires years of legal education before you can be truly considered a professional lawyer. That’s why choosing the best major for law school is critical because it gives you the strong foundation you need as a pre-law student.
Your future will largely depend on how the degree you study for law school aligns with your career goals in the legal practice. This guide will introduce you to the best pre-law majors, and how to choose a major for law school. Keep reading to find out the best majors for law school that will shape you to be the type of lawyer you aspire to be.
Why Choose a Career in Law
Choosing a career in law opens many opportunities, as your career options are not limited to the legal industry. You can practice law in almost any industry of your choice. As a lawyer, your job will be intellectually stimulating and satisfying, aside from being financially rewarding. You can also set up your own firm if you don’t want to work for another company. This way, you don’t need to worry about job security.
Law Job Outlook
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of lawyers is projected to grow nine percent from 2020 to 2030. That means the employment of lawyers as of 2020 was 804,200 and is expected to rise to 875,700 by 2030. About 46,000 jobs for lawyers are forecast to be open each year for the next 10 years.
Law Job Satisfaction
Based on US News & World Report Best Job Rankings, lawyers’ job satisfaction is rated high in stress level, average in upward mobility, and below average in terms of flexibility. In this rating, stress level covers environment and job complexity and upward mobility includes career progression and salary. Flexibility, on the other hand, ranks working schedule and work-life balance.
Law Salary Potential
| Career | Minimum Level of Education | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Patent Lawyer | Juris Doctor Degree | $130,841 |
| Civil Rights Attorney | Juris Doctor Degree | $126,687 |
| Property Lawyer | Bachelor of Law | $122,573 |
| Corporate Attorney | Juris Doctor Degree | $100,938 |
| Tax Lawyer | Juris Doctor Degree | $100,938 |
How to Choose a Major for Law School: Tips for Selecting the Right Law Degree
Tip 1: Read About Law Majors
Tons of resources are available online about different types of lawyers and the corresponding law major that you can take. As you browse, consider what career in law appeals to you and what degree will help hone your skills for such career specialization. Reading about law majors and familiarizing yourself with them is the first step in knowing how to choose a major for law school that’s best suitable for you.
Tip 2: Ask Professional Lawyers
Get in touch with those already practicing the profession. Perhaps, some of your relatives are already lawyers or your family and friends know somebody who is a lawyer. Ask them for insights to help guide you in your degree selection process. You can also acquire mentors that properly explain the popular majors through their experience.
Tip 3: Choose a Major that Interests You
Academic counselors always recommend that law school applicants pursue a major that they’re interested in. This is advisable because students naturally do better in courses that pique their interests.
The stronger focus will subsequently lead to better grades, which is a good stepping stone when you’re just starting your law career. So after carefully researching the majors and asking law professionals, choose the one that aligns with your interests and passions.
Tip 4: Look Out for Skill Development Courses
While picking a major that suits your interest, think of a major that will help develop your research and writing skills to prepare you for law school. You can also look out for majors that enhance your critical thinking skills, analytical skills, public speaking skills, and any valuable skills that will equip you for a legal career.
Tip 5: Check for School Reputation
While you want to ensure that you choose the best major, you should also remember that a solid law school reputation and excellent teachers will help you thrive best. Schools with excellent reputations not only mold you into being the best lawyer but can also support you through their extensive list of alumni when you enter the job market.
What Degree for Law: Best Majors for a Law Career
Political Science
A political science major is a very popular major if you wish to practice law because it is heavily connected with legislation. It offers a wide range of knowledge about the government, political behavior, human behavior, logical reasoning, and how judicial systems work in a country. In this pre-law major, students gain a strong foundation and in-depth understanding of legal systems, including how laws are made and executed.
Associated Career Paths: Policy analyst, political scientist, legislative assistant
Levels of Education: Associate degree, bachelor’s degree
Psychology
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, psychology is one of the five most popular undergraduate majors. Students for law school can benefit from a broad range of psychology concepts like prejudice, cognitive dissonance, human behavior, and other ideologies that are useful to future lawyers.
Associated Career Paths: Clinical psychologist, human resource manager, counselor
Levels of Education: Associate degree, bachelor’s degree
Economics
This major is useful for those who want a blend of qualitative and quantitative coursework. It’s a branch of social science that deals with society’s use of limited resources. It covers the expenditure and income of the government, which proves valuable for law students who intend to study and specialize in tax law and financial regulations in law school.
Associated Career Paths: External auditor, chartered accountant, actuarial analyst
Levels of Education: Associate degree, bachelor’s degree
English
An English undergraduate major has been associated with law school for a very long time. This is because English majors equip future law students with written and verbal communication skills, including critical thinking and public speaking skills. They also learn how to do strong research, craft and evaluate arguments, and defend their points in writing, all of which are required skills for future lawyers.
Associated Career Paths: Writer, librarian, editorial assistant
Levels of Education: Associate degree, bachelor’s degree
History
As a major for law school, history provides law students with a better context for legislation. Through a history degree, students get to understand how regulations, decrees, treaties, and other forms of law are made. History majors also get to enhance their research, comprehension, and memorization skills. All of these make for a good foundation for law school.
Associated Career Paths: Archivist, curator, heritage manager
Levels of Education: Associate degree, bachelor’s degree
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Other Law Related Majors
The majors mentioned above are just some of the undergraduate degree options for law school that pre-law students typically pursue. However, there is a range of majors that could be worth pursuing for prospective law students.
- Anthropology
- Business Management
- Classical Studies
- Communications
- Criminal Justice
- Liberal Arts
- Literature
- Philosophy
- Science
- Sociology
Is a Career in Law Right for Me?
Yes, a career in law is right for you if you have the passion to practice law to help others to get the fair and just legal system that they deserve. Apart from the pay benefits and job stability, being a lawyer can surely be an exciting profession if you love intellectual discussions and problem-solving. However, more than that, practicing law is much more worthwhile if you aim to use it for the greater good.
Best Major for Law School FAQ
The best majors for law school are political science, economics, and history because they have a good mix of knowledge that can prove useful to potential law students.
Based on Law School Admission Council’s (LSAC) report, economics majors do the best on the LSAT with an average score of 162. This is followed by philosophy, history, and English majors.
Political science is the major with the most number of law school enrollees at almost 9,500 according to the LSAC report.
To increase your chances of getting accepted into law school, choose your college major carefully first. Then, aim for a high college grade point average (GPA). Study hard and do practice tests to ace your LSAT or GRE. More importantly, remember that it takes more than good grades to be a lawyer. You also have to show the soft skills and character needed to be successful in law school.
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