For 20 years, aspiring lawyers have largely rated their law school experiences positively, with around 80% describing them as “good” or “excellent,” according to a long-running annual survey. However, students of color have consistently reported lower satisfaction rates compared to their white peers, highlighting enduring disparities within legal education.
Conducted by Indiana University’s Center for Postsecondary Research, the Law School Survey of Student Engagement has gathered insights from over 425,000 participants since its launch in 2004. This year’s milestone edition explored changes in diversity, debt, career goals, and overall student well-being over two decades.
“Law students today are more diverse, more engaged, and better prepared than ever,” remarked survey director Meera Deo, a law professor at Southwestern University. Yet, the findings underscore significant gaps in satisfaction: while 84% of white students rated their experiences highly in 2024, only 67% of Black students and 77% of Latino students did the same.
The survey also revealed that despite the increasing mental health challenges law students face—especially during the COVID-19 pandemic—satisfaction rates have remained stable. In 2021, for example, 91% reported heightened mental or emotional exhaustion, yet 78% still gave their law school experience high marks.
Diversity in law schools has grown notably over the years. In 2004, 83% of law students were white, a figure that dropped to 68% by 2024. The demographic shift also includes a younger cohort, with 11% of students now under 23 years old compared to just 1% two decades ago.
Debt, however, remains a defining challenge for many. While the proportion of students expecting to graduate with six-figure debt peaked at 43% in 2014 before falling to 36% in 2024, racial disparities persist. More than half of Latino (53%) and Black (51%) students anticipated owing over $100,000, compared to 32% of white students.
Career aspirations among law students have remained steady over the years, with around 53% intending to enter private practice and roughly 26–28% eyeing government roles. Public interest law continues to attract a smaller percentage, consistently around 6%.
Amid evolving dynamics, the findings highlight resilience and continuity in legal education. “Despite significant upheavals in recent years, legal education remains robust,” the study concludes.
