KNOXVILLE — The College of Law at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has jumped three places in a national ranking which recognizes law schools that give students more “bang” for their tuition bucks.
The UT College of Law is ranked 11th in the 2010 Top 20 Best Value Law Schools list by preLaw magazine, run by the National Jurist, a leading news source in the legal industry.
“We are very committed to preparing our students to effectively begin practice when they graduate, to be able to pass the bar exam and to find a good job consistent with their interests,” said Douglas A. Blaze, dean of the College of Law. “Fortunately, despite the present challenges in the global and U.S. economies, we are successfully achieving all three goals. We strive, always, to remain as accessible and affordable as possible.”
To be named a “best value,” a program needed a bar pass rate higher than the state average, an employment rate nine months after graduation of 85 percent or higher, an average indebtedness below $100,000, and tuition costs less than $35,000 a year for in-state residents.
UT’s 2009 bar passage rate for first-time takers was 92 percent compared to a state average of 77 percent. In-state tuition for the law program is $12,540, and the college’s graduate employment is 96 percent. The 2009-2010 average indebtedness for graduates was $65,082.
The magazine identified 60 schools meeting the criteria of carrying a low price tag and being able to prepare their students perfectly well for today’s competitive job market.
UT’s law program is a tier-one program and was ranked 29th among public universities in U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools” list, released in April. The program also was named one of Princeton Review’s “Best 172 Law Schools” last year.
For more information about the National Jurist and preLaw magazine, visit http://www.nationaljurist.com/.
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C O N T A C T :
Kristi Hintz, Media Relations, (865-974-3993, khintz@utk.edu)