A Law degree gives you a lot of different career options. It can help you make a real difference to people’s lives, often with a competitive salary.
Read on to find out some of the reasons why a Law degree is a fantastic investment in your future.
A Law degree is valuable in the job market
One of the biggest benefits of a Law degree is that lawyers are in high demand. As a lawyer, you could make a huge difference to people’s lives at an international, local and personal level.
Nearly 60% of Law degree graduates in the UK are in employment, 11.4% are in further study and 15.8% are working and studying. For those that are employed, 43% work in a legal, social or welfare field (Prospects.ac.uk).
You will also learn a lot of transferable skills while studying for a Law degree, including problem solving, communication, teamwork, and research and analysis.
You could also choose a career in the legal sector without becoming a lawyer. For example, you could become a conveyancer, working on the legal side of buying and selling properties, a paralegal, or a legal assistant, carrying out legal work and supporting lawyers.
Career success in different industries
You could also use the skills and knowledge you’ve developed during your degree to pursue a career outside of the legal sector. For example, you could work in:
Media
If you enjoy writing, you could pursue a career in journalism. Having knowledge of the law might make you a good crime correspondent, or you could use your research skills to write investigative articles.
Marketing
Having knowledge of the law could help with understanding issues around copyright or following advertising rules. You could become a valuable asset for companies in a range of sectors all over the world!
Human Resources (HR)
If you work in HR, it can be useful to understand employment law, especially when it comes to employment contracts. Having a Law degree will also mean that you have skills in managing conflict, which is valuable in the workplace.
Politics
Several politicians have Law degrees, including former US presidents Barak Obama and Bill Clinton, and former British prime minister Tony Blair. So, a Law degree could set you on a path to becoming a leader!
A competitive salary range
Your salary will vary depending on your role and location.
A lawyer in the USA earns an average annual salary of $97,419 (Indeed.com), while a newly qualified solicitor in the UK can expect a salary range of anything between £25,000 to £180,000 a year (TheLawyer.com).
If you go into a different field, such as being a journalist, the average salary is $48,799 a year in the US (Indeed.com), while an experienced newspaper journalist in the UK can earn an average of £50,000 a year (NationalCareersService.gov.uk).
Study a Law degree at top universities around the world
Several of our partner universities rank highly for their Law degrees, so you’ll get a top-class education.
USA
In the USA, Arizona State University (ASU) ranks in the top 35 best law schools in America (U.S News Best Graduate Schools 2023). The University of Victoria, which is in Canada, is in the top 150 universities for Law in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024).
If you’re passionate about making a difference to the environment and protecting the planet, then Pace University in New York ranks #1 for Environmental Law in the USA (U.S. News Best Graduate Schools 2023) — and you’ll also get to live in the USA’s largest city!
UK
In the UK, you can study a Law degree at universities that rank well for the subject.
The University of Essex PLACES 9th in the UK and top 50 in the world for Law (Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024). With excellent teaching and a beautiful campus, along with being just an hour away from London by train, it’s a fantastic place to study.
You could also study at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, which ranks 7th (Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024) for Law in the UK and is a member of the prestigious Russell Group.
Want to work in media and entertainment? Then Bournemouth University is a great choice! Ranking top 50 in the UK overall (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024), the University offers a degree in Law, Media & Creative Industries.
And for a unique approach to studying Law, the University of York, which ranks 12th for Law in the UK (Complete University Guide 2024), offers a problem-based learning (PBL) programme.
This teaching method lets students create their own mock law firms and work together on real-life problems. They can apply their skills and knowledge to actual cases, helping them to understand how law works in practice.
Study a Law degree with Kaplan
Dreaming of a career in Law? If so, Kaplan can help! Just get in touch with us and one of our friendly Education Advisors will explore your options with you so that you can take the first step on your way to a Law degree.
We can help you with your application, as well as supporting you through the process of getting your visa and preparing you for studying abroad.
If your grades don’t quite meet your chosen university’s entry requirements, you can take a degree preparation course. This helps you develop your academic skills, subject knowledge and English language levels so that you can progress onto a degree.
If you pass your preparation course and have good attendance, you’re guaranteed a place on your chosen degree!
