The Thurgood Marshall School of Law located at Texas Southern University is one of the nation's most affordable law programs. Texas residents pay an annual tuition of just $12,556 while non-resident students pay a tuition rate of $16,306. Originally, the program was founded as an institution to serve the legal needs of the underserved community in southern Texas. The program was primarily geared toward the needs of African-American students, but it now has a more culturally diverse student body. The Thurgood Marshall school offers two joint-degree programs in conjunction with the J.D. degree. The first is the joint J.D./M.P.A. (Master of Public Administration) degree that is designed to educate students who want to work for governmental agencies or in the public sector where relationships with governmental agencies might be key. The second program is the joint J.D./MBA (Master of Business Administration) degree. This program is designed for students pursuing corporate management or tax and labor law.
Texas Southern University
Thurgood Marshall School of Law
3100 Cleburne St.
Houston, TX 77004
713-313-4455
tsulaw.edu
Like the Thurgood Marshall School at Texas Southern, North Carolina Central University's (NCCU) school of law began as an institution designed to serve the educational needs of the underserved African-American community. NCCU is by far one of the most affordable law school options at just $6,856 for North Carolina residents and $18,956 for non-resident students. Although the program does not offer the more versatile joint degrees like those at Texas Southern, NCCU does offer two primary modes of study for students. Students can attend the law school full-time, taking classes daily during regular business hours. Or, if necessary, students are also able to attend part-time, taking classes only at night to suit their schedules. Areas of specialization in the NCCU program include small business law, family law, civil litigation, veterans law, street law, criminal litigation defense and juvenile law.
North Carolina Central University
School of Law
640 Nelson St.
Durham, NC 27707
919-530-5243
nccu.edu/law
Located in Flushing, New York, the City University of New York--Queens College (CUNY) is also one of the most affordable law schools in the nation at $10,610 per year for resident students and $16,510 for out-of-state students. Like NCCU and Texas Southern, CUNY is devoted to serving the underprivileged in the community. CUNY's clinical law program has been recognized as one of the best in the country. Clinical programs include concentrations in mediation, international women's rights, economic justice, criminal defense, community and economic development, immigrant and refugee rights, elder law, and equality.
CUNY--Queens College
School of Law
65-21 Main St.
Flushing, NY 11367
718-340-4210
law.cuny.edu