Center for Advanced Legal Studies — ROI, Cost & Payback
Center for Advanced Legal Studies charges a net price of $13,959/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $55,836. Graduates earn a median $56,561 ten years after entry, $8,201/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 6.8 years — a 20-year net return of $108,184, a solid payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Center for Advanced Legal Studies's 6.8-year payback ranks #598 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 53% of them, and #24 of 213 in Texas.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $13,959/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $55,836 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $56,561 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $8,201/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 6.8 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $108,184 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Center for Advanced Legal Studies's own numbers. Net price $13,959 × 4 years = $55,836 total. Median earnings $56,561 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $8,201 a year of premium. $55,836 ÷ $8,201 = 6.8 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $108,184. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Center for Advanced Legal Studies students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 17% of the $56,561 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Center for Advanced Legal Studies students graduate?
62% finish their degree — 38% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $55,836 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $90,058 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Center for Advanced Legal Studies expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $13,959 net price runs $5,400 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $21,600 less across the full degree.