JD or MLS? A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing the Right Legal Degree

Do you want to be a lawyer? Maybe you want a career in law, but you don’t want to spend all your time in the courtroom grilling witnesses or drafting documents. There are other ways to make a living in the legal system. The Master of Legal Studies degree curriculum is almost identical to a JD, except an MLS graduate cannot practice law or take the bar exam.

Read on to learn the differences between a JD, an MLS, and which is right for you.

What is a JD?

JD stands for juris doctor. It is the professional degree necessary to sit for the bar exam and be licensed to practice law in most states within the United States. Although many other careers are open to those with a JD degree, most law students go on to practice law in a range of practice areas, such as criminal law, business law, and sports law to name a few.

A JD degree is a post-graduate degree. The American Bar Association (ABA) provides accreditation to law schools who meet their list of requirements. This includes meeting a required course curriculum, offering law clinics and job placement assistance, and maintaining a 75% bar passage rate for each year’s graduates.

Only about half of graduated JDs go on to practice law. Another 27% work in government or business in non-legal fields. There are several career options for JDs, and a post-graduate degree may command a higher salary, but getting your juris doctorate is expensive. If you don’t plan to be a litigator, other degrees may serve you just as well.

What is a Master of Legal Studies (MLS)?

A Master of Legal Studies (MLS) is a graduate degree intended for those who want a career in the legal field, but don’t want to litigate or work as a licensed attorney. After completing an MLS, you may have most of the legal knowledge of a JD, but you cannot sit for any bar exam and will not be able to practice law anywhere in the United States.

The MLS degree is less specialized than the JD. The juris doctorate focuses on teaching people how to pass the bar exam and become an attorney. The MLS degree gives students a broad overview of law and legal theory, along with other knowledge about the application of law in business or government.

Many people who get their MLS degree are already working professionals, such as paralegals or legal assistants who interact with attorneys regularly. People who regularly interact with attorneys in human resources, regulatory compliance, and administration may find an MLS helpful in understanding legal language and documentation. Students planning a career in these areas can get a leg up in a competitive field by starting with an advanced degree already in hand.

Who Should Pursue a JD?

The JD degree is meant for those planning to become attorneys and spend their time in legal practice. If you plan to be an attorney, you must have your juris doctorate. You may hear that you can “practice law without a degree” in some states, but only California’s Apprenticeship Program gives you the option of no law school at all. Five other states require at least some law school, and all require an apprenticeship of four to ten years.

Getting your JD is faster and easier, although not necessarily cheaper. In all states, you must take the bar exam once you complete your degree program or apprenticeship. After receiving your bar card, you’ll have to maintain your certification by completing several continuing legal education (CLE) hours.

If you don’t intend to litigate, there are many legal careers that don’t involve the courtroom. Estate planning attorneys, tax lawyers, and educators all need to be active attorneys. A recent trend for online employment is document review. Because of the need for fast turnaround and attorney-client privilege, these reviewers must be barred and active attorneys in at least one state. (Personal knowledge)

Who Should Pursue a Master of Legal Studies?

The MLS degree is the ideal degree for those who want advanced legal knowledge but don’t want to work exclusively in the legal field. The MLS is a master’s degree, so it is suitable for jobs that require either legal knowledge or a master’s. For instance, if you work in the healthcare field, an administrative position might require a master’s degree. A medical regulatory opening might require a law degree. The MLS brackets both, making you ideal for the job.

An MLS may be preferable for someone already established in their field rather than looking to make a big career change. A JD is a demanding degree and will take several years of your life. If you only want a career boost within your current career track or a lateral move to the legal department within your current company, the Master of Legal Studies program can give you everything you need.

Key Differences Between a JD and MLS

	JD	MLS
Program Length	3 years if full-time 3.5-4 years if part-time	9 mos if full-time 2-4 years if part-time
Curriculum	Legal theory Case law Issue spotting and analysis Case briefing Specialization in one or more practice areas	“Thinking like a lawyer” Understanding of legal basics
Cost	$60,000/year $180,000/3 year degree	$30,000/year $60,000/2 year degree
Additional costs (depending on state; costs shown for California)	~$33,000/year housing, books, fees $850 bar exam $725 moral character application	~$30,000/year housing, books, fees
Outcomes	Prepares student to take the state bar exam Prepares student to be an attorney	Prepares student to utilize legal education in a range of employment applications

Financial Considerations – Cost and Return on Investment

The annual costs of a JD program versus an MLS program are roughly the same, assuming a student lives off campus and is not an out-of-state student. On-campus costs and out-of-state tuition raise the costs significantly. For example, the cost of an online MLS degree at American University (Washington DC) is just over $22,000 for three six-unit terms. A full-time JD at American University’s law school is $96,000 per year, or $288,000 for a three-year degree. If you do not plan on a litigation career, the greater expense is not worth it.

However, students need to take other factors into consideration. Many students find the intensive studying required for law school prevents them from working during the three or four years necessary to complete the program.

The MLS can be completed in as few as nine months. A law degree will require a minimum of three years or more if you attend classes part-time. Although some law schools have online classes, you’ll need some in-class work at some point. The shorter time commitment of the MLS program makes online classes easier to achieve.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a Master’s degree raises the average weekly income between $300-500. Just as important, it also protects against unemployment, a big plus in uncertain economic times.

Attorneys have the potential to make much more. According to ZipRecruiter, starting salaries for newly graduated JDs average $109,651 annually. There’s a catch, however. To get those figures, you must pass the bar exam. In 2023, the national bar pass rate was a nominal 53% for all test takers.

Career Outcomes and Job Market

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job market for lawyers is steady at about 5% per year. Budding attorneys can always enter solo or small firm practice, so entrepreneurs never need to fear a lack of opportunity. Federal, state, and local governments constantly need attorneys, as do the legal departments for corporations and businesses.

For JDs who don’t intend to litigate, consider other jobs where a legal background and an advanced degree can put you ahead of the competition:

• Legal journalist or reporter

• Mediation or alternate dispute resolution

• Law professor

• Law clerk or judicial assistant

• Compliance officer

• Legal research

Many of these jobs require knowledge of legal procedures and an understanding of legal jargon and “legalese.” Companies need people who can bridge the gap between government regulators and management.

Is an Online Program Right for You?

Many colleges and universities offer bachelor’s, master’s, LLM degrees, and JD programs online. If the on-ground program is not available, at least some courses are streamed for the convenience of working students and part-time attendees.

There are pros and cons to getting your advanced degree online.

Pros:

As noted, online programs can be cheaper. Online programs may be cheaper than residential programs, even in your state. For instance, the online MLS program at UCLA costs $2600 per unit for a 26-unit class ($67,600). The JD program at UCLA costs $59,000 plus $32,000 in living expenses per year for state residents.

Online courses do not have residency requirements or different fees for out-of-state students. You may incur extra costs for moving, but there’s no requirement to move for in-person classes. For example, the online MLS program at UCLA charges the same fees for in-person, remote, and hybrid courses. If students want to attend in-person classes, they may, but there is no need.

Cons:

You must be very self-motivated. Particularly for your JD, you will fail if you cannot force yourself to sit down at least 5-6 hours per day and study. Your master’s degree, while less time intensive, also requires many hours of work daily. An online course is not for you if you are not internally motivated.

Not all online programs are ABA-accredited. Even if ABA-accredited schools offer them, the online program may not meet ABA requirements. Students should check carefully to ensure they’re not wasting credit hours on courses that won’t apply to a degree.

For example, Liberty University offers an online Juris Master program. However, it is not a JD and does not prepare you to take the bar exam. Only Liberty’s residential JD program gives students the JD. Regent University also has a residential JD program and an online Master of Arts in Law.

Deciding Which Degree is Right for You

Which degree is right for you? It depends on what you want and how much time you will dedicate to your goal.

Goals. Do you want to litigate? Do you want to spend most of your time interacting with clients and acting as a lawyer? If you see yourself making most of the decisions based on your knowledge of the law, you want a JD and need to become a lawyer. If you don’t want to spend time in the courtroom, then the MLS is all you need.

Time.Not just the time you want to spend on the degree but also the time you have in your day. A JD will take up almost all your free time for the next three years. Will your family and friends be supportive? Can you put all your other goals on hold? If getting your JD degree is worth that wait, then go for it! If not, get the MLS.

Career. Do you want your degree to boost your role at your current employer? Do you want to lateral into a different sector in your company? The MLS can do that for you unless your boss is willing to underwrite the cost of your JD. On the other hand, if you want to start a new career, you might need an entirely new degree to do so.

Cost. The average law school debt on graduation is about $ 120,000. It can take between 5-25 years to pay that debt off, and if you don’t pass the bar on your first try, it can take longer than that. If you’re at all unsure about your career choice, or you don’t plan on litigating so that you don’t really need the JD except for cachet, take the less costly choice.

Conclusion: JD or MLS – Making the Right Choice

You’ll need your JD to become a licensed practicing attorney. If you want to work in business, as a corporate attorney, or as a criminal defense lawyer or prosecutor, you must have a JD from an accredited law school before you can take the bar and get your bar card.

If your goal is any other legal career, even working in a law office or with legal professionals in government, business, or public service, a Masters in Legal Studies or the Juris Master offered by Liberty University may work just as well.

Contact the career development centers of colleges and universities, as well as the state bar associations and ABA, for more information on these options. Many of them are new, and you should request all available information before deciding on a career choice.

Sources:

• https://law.ucla.edu/admissions/jd-admissions/tuition-fees

• https://legalstudiesmastersonline.northeastern.edu/articles/what-is-the-difference-between-legal-studies-vs-law-degree/

• https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/master-of-legal-studies-vs-law-degree

• https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/can-you-take-the-bar-exam-without-going-to-law-school

• https://www.ncbex.org/statistics-research/bar-exam-results-jurisdiction

• https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-do-with-juris-doctorate-degree

• https://legalstudiesmastersonline.northeastern.edu/articles/what-can-you-do-with-legal-studies-degree/

• https://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/frequently_asked_questions/

• https://www.aals.org/prospective-law-students/faqs/

• https://www.regent.edu/program/ma-in-law/?site=law

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2024/06/26/new-report-examines-how-well-a-law-degree-pays-off/

• https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/average-law-school-debt/