8 Best Degrees for Law School Success

You might be asking yourself about the best degrees for law school success. The numbers tell an interesting story – social science backgrounds make up nearly half (48.3%) of all law school applicants. Political science stands out as the most common major at 18%.

Many people think you need a specific undergraduate major to get into law school – that’s not true. The American Bar Association (ABA) doesn’t push students toward any particular field of study. Some degrees can give you an edge by building essential skills: problem-solving, critical reading, writing, research, and organization. Students traditionally pick majors like political science, psychology, and criminal justice. Law schools have started showing interest in candidates with STEM backgrounds.

Let’s get into eight undergraduate degrees that best prepare you for law school, with explanations from law professors backing them up. These majors will help you build a strong foundation, whether you’re mapping out your education or switching careers. Law school is one of the most competitive academic programs out there.

1. Political Science

Political Science is clearly the top choice among pre-law majors, with nearly one in five law school applicants (18%) choosing this field of study. This makes it the most popular major by over 10 percentage points compared to other fields. Good reasons support this strong preference that go way beyond the reach and influence of simple tradition.

Why Political Science is Great for Law School

Political Science connects naturally to legal education through its focus on governmental structures, constitutional frameworks, and policy development. Students get direct exposure to legal institutions and processes that are the foundations of law practice. Many political science departments offer coursework about constitutional, civil, and criminal law—everything in law school preparation.

Students interested in constitutional or administrative law benefit from understanding how political and legal systems work together. A political science graduate shares: “My education helped prepare me for an original internship on Capitol Hill, followed by work on political campaigns and then a career related to government, politics and non-profit management”.

Pre-law advisors rank political science as the second-best major to prepare students for law school admission and academic success, just behind philosophy. Yes, it is highly regarded by practicing attorneys and judges, who place political science among the top five majors for law school preparation.

Skills Gained from Political Science

Political science programs develop several vital competencies that match what law schools require:

• Critical thinking and problem-solving: Students learn to review complex issues, weigh different viewpoints, and develop reasoned arguments
• Research methods and analytical abilities: Knowing how to review sources, assess evidence, and construct logical arguments
• Strong writing and communication: Experience with research papers, policy analyzes, and persuasive writing
• Public speaking and debate skills: Significant preparation for courtroom dynamics
• Systematic thinking: The analytical framework taught matches the case method used in law schools

The American Bar Association (ABA) highlights seven core skills for aspiring lawyers: problem-solving, critical reading, writing, oral communication, research, organization, and public service values. A political science degree develops these exact competencies.

Best Law Careers for Political Science Graduates

Political science graduates choose diverse legal paths that utilize their understanding of governmental systems. Students get into prestigious law schools nationwide including Harvard, Virginia, Georgetown, Houston, and others.

The best career paths include:

• Constitutional and Civil Rights Law: Using knowledge of governmental systems and civil liberties
• Public Policy and Administrative Law: Applying understanding of policy development and regulatory frameworks
• Government Legal Counsel: Working within legislative bodies or executive agencies
• Political Advocacy: Serving as lobbyists or legal advisors to political organizations
• International Law: Especially with coursework in international relations

Graduates excel as judicial clerks, paralegals, and in roles that need understanding of legal and political systems.

Typical LSAT/GPA Outcomes for Political Science

Political science majors show strong performance on law school admissions metrics. A newer study published in shows political science majors average a 154.19 LSAT score with a 3.42 GPA. Their scores are higher than the overall average LSAT score of 153.6.

The admission rate for political science majors has been above 80% over the last several years. Their LSAT scores might be lower than some other majors, but their solid preparation and relevant background lead to this high acceptance rate.

Success continues into job prospects. Political science graduates find strong employment outcomes, with 77% finding jobs within six months of graduation. Students who completed internships saw 9% better employment rates and 20% higher wages. This shows the value of combining practical experience with academic preparation.

2. History

History degrees command high respect in legal circles. Five of the sixteen Supreme Court justices who received appointments in the last half century majored in history as undergraduates. Four current justices were history majors. These numbers show why history stands among the best undergraduate degrees to prepare for law school.

Why History is Great for Law School

History and law share deep connections. Students who want to know what major they need to become a lawyer will find history offers exceptional advantages. Law schools look for students who can think critically, read thoroughly, and communicate well. History programs naturally help students develop these exact skills.

“Law schools want applicants who can think critically, read and comprehend large amounts of information, conduct legal research, communicate effectively, and resolve complex legal problems using logical reasoning”. History majors build these skills through their coursework.

Students who grasp historical context build excellent foundations to understand law’s complexities. One law school dean of admissions stated, “A major in history is an outstanding preparation for a career in law”. This explains why many practicing attorneys today chose history as their undergraduate major.

Legal professionals value history’s lessons deeply. Judge Richard Posner noted, “Law is the most historically oriented, or if you like the most ‘backward-looking, the most ‘past-dependent,’ of the professions”. Lawyers who understand legal principles’ historical roots gain advantages in legal interpretation.

Skills Gained from History

History majors develop key skills that directly apply to legal work:

• Analytical reading and contextual thinking – Students learn to “read against the grain” by questioning sources and understanding their context
• Research methodology – Finding and evaluating evidence from various sources
• Persuasive writing – Building logical, evidence-based arguments
• Factual analysis and reasoning – Drawing sound conclusions from complex information
• Historical perspective – Learning how laws evolved within society

A former litigator stated, “There is no better preparation for the rigors of law school than a history degree”. One history major noted that their undergraduate work “prepared me well for what others found most difficult” in law school.

Historical source analysis mirrors legal analysis skills. “When you look at these little pieces of evidence, you learn to read them against the grain… That skill is critical in law”.

Best Law Careers for History Graduates

History majors thrive in many legal specializations. More than 20% of state supreme court members hold bachelor’s degrees in history, though history majors make up only 1.5% of college graduates. This shows a strong path to judicial careers.

History graduates have built successful careers as:

• Constitutional and civil rights attorneys
• Legal researchers and scholars
• Paralegals and litigation support specialists
• Judicial clerks and court administrators
• Legal historians providing expert testimony

Government careers often welcome history graduates. Many work as legislative staff members who draft laws and research policy options. Others join government agencies or private foundations where their research and writing talents shine.

Some graduates focus on litigation support research or serve as expert witnesses in cases needing historical context. Their knowledge helps document property lines, confirm historic building significance, and research civil rights precedents.

Many universities offer specialized courses in American legal history, constitutional development, and related topics. These courses give students extra preparation for law school’s environment where historical context remains vital to understanding legal principles.

3. English

English degrees regularly rank among the top preparatory paths for aspiring attorneys. Law schools look for English majors because of their strong analytical skills and communication abilities that transfer directly to legal practice.

Why English is Great for Law School

English majors excel in law school because the basic skills taught in literature programs match those needed in legal education. A practicing attorney said, “No matter what I’m doing, every single day, I’m reading and writing all day, always, always, always. My English degree has definitely come in handy for that”.

The American Bar Association (ABA) specifically mentions English as traditional preparation for law school, among history, philosophy, political science, economics, and business. This recognition comes from the overlap between literary analysis and legal reasoning. Both fields require careful examination of texts, identification of important details, and creation of coherent arguments.

Law professors praise English graduates for their preparedness consistently. Professor Teresa Brostoff, a legal writing director, noted: “We are always happy when English majors apply. Because of the rigorous course of their study, they have done a lot of reading and critical analysis”. On top of that, many practicing attorneys recommend English as ideal preparation—one lawyer recalled: “When I asked them what I should major in, they all said English”.

Skills Gained from English

English programs develop several vital competencies that benefit future lawyers directly:

• Close reading and textual analysis – Knowing how to analyze complex texts, identify key arguments, and recognize subtle implications
• Advanced writing proficiency – Experience crafting persuasive arguments with precision and clarity
• Critical thinking – Evaluating multiple interpretations and constructing well-reasoned positions
• Audience awareness – Understanding how to tailor communication for different readers, a skill one attorney described as “being very particular about word choice”
• Emotional intelligence – Developing empathy through literature, which one lawyer called “very important in general”

These skills connect directly to legal work. A second-year law student with a literature degree explained the connection: “I had a professor in the English department talk about writing, saying that you were looking for the red thread running through the paper to follow it to find the consistent storyline. That helps me to track and follow arguments as I’m reading, as well as writing”.

Best Law Careers for English Graduates

English majors thrive in numerous legal specializations that need strong communication abilities:

• Corporate law – Contract analysis and negotiation require exceptional reading and writing skills
• Litigation – Persuasive writing and argument construction are paramount
• Legal writing and research – Using advanced analytical reading capabilities
• Publishing and intellectual property law – Using understanding of creative works and textual analysis
• Judicial clerkships – Writing clarity and precision are highly valued

Typical LSAT/GPA Outcomes for English

English majors show strong performance on key law school admissions metrics. Their average LSAT score ranges from 155.2 to 155.74, placing them above the overall average LSAT score. Their typical GPA averages approximately 3.50, which shows strong academic performance.

The acceptance rate for English majors stands at 79.42%, with 68.31% enrolling in law programs. This shows that English majors not only get accepted but pursue legal education at high rates confidently.

Some institutions report exceptional results. At the University of Kentucky College of Law, English majors scored the highest LSAT averages (162) among all Arts and Sciences majors for the fall 2014 entering class. This score placed them above the 75th percentile for that law school, showing how analytical skills from literary study can lead to standardized test success.

4. Philosophy

Philosophy is one of the best preparatory majors for law school. It outperforms almost all other undergraduate disciplines on significant admissions metrics. Students who ask what are the best degrees for law school will find that philosophy offers unique advantages to develop the precise analytical skills they need for legal education.

Why Philosophy is Great for Law School

Philosophy builds an exceptional foundation for legal careers through its focus on critical thinking and argumentation. The American Bar Association sees philosophy as ideal preparation because legal education heavily involves creating and evaluating arguments.

The methods used in both fields share remarkable similarities. Federal appellate judge Richard Posner noted, “The methods of analytic philosophy and legal reasoning are mainly the same”. Both fields require careful distinctions, analysis of logical consistency, uncovering hidden assumptions, and thorough exploration of implications.

Several universities now offer specialized philosophy tracks for pre-law students. The University of Georgia’s “Law, Ethics, & Philosophy” minor shows how these disciplines complement each other.

Skills Gained from Philosophy

Philosophy students learn several critical skills that transfer directly to legal education:

• Analytical reasoning and argumentation – Building clear, logical arguments essential for practicing law
• Critical examination of complex texts – Analyzing difficult and closely argued materials
• Logical reasoning – Spotting fallacies and evaluating validity of arguments
• Precise communication – Speaking and writing with clarity and precision
• Problem-solving methodology – Breaking complex problems into manageable parts

These skills line up perfectly with what law schools want in candidates. One law school dean said, “More rigorous majors like economics, philosophy and math do better”.

Best Law Careers for Philosophy Graduates

Philosophy graduates thrive in many legal specialties because of their strong analytical skills:

Patent law works well, especially for those with technical backgrounds. Bioethics and health law utilize philosophy’s ethical foundations, making graduates valuable in hospital compliance, research ethics boards, and policy development.

Food and drug regulation, environmental law, and administrative law are other great options. Constitutional and civil rights law benefit from philosophy’s emphasis on logical argumentation and ethical principles.

Typical LSAT/GPA Outcomes for Philosophy

Philosophy majors show remarkable LSAT performance. During the 2022-2023 academic year, they averaged 159.47 on the LSAT, ranking second highest among all majors with many test-takers. Only economics majors scored higher with 161.71. This trend has stayed consistent over time, with philosophy ranking second overall in 1991-1992, 1994-1995, 2003-2004, and 2017-2018.

Philosophy majors have an impressive 75.5% admission rate, higher than any other major according to some studies. These graduates get accepted into prestigious law schools nationwide, including Cornell, Boston College, Duke, William & Mary, and UVA.

Philosophy majors excel in other graduate admissions tests too. They rank first in average GRE Verbal Reasoning (160), first in GRE Analytical Writing (4.3), and fourth in average GMAT scores (588). These results show how widely applicable their analytical skills are.

5. Psychology

Psychology is a popular choice among aspiring lawyers. Students learn about human behavior and decision-making that become great assets in legal settings. Psychology consistently ranks among the top five majors for pre-law students. This makes it an excellent foundation for those wondering what are the best undergraduate degrees for law school.

Why Psychology is Great for Law School

Future attorneys need a deep understanding of human motivation and behavior to work with witnesses, juries, clients, and opposing counsel. Legal success depends on careful problem analysis, information gathering, and clear communication of conclusions from multiple data sources.

Psychology backgrounds appeal to law schools. The discipline builds research capabilities and analytical skills that directly benefit legal education. The American Bar Association (ABA) doesn’t specify any major for law school admission, yet psychology remains a top choice.

Understanding human judgment makes psychology valuable in legal contexts. Students can take courses like Psychology and Law or Children and the Law that connect directly to legal studies. Psychology courses about cognition help future lawyers understand how witnesses and jurors process evidence—a key advantage during trials.

Skills Gained from Psychology

Psychology education builds several key competencies needed in legal practice:

• Critical thinking and analytical reasoning – Students learn to assess complex problems and apply theoretical frameworks to ground situations
• Research methodology – Data collection, analysis, and interpretation prepare students for legal research challenges
• Communication skills – Students develop strong written and verbal abilities through research papers and presentations
• Understanding human behavior – Learning about motivation, perception, and decision-making helps with jury selection, witness examination, and client relations
• Ethical reasoning – Research ethics in psychology mirror legal ethical requirements

Classes in social psychology, attitudes, and prejudice teach persuasion techniques, evidence interpretation, and interpersonal processes that matter in legal settings. Learning about psychopathology and clinical psychology benefits those interested in criminal law or mental health-related practice.

Best Law Careers for Psychology Graduates

Psychology graduates thrive in legal specialties that need behavioral expertise:

Forensic psychology bridges both disciplines naturally. These professionals evaluate people in legal proceedings, testify as expert witnesses, and work together with law enforcement. Their role includes psychological evaluations for court cases, correctional program design, and mental illness consultation.

Legal psychology creates another career path that focuses on research about eyewitness testimony, jury decisions, and psychological factors in criminal behavior. These psychologists explain human behavior in legal contexts.

Developmental psychology knowledge helps professionals in juvenile or family law. They understand how children and teens grow and adapt, which explains youth involvement in crime.

Mediation and conflict resolution need professionals who understand underlying motivations. Correctional psychology serves the mental health needs of prison populations.

Psychology graduates also excel in legal advocacy and policy analysis. Their grasp of human behavior and social issues helps shape policies, drive change, and protect client interests.

6. Criminal Justice

Criminal justice degrees give students direct, ground exposure to the legal system that other majors can’t match. About 5% of law school applicants have criminal justice backgrounds. This experience helps them understand legal processes and institutions better.

Why Criminal Justice is Great for Law School

Students who want to pursue careers in criminal law find criminal justice a perfect match. This major puts you right in the middle of corrections systems, court proceedings, and legal frameworks. You learn legal terminology, trial processes, and procedural elements before you step into law school.

The original criminal justice programs teach you what criminal law means – our society’s formal way of condemning unacceptable behavior. This knowledge becomes a great asset during first-year criminal law courses that cover homicide, sexual assault, and related defenses.

Law schools don’t guarantee admission based on any undergraduate major. Criminal justice is popular because it emphasizes the knowledge breadth and intellectual flexibility that law schools want. Many universities know this connection and offer specialized pre-law tracks in their criminal justice programs.

Skills Gained from Criminal Justice

The criminal justice curriculum builds several vital competencies for legal careers:

• Analytical skills – Breaking down complex legal issues and evaluating evidence
• Research proficiency – Gathering evidence, reviewing statutes, and analyzing case precedents
• Communication expertise – Making clear arguments verbally and in writing
• Ethical judgment – Working through moral considerations in client representation
• Practical understanding – Learning how legal institutions work in ground settings

Criminal justice majors learn to multitask and solve problems under pressure – skills they need for legal practice. The program teaches critical thinking about criminal behavior, helps rationalize complex situations, and shows how to apply theoretical knowledge to actual scenarios.

Best Law Careers for Criminal Justice Graduates

Criminal justice prepares you well for various legal roles, though the American Bar Association doesn’t recommend any specific undergraduate major.

Graduates excel as prosecutors in state attorneys’ offices, federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security, or the U.S. military’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Some become defense attorneys in private practice or public defender offices.

Criminal litigators draft motions, argue cases before judges and juries, investigate facts, interview witnesses, and develop prosecution or defense strategies. Criminal justice education’s practical nature makes its graduates suited for positions that need strong legal writing, research, and oral advocacy.

Law school students with criminal justice backgrounds often get extra experience through externships with prosecutors’ offices, public defenders, or judicial clerkships. These ground experiences and formal education build strong foundations for specialized legal careers.

7. Economics

Economics is common among undergraduate degrees that prepare students for legal education. Economics majors score higher on the LSAT than students from other major disciplines with large numbers of applicants.

Why Economics is Great for Law School

Students find economics provides excellent training for law school. The subject connects theoretical and practical aspects of legal education. Students who want to pursue corporate law benefit from the discipline’s focus on analytical reasoning. Economics teaches you to analyze large datasets and connect information that might seem unrelated at first glance.

Legal practice now relies heavily on evidence-based decisions. Economics helps you understand how laws shape financial choices. Many judges and lawyers use economic reasoning to settle legal disputes. Economic reasoning serves as the foundation for legal arguments in antitrust law, tax law, bankruptcy, and securities regulation.

Skills Gained from Economics

Economics students develop several skills that directly apply to legal education:

• Critical thinking and analysis – Economics emphasizes logical reasoning and deductive analysis
• Data interpretation – You learn to analyze trends and draw conclusions from quantitative information
• Cost-benefit evaluation – This framework helps assess legal rules and policies
• Statistical proficiency – This skill helps interpret evidence in various legal contexts
• Financial literacy – You understand parties’ financial circumstances in legal cases

Best Law Careers for Economics Graduates

Economics backgrounds prove valuable in several legal specializations. Antitrust lawyers need to understand market structures and competitive effects. Tax law practitioners benefit from economics training because they must understand how tax policies affect businesses and individuals.

Economic principles play a key role in corporate and securities law, as well as bankruptcy law where financial analysis matters most. Regulatory law, environmental law, and mergers and acquisitions offer additional promising career paths.

Typical LSAT/GPA Outcomes for Economics

Economics majors show remarkable performance on standardized tests. Their LSAT scores average between 157.4 and 161.7, putting them at the top or second highest among all disciplines. Recent data shows economics majors achieved a mean LSAT score of 158.9 with an average GPA of 3.49.

Economics majors managed to keep this top performance throughout multiple years of analysis (1991-2008). These strong results helped economics majors secure the second highest acceptance rates among law school applicants.

8. Sociology

Sociology gives future lawyers a powerful edge by teaching them about social structures that shape legal systems. Law schools now recognize that sociology graduates bring valuable points of view about how social factors affect legal outcomes.

Why Sociology is Great for Law School

Students learn about how people and communities receive justice in multicultural societies through sociology. This knowledge becomes even more valuable as the Supreme Court needs sociological understanding to make decisions. Many prestigious law schools actually prefer sociology majors over pre-law students.

Skills Gained from Sociology

The discipline gives students key legal competencies:

• Research methodologies and data analysis (both qualitative and quantitative)
• Critical thinking and analytical reasoning
• Ethical decision-making and problem-solving
• Public speaking and persuasive writing
• Understanding of diverse populations

These abilities match what the legal profession needs – the ability to apply multiple information sources to complex problems.

Best Law Careers for Sociology Graduates

Sociology graduates excel in many legal specialties:

• Family law (using their knowledge of family dynamics)
• Criminal defense (applying their knowledge of social factors in crime)
• Immigration law (putting cultural awareness to work)
• Government and public policy positions

Sociology proves to be one of the best paths to legal education with a 67.1% acceptance rate to law schools.

Next Steps

The right undergraduate degree is a vital step toward law school success. No single path guarantees admission, but some majors develop the fundamental skills that law schools value. Political Science tops the popularity charts by giving direct exposure to governmental frameworks that form the foundations of legal systems. History majors develop contextual thinking abilities – it’s no surprise that five Supreme Court justices chose this path. English graduates shine through their exceptional writing capabilities. Philosophy majors score higher on the LSAT than any other discipline.

Psychology gives future attorneys significant insights into human behavior – a great way to get experience when dealing with witnesses and juries. Criminal Justice students get practical exposure to legal processes that other majors can’t match. Economics majors show remarkable analytical reasoning skills that work well in corporate law settings. Sociology teaches how social structures shape legal outcomes.

Whatever major you pick, we seek students who show strong analytical thinking, research skills, and communication excellence. Success comes from how you develop these core skills during your college years rather than what you study.

Your journey to law school ended up depending on a field that truly interests you. Students excel when they study subjects they find fascinating. They naturally develop the critical thinking skills they just need for law school. These eight options are excellent starting points, but note that the best choice matches your strengths and intellectual interests. This approach will help you build strong foundations to thrive in one of academia’s most competitive programs.