Programs targeted at legal professionals

There are 26 programs targeting legal professionals, with half of them focused on legal aid attorneys, and the majority of the remainder focused on non-profit or governmental work. A few are for specific university graduates, with one program for students studying for the bar exam. The number varies by division, from zero programs in the East South Central region to 6 programs in the South Atlantic region.

The number of loan forgiveness programs targeted at legal professionals is correlated with the median loan amount per state. There is also a weak association between the number of programs available and the number of public service lawyers per capita or the total number of lawyers per capita and the number of programs.

The majority of programs are 1 year contracts, with only 3 programs with a 2 or 3 year contract. However, 20 programs are renewable. Total program amounts vary from $3,000 to $60,000. It is important to note that these do not offset the cost of law school to the same extent as the healthcare programs. The average cost of law school tuition is $146,484. These programs are largely in place to encourage new lawyers to pursue legal aid careers which they may be less inclined to pursue due to the lesser salaries. Entry level civil legal services lawyers make an average of $64,143, compared to first year associates at law firms who have an average salary of $155,000 at small firms, and $200,000 at large firms.