Legal Professions and Studies, Other.
Data details: Graduation rate, gender, ethnicity, and summary are for this specific degree (6-digit CIP) from IPEDS. Salary, debt, and related financial outcomes are based on the degree category (4-digit CIP) from the College Scorecard API. ← Back to search
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Please use your own discretion when interpreting these results. For certain degrees, a limited number of institutions report to the government's College Scorecard API, which may cause the data to be skewed or less representative of national trends. Consider these figures as informative but not definitive, and consult additional sources or advisors for important decisions.
Debt to Income Ratio
Debt-to-income analysis for Legal Professions and Studies, Other.: The DTI for this program is 51.1%, which is within the generally accepted range for higher education. While not as low as some top-performing degrees, this ratio suggests that most graduates can manage their student loan payments, especially if they secure employment in related fields. If you are considering Legal Professions and Studies, Other., compare your expected starting salary (currently $51329) to the average debt ($26243) to ensure it fits your financial goals in .
Degrees with a DTI between 0.5 and 0.8 are common, but it's wise to plan your budget and consider loan repayment options.
Important financial note for Legal Professions and Studies, Other.: The debt-to-income ratio for this program is 51.1%, which is above the recommended maximum of 80%. This means that, on average, graduates may need to dedicate a significant portion of their first-year earnings to student loan payments. If you are considering Legal Professions and Studies, Other., be sure to weigh the average starting salary ($51329) against the typical student debt ($26243), and explore scholarships, grants, or alternative funding sources to reduce your financial burden in and beyond.
Key Insights
Legal Professions and Studies, Other. is a program that attracts motivated students who want to make an impact. Starting pay for new grads is typically $51329, and with an average debt of $26243, the debt-to-income ratio comes in at 0.51—which is about average for college grads.
This program sees about 2229 graduates annually, so you’ll be joining a well-established network. Whether you’re aiming for a high-paying job, a stable career, or a chance to make an impact, Legal Professions and Studies, Other. is a great foundation. Remember, your journey is shaped by the opportunities you pursue—so get involved and stay curious!
Degree Overview
Legal Professions and Studies, Other (CIP 22.9999) is the ultimate interdisciplinary "catch-all" category for legal professionals who work in specialized fields that don't fit into traditional law school or paralegal boxes. While a J.D. program focuses on litigation and a paralegal program on support, professionals in this "Other" category are "Legal Innovation Strategists." They study Legal Design, Justice Tech, Regulatory Engineering, and the impact of decentralized systems (like Blockchain) on global law. It is a path for "visionary rule-makers" who want to build the legal infrastructure of the future.
This field is ideal for "boundary-crossers"—individuals who want to combine legal knowledge with another high-level skill set, such as environmental science, computer programming, or international diplomacy.
What Is a 22.9999 "Other" Legal Professions Degree?
A degree in this category is an analytical and professional path that emphasizes legal systems design, cross-border regulation, and emerging risk. You will study the "Logical Core" of law—understanding how rules are created and enforced—but apply it to areas that are still "uncharted territory" in the legal world. Because this code houses programs that are often unique or experimental, your studies might focus on Outer Space Governance, Global Privacy Architecture, or the creation of "Self-Executing" Smart Contracts. It prepares you to be a "Systems Architect" for the legal world.
Schools offer this degree to:
- Train "Legal Engineers" who design software to automate complex legal workflows and increase access to justice
- Develop experts in Compliance for Emerging Tech, focusing on the laws governing CRISPR, AI, and Autonomous Systems
- Prepare professionals for Conflict Transformation, working in international peace-building and specialized restorative justice programs
- Study Legal Design Thinking, redesigning legal documents and court systems to be more user-friendly for the average citizen
What Will You Learn?
Students learn that "the law is not just a set of rules, but a piece of technology" that can be improved and redesigned. You focus on the intersection of logic, ethics, and innovation.
Core Skills You’ll Build
Most students learn to:
- Master Systems Mapping—visualizing how a single regulation impacts the environment, the economy, and human rights
- Use "Regulatory Sandboxes" to test new business models and legal rules in a controlled environment
- Design Automated Compliance Systems—building "guardrails" directly into software and corporate processes
- Perform Comparative Jurisprudence—identifying the best legal solutions from around the world to solve a local problem
- Utilize Justice Design Thinking—applying human-centered design to make legal processes more accessible
- Understand Digital Forensics and Chain of Custody—managing evidence in the age of cloud computing and encryption
Topics You May Explore
Coursework is a highly customized blend of legal theory, technology, and social science:
- Global Regulatory Harmonization: The study of how to align conflicting laws between different nations or trade blocs.
- Justice Technology (JusTech): Exploring how AI, VR, and Blockchain can be used to resolve disputes or provide legal aid.
- Bio-Law and Neural Ethics: The legal challenges posed by brain-computer interfaces and advanced genetic editing.
- Legal Operations (LegalOps): The business and technical management of high-performing legal departments.
- The Law of the "Commons": How to regulate resources that no one person owns, like the ocean, the atmosphere, or the internet.
- Restorative and Alternative Justice: Systems of law that focus on healing and community rather than just punishment.
What Jobs Can You Get With This Degree?
Graduates find roles as specialists, directors, and consultants in the tech, non-profit, and international sectors.
Common job roles include:
- Legal Technologist: Building and managing the "Justice Tech" tools used by law firms and non-profits.
- Regulatory Strategist: Helping startups navigate the legal "gray areas" of new inventions or business models.
- Justice Systems Designer: Working for court systems to streamline and modernize their public interfaces.
- Global Privacy Officer: Managing the legal data-protection strategy for international corporations.
- Mediation and Peacemaking Consultant: Managing complex negotiations for international organizations or tribal governments.
- Ethics and Compliance Lead: Overseeing the "Responsible AI" or "Sustainability" efforts of a major brand.
Where Can You Work?
These specialists are the "bridge-builders" of the legal future:
- Silicon Valley and Global Tech Hubs: Working at the intersection of code and law.
- International Organizations: Working for the UN, the WTO, or the World Economic Forum on global governance.
- Innovative Law Firms: Working in specialized departments focused on "New Law" and legal operations.
- Non-Profit Policy Centers: Designing new ways to protect human rights in the digital age.
- University Research Labs: Leading the academic study of "The Future of Law."
How Much Can You Earn?
Because of the rare combination of legal and technical or strategic skills, salaries in this "Other" category can be quite high, especially in the private sector.
- Legal Operations/Tech Directors: Median annual salary of approximately $115,000–$165,000+.
- Global Privacy/Regulatory Leads: Salaries typically range from $120,000 to $180,000.
- Legal Innovation Consultants: Median annual salary of around $90,000–$140,000.
- Entry-Level Legal Technologists: Often start between $65,000 and $85,000.
Is This Degree Hard?
The difficulty is in the lack of a "map." You are often studying things that don't have a long history of textbooks or established rules. It requires a brilliantly creative and logical mindset—you must be comfortable with ambiguity and have the stamina to build your own path. It is a major that rewards those who are "Strategic Visionaries" and who enjoy the challenge of asking "What if the law worked differently?"
Who Should Consider This Degree?
This degree may be a good fit if you:
- Love the logic of the law but feel that traditional law school is too "stuck in the past"
- Are a "hacker" at heart—someone who likes to find a system's weaknesses and improve them
- Are fascinated by the "Next Big Thing" (AI, Space, Biotech) and its legal consequences
- Want a career that offers high influence and the chance to be a global thought leader
- Enjoy a mix of philosophy, technology, and social advocacy
How to Prepare in High School
- Take AP Government and AP Computer Science; the future of law is written in both statutes and code
- Take a Philosophy or Ethics course to practice thinking about the deep "why" behind the rules
- Join a Speech, Debate, or Model UN club to practice persuasive communication and policy design
- Practice Systems Thinking—hobbies like strategy games, building complex models, or coding help you see the "big picture"
- Read about "Smart Contracts" and Legal Tech to see how the industry is already changing
The ability to apply visionary legal logic and interdisciplinary mastery to the complexities of future systems is the hallmark of a successful professional in this field.
Personality Fit (RIASEC Profile)
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