In its September, 2009, issue, The National Jurist magazine cites Gonzaga Law as one of its 65 Best Value Law Schools.

“It’s relatively easy to find a law school with a strong academic program, great alumni and employer connections or low tuition,” the magazine says, “but finding one you like that has all three can be a challenge.”

“We have always known that we offer a tremendous value to our students,” said GU Admissions Director Susan Lee. “It’s nice to have that confirmed by a national publication.”

Lee noted that GU School of Law is ranked as the 53rd best value among the US News & World Report Top 100 schools, and among the top 30 percent in the nation.

“When you factor in Spokane’s low cost of living, we represent an especially good value,” Lee said.

In determining what makes a law school a ‘best value,’ The National Jurist story said, “we first looked at tuition, considering only public schools with an in-state tuition less than $25,000, and private schools with an annual tuition that comes in under $30,000.

“We then narrowed the playing field again by including only schools that had an employment rate of at least 85% and a school bar passage rate that was higher than their state average. We then ranked schools, giving greatest weight to tuition, followed closely by employment statistics.

The National Jurist reports that the data used for the survey is derived from the Law School Admissions Council’s “Official Guide to ABA-approved Law Schools,” 2009 edition.