Law + Business Admissions Guide
Every JD/MBA Program in the U.S.: The Complete 2026 List
Quick Answer
More than 150 ABA-accredited U.S. law schools offer a JD/MBA dual degree, far more than the 10 to 15 schools that appear on most rankings. A JD/MBA takes three to four years instead of the five required to earn each degree separately. Most programs require separate admission to both the law school and the business school; Penn and Northwestern use a single joint application, and Northwestern requires no LSAT. The complete state-by-state list of all 163 U.S. and 6 Canadian programs is below.
In this guide
- What is a JD/MBA dual degree?
- Why do a JD/MBA? Six benefits
- The three JD/MBA formats
- How JD/MBA admissions work
- How to apply to two programs at once
- How JD/MBA tuition works
- Accelerated 3-year programs at a glance
- Program spotlights: how the top programs differ
- LSAT and GMAT scores at the top schools
- The complete list, state by state
- JD/MBA programs in Canada
- How to choose among 150+ programs
- Frequently asked questions
Search for “JD/MBA programs” and you’ll find the same ten or fifteen schools on every list: Harvard, Penn, Northwestern, and a handful of others. But here’s what those lists won’t tell you: more than 150 American law schools offer a JD/MBA dual degree. Nearly every ABA-accredited law school whose university has a graduate business school, or a partnership with one, will let you earn both degrees together, usually a full year (or two) faster than earning them separately.
This guide is the complete picture. Below you’ll find every JD/MBA program we could verify, organized state by state, plus how the three program formats work, how admissions differ from school to school, and answers to the questions applicants ask us most.
What Is a JD/MBA Dual Degree?
A JD/MBA is a formal dual-degree program in which you earn a Juris Doctor from a law school and a Master of Business Administration from a business school at the same time. Done separately, the two degrees take five years: three for the JD, two for the MBA. Every JD/MBA program compresses that timeline by letting a block of credits count toward both degrees. The only real difference between programs is how aggressively they compress it.
Graduates typically head into corporate and transactional law, investment banking and private equity, consulting, entrepreneurship, in-house counsel and compliance roles, real estate, and leadership tracks where reading both a contract and a balance sheet is the job description.
Why Do a JD/MBA? Six Benefits
Committees will ask why you need both degrees, and the honest answers tend to fall into six categories.
Work the seam between law and business
The dual degree opens corporate and transactional law, private equity, venture capital, consulting, and operating leadership: the roles that sit between the two fields.
Spot risk and price it
The JD trains you to identify and manage risk. The MBA trains you to price it, finance it, and make the decision anyway. Together they cover the whole deal.
Two degrees, one saved year
Four years instead of five at most schools, and three at the accelerated programs. That is a year of tuition saved and a year of earnings gained.
Double the alumni base
You graduate into both the law school and business school alumni communities, which rarely overlap and open different doors.
Built for the top seat
General counsel, CEO, founder, investor: the roles where JD/MBA graduates cluster all require reading a contract and a balance sheet in the same meeting.
Move between worlds for decades
Careers are long. The dual degree lets you shift between practice, business, and hybrid roles as industries and your interests evolve.
The Three JD/MBA Formats
The classic structure
Both schools’ core years first, the full 1L curriculum and the first-year MBA core, then two blended elective years. Harvard, Stanford, NYU, Berkeley, Michigan, and UVA follow this model. You keep two summers, so you can do a legal internship one year and a business internship the next.
Accelerated
Summers become coursework and more credits cross-count. At Penn: 1L year, a program-exclusive Wharton/Law summer term, a Wharton-core second year, and a blended final year with a deal-simulation capstone. Northwestern’s version doesn’t even require the LSAT. You give up one internship summer, and save a year of tuition and foregone salary.
The middle path
Offered by schools like Duke, Emory, and South Carolina. It is usually the four-year sequence shortened by a semester through summer coursework or a one-year MBA format.
How JD/MBA Admissions Work
Admissions structure varies more than applicants expect, and it can change which schools belong on your list:
- Single joint application: Penn (Carey Law + Wharton) and Northwestern (Pritzker + Kellogg) admit you to the dual program through one unified application. Northwestern accepts the GMAT or GRE with no LSAT required.
- Separate admission to both schools: The most common model: Harvard, Stanford, Yale, NYU, Michigan, UVA, and most others require you to be admitted independently by the law school and the business school, either simultaneously or by adding the second degree after you enroll in the first.
- Hybrid processes: Duke uses one online application reviewed independently by each school; Columbia’s three-year program runs through the business school’s portal; Chicago accepts the GRE, GMAT, or LSAT for its accelerated track.
Two admissions committees also means two parallel application strategies. ConnectPrep’s one-on-one admissions advising program builds a single coherent story that works for both, from school selection through final essays.
How to Apply to Two Programs at Once
Applying to a JD/MBA is really two applications wrapped around one story. Here is the playbook our advisors use:
- Build one coherent narrative first. Law readers and business readers look for different things, but they compare notes. Your reason for wanting both degrees has to be specific to your career, not a hedge.
- Map each school’s process type. Penn admits through one integrated Wharton application and will not admit you to just one school. Chicago runs a centralized joint application with interviews at both schools and can admit you to one or both. Columbia’s three-year program runs through the business school with early and regular rounds. NYU keeps the two applications fully separate, with separate decisions. Knowing which model each target uses changes your whole calendar.
- Sequence your tests early. Test policies vary school by school: some require the LSAT, some accept GRE or GMAT for everything, and a few accelerated tracks are GRE-only. Lock your testing plan 12 to 18 months out so scores never bottleneck an application.
- Recruit two recommender sets. Law schools want academic or analytical references; MBA programs want professional ones who have seen you lead. Line both up early and coordinate what each will cover.
- Sequence the rounds. MBA programs review in rounds (typically September and January); law schools review on rolling timelines from September onward. Applying early strengthens both files, and at joint-decision schools the earlier round is usually the real deadline.
- Run a consistency pass. Before anything goes out, audit both files side by side. Dates, titles, goals, and even how you describe the same project must line up, because committees do compare.
How JD/MBA Tuition Works
Dual-degree billing is simpler than most applicants expect. At nearly every school you pay the tuition of your home school for each term: law school rates during law-heavy terms and business school rates during your MBA year, with some universities charging a single blended program rate instead. You are never paying two tuitions at once.
The real economics come from the calendar. Because a block of credits counts toward both degrees, the standard four-year JD/MBA eliminates a full year of tuition compared to earning the degrees separately, and the three-year accelerated formats eliminate two. Add the extra year of salary you start earning sooner, and the accelerated formats often swing the total cost of attendance by well over $150,000, even after paying for the summer terms they require.
Financial aid runs through each school separately: you file aid applications with both, and merit scholarships can come from either side. A law school merit award typically applies during law terms and a business school fellowship during MBA terms, so a strong file on both sides can discount both halves of the degree. This is one more reason test scores matter twice in this process, and one more place where a well-sequenced application pays for itself.
Accelerated 3-Year JD/MBA Programs at a Glance
If speed matters most, these schools offer a three-year (or flexible) path:
- 3-year Penn (Wharton), Northwestern (Kellogg), Columbia, Notre Dame, SMU, Temple, George Mason, Richmond, Georgia, Belmont, Saint Louis University, Western University (Canada)
- 3 or 4 Chicago (Booth), Yale, Cornell (Johnson), USC (Gould/Marshall), Boston University (Questrom), Indiana–Bloomington (Kelley), Texas Tech
- 3.5-year Duke (Fuqua), Emory (Goizueta), South Carolina (Darla Moore), University of Ottawa (Canada)
Program Spotlights: How the Top JD/MBA Programs Differ
The programs below get the most applicant attention — but they take meaningfully different approaches to the same dual degree. Here’s what actually distinguishes them.
Harvard University
Harvard Law School + Harvard Business School
Approach: The most selective JD/MBA in the country, and one of the oldest. Students complete the 1L curriculum at HLS and the case-method first year at HBS in whichever order they choose, then blend electives for two years, anchored by a year-long Joint Degree Seminar taught by faculty from both schools.
Known for: A tight, tiny cohort and generalist leadership training. Graduates skew toward private equity, corporate boards, and public leadership as much as big law.
University of Pennsylvania
Penn Carey Law + The Wharton School
Approach: The most fully integrated program in the country. One application, one cohort, and a curriculum built for the dual degree: 1L year, a summer term of Wharton and law courses exclusive to JD/MBA students, a Wharton-core second year, and a final year capped by a capstone simulating startup structuring, M&A, and restructuring deals.
Known for: Transactional and deal-oriented careers; students still complete a full Wharton major.
Northwestern University
Pritzker School of Law + Kellogg School of Management
Approach: One application, no LSAT (GMAT or GRE only), and a clean year-by-year structure: 1L year in Chicago, Kellogg credits over the first summer, a fully immersive year at Kellogg in Evanston, then back to the law school.
Known for: Letting students complete a real Kellogg major in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Strategy, or Managing Organizations, with optional specializations in areas like AI, sustainability, and healthcare.
University of Chicago
UChicago Law + Booth School of Business
Approach: Recently added an accelerated three-year track alongside the traditional four-year path, with a first year focused on law. Accepts any of the three admissions tests, and runs a scholars track that lets UChicago undergraduates lock in a seat early.
Known for: Booth’s famously flexible curriculum paired with the law school’s law-and-economics tradition, a natural fit for antitrust, regulation, and finance.
Columbia University
Columbia Law School + Columbia Business School
Approach: An intensive, cross-disciplinary three-year curriculum administered through the business school, and one of the few top programs where the accelerated format is the default rather than the exception.
Known for: Proximity to New York deal flow; a natural pipeline into banking, capital markets, and the corporate practices of major New York firms.
Yale University
Yale Law School + Yale School of Management
Approach: Offers both a three-year accelerated option and the traditional four-year path, with separate admission to each school. SOM’s integrated core curriculum pairs unusually well with Yale Law’s unstructured, writing-heavy upper years.
Known for: Mission-driven paths. Students heading toward government, policy, nonprofits, and social enterprise as often as private practice.
Stanford University
Stanford Law School + Stanford GSB
Approach: Deliberately flexible: students apply to each school separately and can add the second degree after enrolling in the first, sequencing the curriculum to fit their goals.
Known for: The obvious one: technology and entrepreneurship. The degree of choice for founders who want a law license and venture-backed ambitions at the same time.
Duke University
Duke Law + Fuqua School of Business
Approach: Duke’s oldest dual degree uses a single online application reviewed independently by each school, and can be shortened by a semester through summer coursework.
Known for: Fuqua’s team-based culture layered onto a top-tier law school, a strong fit for consulting, health care, and general-management paths.
Cornell University
Cornell Law School + Johnson Graduate School of Management
Approach: Students apply to both schools simultaneously and choose between a three-year accelerated track and the traditional four-year sequence.
Known for: One of the best value propositions among elite programs. The accelerated track runs roughly $265,000 all-in, meaningfully less than peer programs’ four-year totals.
New York University
NYU School of Law + Stern School of Business
Approach: A classic four-year structure in the middle of the biggest legal and financial market in the country. Students apply to NYU Law and Stern separately and can add the second degree after enrolling.
Known for: Corporate law, tax, and finance. NYU Law’s corporate and tax faculties are among the strongest anywhere, and Stern adds Wall Street depth.
Georgetown University
Georgetown Law + McDonough School of Business
Approach: A four-year joint degree at the largest law school in the country, steps from the agencies and committees that write the rules businesses live by.
Known for: Regulatory work, government contracts, antitrust, and policy-facing business careers. No other JD/MBA sits this close to the regulators.
University of Michigan
Michigan Law + Ross School of Business
Approach: A flexible four-year sequence. Students may begin at either school and apply to the second during their first year, and Ross adds its signature action-based learning projects to the law curriculum.
Known for: A collegial national program that places well on both coasts and in Chicago, with strength in general management and corporate work.
University of Virginia
UVA School of Law + Darden School of Business
Approach: Four years pairing UVA Law’s famously collegial culture with Darden’s rigorous case-method general management program. Applicants are admitted separately by each school.
Known for: Producing well-rounded leaders for big law, banking, and general management, with a student experience consistently rated among the best at both schools.
UCLA
UCLA Law + Anderson School of Management
Approach: A four-year joint degree with specialization pathways that map directly onto the Los Angeles economy.
Known for: Entertainment, media, technology, and real estate. For careers where Hollywood dealmaking meets the law, this is the program.
University of Texas at Austin
Texas Law + McCombs School of Business
Approach: A four-year dual degree at the flagship of one of the fastest-growing legal and business markets in the country.
Known for: Energy, infrastructure, and the booming Texas corporate market, at a resident tuition that undercuts nearly every peer program.
Emory University
Emory Law + Goizueta Business School
Approach: Pairs the JD with Goizueta’s one-year MBA to finish in about three and a half years, one of the most time-efficient formats among top-25 programs.
Known for: Atlanta’s corporate market, a highly ranked transactional-law program, and strong placement across the Southeast.
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt Law + Owen Graduate School of Management
Approach: A four-year dual degree backed by Vanderbilt’s dedicated Law and Business program, which threads finance and accounting into the JD itself.
Known for: Health care, one of Nashville’s signature industries, plus a tight alumni network across the South.
Beyond the usual names
Regional and value standouts
Worth a look: USC’s newly launched accelerated three-year track pairs Gould with Marshall in the LA market; Georgia State builds its program around compliance and in-house counsel careers at one of the lowest costs of any JD/MBA; and Boston University’s three-year JD/MBA in Law & Management is one of the longest-running accelerated formats in the Northeast.
In many regional markets, a strong state-flagship JD/MBA outperforms a higher-ranked distant school. See the full list below.
LSAT and GMAT Scores at the Top JD/MBA Schools
Dual-degree applicants usually need to clear two testing bars, one for each school. Here is how recent published class profiles line up: the median LSAT (solid bar) with the approximate 75th percentile (light extension), alongside the average GMAT at the paired business school.
Figures reflect the most recent published class profiles and ABA 509 disclosures at the time of writing; 75th percentile values are approximate. Business schools generally publish class averages or mid-80% ranges rather than percentiles, and nearly all accept the GRE. Verify current-cycle numbers with each school.
The Complete List of JD/MBA Programs, State by State
Every program below pairs an ABA-accredited law school with a graduate business school — either at the same university or through a formal cross-institution partnership (“MBA via …”). Program lengths are badged where the school publishes them; unbadged programs generally follow the standard four-year format. Offerings change, so always confirm details on the school’s website before applying.
Alabama 2 programs
Arizona 1 program
Arkansas 2 programs
California 14 programs
Colorado 2 programs
Connecticut 3 programs
Delaware 1 program
District of Columbia 4 programs
Florida 7 programs
Georgia 4 programs
Hawaii 1 program
Idaho 1 program
Illinois 9 programs
Indiana 3 programs
Iowa 2 programs
Kansas 2 programs
Kentucky 3 programs
Louisiana 3 programs
Maine 1 program
Maryland 2 programs
Massachusetts 6 programs
Michigan 4 programs
Minnesota 2 programs
Mississippi 2 programs
Missouri 4 programs
Montana 1 program
Nebraska 2 programs
Nevada 1 program
New Hampshire 1 program
New Jersey 2 programs
New Mexico 1 program
New York 12 programs
North Carolina 5 programs
North Dakota 1 program
Ohio 8 programs
Oklahoma 3 programs
Oregon 3 programs
Pennsylvania 8 programs
Rhode Island 1 program
South Carolina 2 programs
South Dakota 1 program
Tennessee 4 programs
Texas 7 programs
Utah 2 programs
Virginia 6 programs
Washington 3 programs
West Virginia 1 program
Wisconsin 2 programs
Wyoming 1 program
JD/MBA Programs in Canada
How to Choose Among 150+ Programs
With this many options, the right shortlist comes down to four questions. First, where do you want to practice? Outside the national schools, a law degree’s network is heavily regional. A strong state-flagship JD/MBA can outperform a higher-ranked distant school in its home market. Second, how much does the timeline matter? A three-year format saves roughly a year of tuition plus a year of salary, but costs you an internship summer. Third, which credential is driving the plan? If big-law hiring is the goal, prioritize the law school’s strength; if you’re headed to banking, consulting, or a startup, weight the MBA program and its recruiting pipeline. Fourth, can you realistically clear both admissions bars? At the most selective programs, admitted students typically post LSAT scores of 170+ and GMAT scores around 720+, and most schools make you clear each bar separately.
If those numbers feel far away, they are trainable. ConnectPrep’s LSAT prep and GMAT tutoring programs pair students with senior tutors who build a scores-first study plan around the schools on this list.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a JD/MBA program?
Three to four years, depending on the school. Standard programs run four years; accelerated programs at schools like Penn, Northwestern, and Columbia compress both degrees into three; a few schools offer 3.5-year formats. Earning the degrees separately would take five years.
Do I need both the LSAT and the GMAT?
Usually you need an accepted test for each school, but not always. Northwestern’s JD-MBA requires no LSAT at all (GMAT or GRE only). Chicago accepts the GRE, GMAT, or LSAT for its joint program, and a growing number of law schools accept the GRE. Check each program’s current policy; this is one of the fastest-changing rules in admissions.
Can I apply to the JD/MBA after starting law school?
At most schools, yes. The typical window is during your 1L year, so the MBA year can slot in before your final law year. A few integrated programs, Penn and Northwestern among them, are designed for you to apply to both from the start.
Is a JD/MBA worth it?
It depends on the career. The dual degree earns its cost when the job genuinely sits at the intersection of law and business: M&A and private equity, corporate restructuring, founding or running companies, general counsel tracks, real estate development. If you’re certain you want to litigate, or certain you want a pure business career, one degree alone is usually the better investment. This is exactly the trade-off worth working through with an advisor before you apply.
Which JD/MBA programs have a single application?
Penn’s Carey JD/MBA (through Wharton) and Northwestern’s JD-MBA (through Kellogg) use one unified application. Duke uses a single online application reviewed independently by each school, and Columbia’s three-year program is administered through Columbia Business School. Nearly everywhere else, you apply to both schools separately and must be admitted by each.
How does tuition work in a JD/MBA program?
At most schools you pay your home school’s tuition each term: law school rates during law terms, business school rates during your MBA year. Because shared credits eliminate a full year (or two, in accelerated formats) versus earning the degrees separately, the dual degree usually costs meaningfully less than a JD plus a standalone MBA. Financial aid and merit scholarships are handled by each school separately.
Do JD/MBA students still take the bar exam?
Yes. The JD in a dual degree is a full ABA-accredited law degree, and graduates sit for the bar exactly like single-degree JD students. The MBA changes nothing about bar eligibility. Many JD/MBA graduates take the bar even when heading into business roles, since an active license keeps the legal career door open.
Can I apply to a JD/MBA with only the GRE?
Increasingly, yes. Most top business schools accept the GRE alongside the GMAT, and a growing majority of law schools now accept the GRE in place of the LSAT. Northwestern’s joint program requires no LSAT at all, Chicago accepts any of the three tests, and USC’s accelerated track works from the GRE. Confirm each school’s current policy before you build a one-test strategy.
Is it harder to get into a JD/MBA than a single program?
Usually, yes, because you have to clear both admissions bars independently, and the joint cohorts are small (Harvard admits roughly ten students a year). The upside: a genuinely coherent dual-degree story can strengthen both files, because each committee sees a candidate with unusually clear direction.
When should I start preparing a JD/MBA application?
Twelve to eighteen months before your first deadline. Tests come first, then the school list, then recommenders by early summer, essay drafts by late summer, and submissions in the earliest rounds you can hit. Because you are running two processes on different calendars, the timeline is less forgiving than a single application.
What happens if I decide to drop one of the degrees?
At schools with separate admission, you can generally continue in either single program if your plans change. Fully integrated programs are different: Penn, for example, admits you to the joint program only. Ask each school how the dual degree unwinds before you enroll, not after.
Plan Your JD/MBA Application with ConnectPrep
Our advisors help students map exactly this decision: which programs fit your career goals, how to sequence the LSAT/GMAT/GRE, how to build one application story that works for two very different admissions committees, and how to line up recommenders, essays, and deadlines across every school on your list.
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About the Author: Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine is the founder of ConnectPrep, a Westport, Connecticut–based academic, test prep, and college and graduate admissions consultancy. He and the ConnectPrep advising team work with students on law school, business school, and dual-degree applications, including JD/MBA program selection, testing strategy, and application execution.
Program details compiled from school websites and admissions guides, August 2026. Always confirm current offerings with each school.