Best Legal Studies Schools Near Austin, MN (2026)

Austin, Minnesota has 2 accredited schools offering legal studies programs, with tuition ranging from $31,360 to $58,110 per year for indexed programs. Austin has a population of about 26,167. Median household income is $66,488 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Minnesota, the top-earning legal studies-related role is Lawyer at a median $155,140 annually (BLS, May 2025).


The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer legal studies programs near Austin, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Austin city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Austin. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Bethany Lutheran College

Mankato, MN 61.0 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
39.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 39%
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,110
Avg net price $20,148/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,360
Out‑of‑state$31,360
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Hamline University

Saint Paul, MN 89.9 miles from Austin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
66.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,106
Avg net price $20,744/yr
Tuition
In‑state$50,004
Out‑of‑state$50,004
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Minnesota schools on the Minnesota legal studies page.


OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Minnesota, statewide)
Paralegal and Legal Assistant$75,570
Lawyer$155,140
Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$63,180

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Austin at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,167Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,488Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+23.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)


Frequently Asked Questions

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering legal studies programs near Austin. The closest is Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, MN (61.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hamline University (89.9 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying legal studies-related roles in Minnesota are: Lawyer ($155,140), Paralegal and Legal Assistant ($75,570), Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant ($63,180). Wages for Austin workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Owatonna instead of Austin?

Owatonna, MN is 31.7 miles from Austin and has its own set of local legal studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Austin’s median household income of $66,488 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Austin while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Other Programs Available in Austin

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Austin:

Data verified: August 31, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.