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Earn a Law Degree Online in California

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Start Earning Your JD Degree Online

Purdue Global Law School is a state-accredited, 100% online law school in California. Our online Juris Doctor (JD) program can help you become a lawyer and prepares you to sit for the California Bar Exam. 

You will find a rigorous and convenient online law program that allows you to work if you need to and doesn’t require you to move to be near a traditional campus.

Why Choose Purdue Global Law School

  • Accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California
  • No LSAT required
  • 70% less average tuition than California ABA-accredited law schools
  • 100% online since 1998
  • Innovative curriculum that includes national externships, competitive moot court program, postgraduate legal incubator program, and more
  • Full-time and part-time degree plans
  • Experienced, supportive law faculty
  • More than 2,700 alumni
  • Preparation for the Bar Exam
The Princeton Review Best Online JD Programs logo

Purdue Global Law School was named to The Princeton Review's Best Online JD Programs list for the past 5 years (2021–2025).

An Affordable Online Law Degree

Enrolling in an online law school in California can be a more affordable option than traditional law schools. Purdue Global Law School's Juris Doctor tuition is significantly less average tuition than California ABA-accredited law schools.

Bar Chart showing the cost of Purdue Global Law School's JD Program vs other ABA schools with PGLS being the lowest at $52,900.

Total JD Program Tuition

Source: American Bar Association. Based on the published 2024 tuition rates of 193 ABA-approved programs. Calculation uses average tuition for a resident full-time student for a 3-year period.

Purdue Global Law School Accreditation in California

Due to Purdue Global Law School’s accreditation by the Committee of Bar Examiners, Purdue Global Law School has the authority to offer a Juris Doctor degree that qualifies recipients to take the California Bar Examination and obtain admission to the practice of law in California. With a California law license, you may be eligible to practice outside the state, depending on each state’s rules or the field you specialize in. Interested students should refer to Licensure.PurdueGlobal.edu for state-specific licensure requirements.

ABA Accreditation

The American Bar Association (ABA), the national accreditor for law schools, does not accredit fully online law schools due to its requirement that law schools be primarily campus based. California, however, is one of the few states to accredit law schools independently of the ABA.

Learn About Purdue Global Law School Accreditation

Contact Purdue Global Law School

2029 Century Park East, Suite 400, Los Angeles, California 90067

Phone: 877-757-8189

Email: InfoPGLaw@support.purdueglobal.edu

B&P 6061.7 Disclosure

California Business and Professions Code (B&P) 6061.7 requires a law school that is not approved by the American Bar Association to provide certain information on its website. View the reporting form.

Become a Lawyer in California with an Online Law Degree

If you are interested in becoming a lawyer by attending a California online law program, there are several things to consider, including the steps to becoming a California-licensed attorney and state accreditation and bar requirements. Learn more about how to become a lawyer in California.

Step 1:

Apply Online and Enroll

Step 2:

Complete Your JD Program

 

Step 3:

Prepare for and take the California Bar Exam

Purdue Global Law School Success Stories

“Throughout all my jobs, I harbored the dream to study and practice law, but never had the time or the money to do so. When I was 60, I met a lawyer who was still practicing law at age 100. I realized then that I could still become a lawyer and have a career practicing law.”

Barbara Hodgson

JD Graduate, 2019

“[Purdue Global Law School] has prepared me to be able to do this work because they teach you the background and criminal law. They teach you how to do the legal research. They teach you how to do the citations. They teach you how to write papers. So, they really kind of prepare you for not only the bar exam, but the reality of what's out there in the legal profession.”

Tracy Liberatore

JD Graduate, 2016

Testimonial(s): Testimonials were obtained by Purdue Global. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individual; student experiences may vary.

Opportunities for Licensure in Other States

Purdue Global Law School alumni who pass the California Bar Exam and are admitted to practice may become eligible to sit for the bar examination in other states. Currently, Purdue Global Law School graduates who possess a California license may immediately pursue licensure in the states of North Carolina and Wisconsin.

For information about licensure available in these and other states, please visit Purdue Global’s Licensure and State Authorization page. Students are highly encouraged to seek guidance from the bar admissions office for their state of residence.

FAQs About Law Schools in California

The ABA Standards for the Approval of Law Schools will not currently approve a JD program from a law school that is fully online. However, the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California accredits law schools independently of the ABA. California’s accreditation rules do permit accreditation of fully online law schools. Purdue Global Law School is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California, and its Juris Doctor graduates are eligible to sit for the California Bar Exam upon graduation.

A traditional, in-person Juris Doctor (JD) program takes 3 years to complete for a full-time student and 4 years to complete as a part-time student. At Purdue Global Law School, the part-time JD program typically takes 4 years to complete.

Purdue Global Law School has its own online admissions exam and does not require applicants to take the LSAT. Most campus-based ABA law schools require the LSAT, although in recent years, some traditional schools have begun to accept the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as well.

Learn more about the requirements to get into law school.

There are four basic requirements to become a lawyer in California:

  1. Complete your JD degree at a law school approved by the ABA or State Bar of California.
  2. Pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE)
  3. Pass the California Bar Exam
  4. Pass California’s moral character and fitness screening.

Purdue Global Law School's curriculum and test-taking skills program are both designed to provide you with a solid foundation for this all-important examination. Every one of the subjects on which you may be tested on the exam are required courses taken by all Purdue Global Law School JD students.

As a Purdue Global Law School JD student, you will take a two-semester course called Capstone in your final year, which is designed to reinforce the knowledge and skills you will need to pass the California Bar Exam.

In addition, our students receive a significant reduction on a commercial bar prep program, which can help with your studies in the months leading up to the exam itself.

As of 2022, California has the highest number of lawyers in the United States. That figure is projected to grow by 8.1% by the year 2028, producing an annual average of 6,150 job openings.

See Notes and Conditions section below for important information.

About 71% of lawyers in California work in the private sector. Among those working in the private sector, most work for a law firm, and others work as solo practitioners or as in-house counsel. For those working at a law firm, about 63% work at a relatively small firm (between 2 and 50 attorneys), and 26% work at very large firms (200+ attorneys).

Thirteen percent of California lawyers work in government, with the highest number working for county governments. There are also paths in federal and state government as well as city government and other roles. This breakdown between public and private lawyers in California is similar to the difference at the national level.

See Notes and Conditions section below for important information.

In-person administration of the California Bar Exam resumed in February 2022. California is exploring possible modifications to the bar exam, and it is possible that an online option may become available in the future.

There are a number of specializations for lawyers to pursue in California. The California State Bar Board of Legal Specializations certifies lawyers in the following areas of specialization:

  • Admiralty and maritime law
  • Appellate law
  • Bankruptcy law
  • Criminal law
  • Estate planning, trust, and probate law
  • Family law
  • Franchise and distribution law
  • Immigration and nationality law
  • Legal malpractice law
  • Taxation law
  • Workers' compensation law

Lawyers may also choose to pursue specialization from a California Board of Legal Specialization certified organization. These organizations certify lawyers in the following areas:

See Notes and Conditions section below for important information.

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NOTES AND CONDITIONS

Accreditation: Purdue Global Law School is part of Purdue Global, which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Purdue Global Law School is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California. Due to its accreditation by the Committee of Bar Examiners, Purdue Global Law School has the authority to offer a Juris Doctor degree that qualifies recipients to take the California Bar Examination and obtain admission to the practice of law in California.

Study at, or graduation from, this law school does not qualify graduates to take the bar examination or to satisfy the requirements for admission to practice in jurisdictions other than California, Connecticut, or — with an approved petition — Indiana. Purdue Global Law School cannot guarantee that any individual’s waiver petition will be granted. Graduates who earned their JD degree in 2024 or later are eligible upon graduation to sit for the Connecticut Bar Exam through 2027, at which time Purdue Global Law School will seek renewal. After receiving a law license in California, Connecticut, or Indiana, graduates may also apply to sit for the bar exam in North Carolina and Wisconsin. There may be additional eligibility requirements to be admitted in California or any other state. Refer to Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications page for state-specific requirements.

Purdue Global Law School is not on the list of schools approved by the American Bar Association. The ABA Standards for the Approval of Law Schools will not currently approve a JD program from a law school that is fully online.

Best Online JD Program: The Princeton Review's Best Online JD Programs at Law School list is unranked. The Princeton Review is neither affiliated with nor endorses Purdue Global Law School. Logo from the Princeton Review. ©2025 TPR Education. All rights reserved. Used under license.

Employment and Career Advancement: Purdue Global Law School does not guarantee employment placement or career advancement. Actual outcomes vary by geographic area, previous work experience, and opportunities for employment.

Largest Number of Lawyers: Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, April 2023, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes231011.htm#st.

Lawyers Working in California: Source: The State Bar of California, Bar Brief 3, 2019, https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/BarBrief/Bar-Brief-3.pdf

Projected Job Growth: Source: Employment Development Department, State of California, Occupational Profile, https://labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/cgi/databrowsing/occExplorerQSDetails.asp?searchCriteria=lawyer&careerID=&menuChoice=occexplorer&geogArea=0601000000&soccode=231011&search=Explore+Occupation (updated 2023). Long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Purdue Global Law School does not guarantee employment placement or career advancement. Actual outcomes vary by geographic area, previous work experience, and opportunities for employment.