Law is one of the most points-hungry courses on the CAO, and for good reason: it sounds prestigious, it sounds well-paid, and "I want to be a solicitor" is a perfectly respectable answer at the family dinner table. But a law degree is also one of the few CAO choices where the real cost of qualifying only starts after you graduate.
Before you chase the points for Law, it's worth understanding what you're actually signing up for financially — not just the degree, but the years of professional training that come after it.
What does a law degree actually cost in Ireland?
Like most courses, an undergraduate law degree (BCL or LLB) at an Irish university comes with the standard student contribution fee each year, plus accommodation and living costs if you're not commuting. Over a 4-year degree, that adds up — and Law is unusual in that the degree itself is rarely the end of your training.
To practise as a solicitor, you'll generally need to complete the Law Society's professional exams (FE-1s, now the SQE-style entrance exams) and a training contract. To practise as a barrister, you'll sit the King's Inns entrance exam and complete the Barrister-at-Law degree, plus a period of "devilling" — working for free or close to it under a senior barrister. Both routes add time and cost on top of your primary degree.
The 4-year BCL vs the 5-year BCL/LLM route
Some universities offer a straight 4-year BCL, while others offer (or students choose) a 5-year combined BCL/LLM. The extra year can make your CV more competitive for sought-after training contracts at larger firms, particularly if the LLM is in a specialism like commercial or tech law.
But that extra year isn't free. You're paying another year of fees and living costs, and delaying your first proper salary by a year. Whether that trade-off is worth it depends on how much it actually improves your odds of landing a well-paid training contract — which is hard to know in advance. This is exactly the kind of decision where running the numbers helps more than guessing.
What do law graduates actually earn?
This is where it gets specific to your own situation, because "law graduate" covers everyone from a trainee solicitor in a large Dublin firm to a newly qualified barrister still building a client list. As a starting point for the degree itself:
[INSERT GRADUATE SALARY FROM CALCULATOR] is the figure to use as your baseline for a law graduate's early-career earnings. Keep in mind this reflects the degree itself — your actual income in the first few years will depend heavily on whether you're in a training contract, devilling at the Bar, or working in a non-legal graduate role while you study for professional exams part-time.
Solicitor vs barrister: two very different economics
The solicitor route tends to offer more financial predictability early on. Trainee solicitors at larger firms are paid (modestly) during their training contract, and salaries step up noticeably once qualified. It's a structured, employment-based path.
The Bar is a different proposition. Newly called barristers are self-employed from day one, and many earn very little in their first couple of years while they build a reputation and a client base. The upside is that experienced barristers — particularly in commercial, family or criminal law — can eventually out-earn most solicitors significantly. It's a higher-variance path: lower floor, higher ceiling.
So, is it worth it?
Financially, a law degree tends to perform reasonably well over a working lifetime — but the payback period is longer and lumpier than for courses like Computer Science or Engineering, where you're earning a full graduate salary within months of finishing your degree. With Law, you need to factor in the professional training years, during which your income may be lower than a graduate in a directly vocational field.
If you're set on practising law, that's a reasonable trade-off for many people — but it's worth going in with your eyes open about the timeline. And if you're choosing Law mainly because it sounds impressive rather than because you want to practise, it's worth comparing it honestly against other high-ROI options. Our look at the lowest-ROI degrees in Ireland is a good companion read if you want the full picture before you commit your CAO points.
See the starting salary, 5-year salary and payback period for Law alongside 70+ other Irish college courses — free, no sign-up required.
Open the ROI CalculatorFrequently asked questions
Is a 4-year BCL or a 5-year BCL/LLM route better value?
A 4-year BCL is cheaper and gets you to the King's Inns or Law Society exams a year sooner, which usually means a year's head start on earning. A 5-year BCL/LLM can strengthen your CV for competitive training contracts, but it adds another year of fees and living costs before you earn a salary. Run both timelines through the ROI calculator to see the real difference in payback period.
Do solicitors or barristers earn more starting out?
Solicitor trainees in larger firms tend to have more predictable starting salaries, while newly qualified barristers often earn very little (or nothing) in their first year or two as they build a client base. Long-term, top barristers can out-earn most solicitors, but the early years are financially harder on the Bar.
Is a law degree worth it if I don't want to practise law?
Law graduates do well in banking, consulting, the civil service and compliance roles, partly because the degree is seen as rigorous and analytical. If you're confident you won't go down the solicitor or barrister route, it's worth comparing a law degree's ROI against a more directly vocational course for the career you actually want.
How long does it take to pay back the cost of a law degree?
It depends heavily on which path you take after your degree, since professional training adds extra years and costs before you're earning a full solicitor or barrister salary. [INSERT PAYBACK PERIOD FROM CALCULATOR] is the figure to use as your starting point — the ROI calculator factors in tuition, living costs and the additional professional training stage.