This data brief highlights key facts about how Latino law students financed their legal education during the 2019-2020 academic year using data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS). While estimates reflect financing patterns from the 2019-2020 academic year, they provide important context for understanding which students may be most affected by recent federal loan limits. Estimates with standard errors exceeding 50% of the estimate are not reported. 

Findings:  

• During the 2019-2020 academic year, Latino students attended law schools with lower costs ($42,000 median annual cost) of attendance than their non-Latino peers ($59,000 median annual cost).
• 84% of Latino law students took out federal loans to cover their educational expenses for the 2019 to 2020 academic year, compared with 65% of non-Latino law students. They also borrowed more money ($38,000 median amount, compared to $31,000 for non-Latinos).
• Half of Latino law students (50%) relied on Graduate PLUS Loans to cover their educational expenses for the 2019 to 2020 academic year, compared to 41% of non-Latino students. Notably, as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Graduate PLUS Loan program will be terminated.
• 84% of Latinos in law school reported borrowing unsubsidized loans (i.e., unsubsidized Stafford Loans) compared to 65% of non-Latinos.
• Less than half of Latino law students (48%) received grants, which are not obligated to be repaid) to cover their law school expenses during the 2019 to 2020 academic year, compared to almost three-fourths (72%) of their non-Latino peers.  
• During the 2019 to 2020 academic year, Latino students were more than twice as likely as non-Latino students to use credit cards to pay for tuition and fees (33% vs. 16%). 

This article features Arturo Vargas Bustamante, senior fellow at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR).