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).