Most people who go to law school wind up with some pretty hefty loan repayments when they're done. The pain of that debt can be somewhat assuaged if their law degree has landed them in a good job. The Princeton Review surveyed students at 159 law schools; based on a combination of their responses and statistics provided by the schools themselves, these five institutions offer the best career prospects for law school graduates.

1. Northwestern University (Chicago, Illinois)
Northwestern law students enjoy terrific career prospects, in part thanks to their school's first-rate national reputation. "Many doors are open to me as an NU student," professes one aspiring attorney. Another happily notes, "The Chicago firms just love NU students," and if you have "decent grades, it's really easy to get a job coming out of Northwestern." Of special note is Northwestern's loan-repayment program, which "actually makes a career in the public interest possible." Given that average starting salaries for NU grads are $125K, it seems that the prospects outside of public-interest work are promising, as well.

2. University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Michigan JDs have no trouble finding work. "The reputation is amazing," writes one student. Grads are "employable from Hawaii to Maine" and can be found "around the globe, doing everything from practicing corporate law to drafting constitutions." Career Services "has done whatever it takes to help me get my dream jobs," relates one happy student. Michigan also has "a good loan-forgiveness program for students willing to pursue public-interest law." Most grads go into private practice, but a significant number take judicial clerkships post-graduation. Average starting salaries for Michigan grads are $125K.

3. University of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois)
The University of Chicago has a stellar national reputation. Indeed, "the name opens doors." Students happily report, "The job search could not be any easier. Students have no trouble getting jobs at top firms in whatever city they choose." One student promises, "If you come to UC, you are pretty much guaranteed a job that pays you $125,000 per year." If you want a judicial clerkship, you can do that, too. If you'd rather work in the public interest, Chicago "is also rolling out the world's most generous loan-repayment program," and it promises to "revolutionize the public-interest job market and make it accessible to more people."

4. Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
During the summers and after graduation, students at Harvard Law School enjoy plentiful job opportunities and options. Harvard's reputation "can open any door." As a result, "there is no way a student who graduates from HLS will have a hard time finding a job." Students happily report, "There is an opportunity to do anything you could imagine," and grads are virtually "guaranteed a six-figure job" or a great career in the public interest, "regardless of GPA." One student remarks, "It's almost fun to drop the 'H-Bomb' and garner instant credibility." Most grads go into private practice, but a significant number also take judicial clerkships.

5. New York University (New York, New York)
The academic program at NYU places a great deal of emphasis on legal theory. Outside of the classroom, however, NYU offers students "opportunities to do every kind of practical work imaginable." As a result, a "diligent" student "can come out of school feeling like a third-year associate." Given NYU's numerous opportunities to apply legal theory to real-world situations, it's not surprising that NYU students have little trouble securing the most coveted jobs after graduation. In the words of a second-year student, "Career services are great here. We all get awesome jobs pretty much no matter what."