After 10+ years in the Chemistry classroom, I am seriously weighing my options on how to change professions. In Texas for sure, the career is just not sustainable. I am looking to increase my earning potential significantly. Wanting somewhere around the $150K mark.

QUESTIONS: Are the Masters in Legal Studies tracks offered at A&M school of Law worth pursuing?

Does anyone have experience with the MLS degree? What kinds of careers would be opened by getting this degree?

I am NOT going to take the LSAT, nor could I afford to do law school at this point.

My background is in SCIENCE, with a BA in History, focused on History of US Environmental Policy.

~Burned out 33 y/o Chemistry teacher of 10 years.

N/M...was going to suggest you study for and pass the patent bar exam, but you don't have a BS in chemistry, which is required. Should have read your post more closely.

Don't spend good money on higher studies if you won't get the big certificate. Say you get this MLS and folks pay you for your opinion. They are always going to defer to a lawyer. You could do the job for 20 years and they will defer to a newly graduated attorney because they have the right certs.

If you want to get into the legal field, start as a paralegal and work your way up. Most you would need is a community college cert to get started and you probably won't need that. Then, work hard, show up, keep your mouth shut and nose clean. In five years or so you will be making a pretty good salary. Or, go to law school.

90s kid said:

---

After 10+ years in the Chemistry classroom, I am seriously weighing my options on how to change professions. In Texas for sure, the career is just not sustainable. I am looking to increase my earning potential significantly. Wanting somewhere around the $150K mark.

QUESTIONS: Are the Masters in Legal Studies tracks offered at A&M school of Law worth pursuing?

Does anyone have experience with the MLS degree? What kinds of careers would be opened by getting this degree?

I am NOT going to take the LSAT, nor could I afford to do law school at this point.

My background is in SCIENCE, with a BA in History, focused on History of US Environmental Policy.

~Burned out 33 y/o Chemistry teacher of 10 years.

---

My gut is that the MLS would not be the pathway for what you are seeking. I don't know that a law degree itself would even automatically get you to the $150k salary mark, so I really doubt an MLS would. This would be a good question for the school's career folks honestly.

Attorney salaries are famously bimodal. We all think of the folks at the far right when we think of the profession but rarely do folks recognize all the ones on the left.



From the School's MLS website I see the following which I suspect you have seen -

Quote:

---

How Much Could an MLS Increase Your Salary on Average?

The independent employee compensation authority PayScale confirms that individuals who pursue an MLS degree frequently see higher salaries after graduation. PayScale reports that the average MLS graduate earns roughly $69,000 per year, but financial compensation levels can vary dramatically from job title to job title. For example, a compliance director with an MLS can expect to earn as much as $152,000 per year.

Examples of Careers that Might Benefit from a Master's Degree in Legal Studies

In addition to the specific positions, professional fields, and business sectors listed above, the following careers rank among the most likely to benefit from an MLS. It is important to note, however, that this list is far from exhaustive.

Human Resources Managers
Law Librarians
Chief Executives
Healthcare Administration Managers
Climate Change Policy Analysts
Compliance Officers
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers
Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts
Legislators
Tax Examiner or Collectors
Contract Negotiators
Directors of Operations
Social Work Professor
Real Estate Asset Manager

---

Unless you have a big scholarship and just a total love of law, I would personally pursue some other Master's degree before seeking an MLS that had a more clear pathway.

I know a lot of people in some of those fields who definitely don't have a masters degree. Most of them I know have a bachelors in a completely unrelated field, like "interior design" or "marketing".

As an attorney, I'd also caution against this. I've never worked with anyone having an MLS. It also seems like the roles you may be asked to fill (e.g., a contract reviewer, doc reviewer, subcontract administrator) are prone to being replaced by AI. If you were already in a contract review role, then maybe it would have some benefit.

Another lawyer here to tell you don't get a MLS. You can't practice law with it obviously, and anything else you could use it for would be something you could still do without it. I do not think there are any careers that would specifically demand somebody with a MLS. If you're going to get into the legal field, go the law school route or don't do it.

You may want to look in the area of "Trade Compliance" roles for MLS degrees. Companies are desperately seeking people to help them navigate the ever changing import export controls. You could also serve as FTZ administrator with a little experience.