After boycott from law schools, US News & World Report changes ranking system

Under pressure amid a boycott by top law schools, US News & World Report told law school deans Monday that it will make several changes in the next edition of its influential ratings.

In a letter to American law school deans published on its site, US News said its next list would give more credit to schools whose graduates go on to pursue advanced degrees or school-funded fellowships to work in public-service jobs that pay lower wages. The magazine, which has been publishing the ratings for decades, is responding to criticism that its rankings overvalue high-paying private-sector jobs.

The 2023-24 rankings, scheduled to be published this spring, will also rely less on surveys of schools' reputations submitted by academics, lawyers and judges, the magazine said.

A spokesperson for US News said the list will no longer consider indicators of student debt or the...