Applications to law and business schools are rising sharply among young professionals while white‑collar hiring remains sluggish. Observers say the uptick reflects a response to hiring freezes, layoffs, and the increasing impact of automation across traditional professional careers.
According to data cited by Fortune, applications to American Bar Association‑accredited law schools have jumped by approximately 33 % year‑over‑year. Meanwhile, MBA and other graduate‑management programs are seeing a more modest but still meaningful increase, estimated at around 7 % in one account.
Experts attribute the trend to a confluence of pressures: entry‑level hiring standards have risen, many traditional pathways in business and law are impacted by generative‑AI tools replacing routine tasks, and a certain economic uncertainty is prompting young workers to return to classrooms rather than entering a stagnant job market.
