Cal Northern School of Law

What Cal Northern School of Law does

Cal Northern School of Law is a private, nonprofit law school legally organized as Cal Northern Educational Development Corporation, operating under California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education approval (BPPE code 0400381), State Bar of California Committee of Bar Examiners accreditation since 1992, and WSCUC regional accreditation (reaffirmed September 2025). Founded in 1983 in Chico, California, it functions as the only law school between Sacramento and the Oregon border, serving Northern California counties including Yuba, Sutter, Colusa, Butte, and Shasta. The institution enrolls roughly 18 employees and approximately 20 faculty members, who are described as judges, commissioners, and practicing attorneys from the surrounding bench and bar.

The school's core product is a four-year part-time evening Juris Doctor (JD) program that fulfills California Bar Examination eligibility, supplemented by a two-year part-time Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program for non-lawyer professionals. Both programs are delivered through a blended synchronous format combining in-person instruction at the Chico campus (1395 Ridgewood Dr., Ste. 100; 18,570 sq ft within a 2.24-acre executive office park) with remote attendance via the Zoom platform, with distance education currently restricted to California residents. Supporting infrastructure includes LexisNexis electronic legal research access, BARBRI bar review materials provided from the first semester, mandatory Kaplan PMBR 7-Day Foundation Multistate Bar Review prior to graduation, Owl Technology classroom integration, and Populi student information management (in use since 2016).

Cal Northern's business model is tuition-driven, with JD tuition at approximately $21,000 per year — materially below the $40,000-$60,000 charged by ABA-accredited schools — supported by a Deferred Payment Program without interest. Ancillary revenue includes a $250 annual Law Library Fee, application and registration fees, and a Student Bar Association-operated store. Go-to-market is sales-led through direct application via the website, scheduled Law School Information Days, campus visits, one-on-one admissions consultations, and regional bar association engagement across Northern California. The school explicitly highlights its 100% October 2020 first-time taker California Bar pass rate — the highest among California-Accredited Law Schools — as a core outcome metric.

Name

Cal Northern School of Law

Legal name

Cal Northern Educational Development Corporation dba Cal Northern School of Law

Website

https://calnorthern.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Cal Northern School of Law is a private, nonprofit California-accredited law school in Chico offering a four-year part-time evening JD program and a two-year MLS program, serving working professionals and Northern California residents through blended synchronous Zoom and in-person instruction.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAIAB

Non-ABA / State-Accredited JD-Granting Law Schools

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Law Schools

SECONDARYEDAHAIAE

Online / Hybrid Law Schools & Programs

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Law Schools

SECONDARYEDAHAIAI

Paralegal & Legal Studies Programs (Law School–Affiliated)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Law Schools

Keywords

• Legal education
• Law degree programs
• Bar exam preparation
• Juris doctor program
• Evening law school

Headquarters

HQ city

Chico

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. JD Program Tuition: Annual tuition for the Juris Doctor program, approximately $21,000 per year. Students pay per semester with a Deferred Payment Program option allowing payment over the course of a semester or session without interest.
2. MLS Program Tuition: Tuition revenue from the Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) part-time program spanning two years, designed for comprehensive understanding of the legal system.
3. Registration and Administrative Fees: Fees including annual Law Library Fee of $250 due at the beginning of fall semester, application fees, and registration fees. State Bar examination fees are separate costs students incur.
4. Student Store Revenue: SBA operates an on-site and online store with school supplies and Cal Northern merchandise. SBA also hosts a Used Book Forum where students can buy used textbooks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cal Northern School of Law is a private, California-accredited law school offering a four-year part-time evening Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree that qualifies graduates to sit for the California Bar Examination, and a two-year part-time Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) degree for non-lawyer professionals. Both programs are delivered through a blended synchronous in-person and remote format via Zoom at the Chico, CA campus, with distance education currently restricted to California residents.

Product overview

Cal Northern School of Law operates as a private, California-accredited law school offering two distinct degree programs: a four-year part-time evening Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree that qualifies graduates to sit for the California Bar Examination, and a two-year part-time Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) degree designed for non-lawyer professionals seeking comprehensive legal knowledge. Both programs are delivered through a blended synchronous format using the Zoom platform, combining in-person instruction at its Chico, CA campus with remote online attendance. Supporting products include LexisNexis electronic legal research access and BARBRI bar exam preparation materials provided to students throughout their enrollment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree Program A four-year part-time evening law degree program that fulfills the educational requirements for admission to the State Bar of California. Classes are held three nights a week, either in person at the Chico campus or synchronously online via Zoom. Designed for working professionals and residents of Northern California.
• Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) Degree Program A part-time degree program over two years designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the legal system. It is not a pathway to bar admission but provides legal knowledge for careers outside of law practice. Delivered in a blended synchronous in-person and remote format via Zoom.
• Distance Education Program An online synchronous learning delivery mechanism using the Zoom platform, offering both J.D. and M.L.S. courses in a blended in-person and remote format. Currently only available to students residing in California.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students report 90% satisfaction with instructor performance; 95% generally to very satisfied with law school education
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• LexisNexiscoreTechnology or IntegrationLexisNexis provides unlimited online legal research library access to all Cal Northern students. Students have full access to electronic research throughout their education, both online and in hard copy. The computerized legal research library is integrated into the law school's curriculum and student services.
• BARBRIcoreTechnology or IntegrationBARBRI provides law study materials including study outlines and online resources to each student beginning in their first semester of enrollment. This commercial bar review provider supports student preparation for the California Bar Examination through integrated study materials.
• Kaplan PMBRcoreTechnology or IntegrationKaplan PMBR (Professional MBE Review) provides the 7-Day Foundation Multistate Bar Review program that all students must attend prior to graduation. This bar review program is a graduation requirement supporting bar exam passage.
• Owl TechnologysupportingTechnology or IntegrationOwl Technology is integrated into large classroom computer monitors to enable interactive learning and seamless remote participation for synchronous online students attending via Zoom.
• PopulicoreTechnology or IntegrationPopuli is the student data management system used by Cal Northern since 2016. All student files as of Fall 2017 are maintained electronically through Populi. Used for online applications, enrollment management, and student records.
• WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)coreOthersWSCUC is the regional accreditor for institutions in California, Hawaii, and the Pacific region. Cal Northern achieved Reaffirmation of Accreditation during a visit on September 10-12, 2025. Located at 985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501.
• California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE)coreOthersCalifornia state regulatory body for private postsecondary institutions. Cal Northern is approved to operate by BPPE (code 0400381), ensuring compliance with California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 standards.
• State Bar of California Committee of Bar ExaminerscoreOthersThe Committee is authorized by law to accredit law schools in California and oversee those schools. It is the degree-granting authority for law schools accredited by the Committee. Cal Northern has been accredited since 1992.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• San Joaquin College of Law: California-accredited (non-ABA) law school in Clovis, CA operating an evening part-time JD program for working professionals. The closest geographic and structural peer to Cal Northern: same State Bar accreditation model, same Central/Northern California working-adult target market, same part-time evening format.
• San Francisco Law School: California-accredited (non-ABA) law school in San Francisco offering a part-time JD and bar-focused curriculum. Direct peer because it shares the State Bar of California accreditation pathway (not ABA), the part-time evening model, and the affordability-focused positioning aimed at working-adult applicants.
• Trinity Law School: California-accredited (non-ABA) law school in Santa Ana, CA offering part-time JD and MLS programs. Direct peer given the same State Bar accreditation model, the part-time evening structure, and the same MLS-style non-bar credential offering alongside the JD.
• John F. Kennedy School of Law at National University: California-accredited (non-ABA) JD program within National University's system. Direct peer because it uses the same State Bar of California accreditation pathway and serves working-adult learners with hybrid/online delivery, directly overlapping Cal Northern's admissions funnel.

Emerging players

• Mitchell Hamline School of Law: ABA-accredited Minnesota law school notable for its blended/hybrid JD track combining in-person and online learning. Emerging competitor because it brings ABA portability to a working-adult, cannot-relocate segment that overlaps Cal Northern's value proposition, but it competes nationally rather than just in California.
• Concord Law School at Purdue Global: Fully online JD program (originally Concord Law School, now part of Purdue Global). Emerging competitor because it competes for the same working-adult, online-friendly segment as Cal Northern's distance education program, with broader geographic reach outside California.

Broad incumbents

• University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law: ABA-accredited law school located in Sacramento, the closest ABA-accredited law school to Cal Northern's Chico campus. Broad incumbent competitor that draws Sacramento-region applicants Cal Northern also targets, and operates an evening part-time JD track that overlaps Cal Northern's evening format.
• UC Davis School of Law: ABA-accredited public law school in Davis, near Sacramento, and the most prestigious public law school within Cal Northern's broader Northern California catchment. Broad incumbent because it competes for the same regional applicants and employs many of the same judges and practicing attorneys Cal Northern draws as faculty.
• Golden Gate University School of Law: ABA-accredited San Francisco law school with a long-running evening/part-time JD program. Broad incumbent because it has historically competed for working-adult Northern California law students with a more portable ABA credential and comparable part-time scheduling.
• Santa Clara University School of Law: ABA-accredited Jesuit law school in Santa Clara serving the broader Northern California market. Broad incumbent because it competes for the same Bay Area / Northern California applicant pool Cal Northern's distance education program can now reach, with full ABA portability.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/calnorthernschooloflaw
• Instagraminstagram.com/calnorthernlaw

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cal Northern School of Law