The article cited in the original post asserts that average law school debt is slightly over $108,000 and the average starting salary for new lawyers is about $88,000.
I know a handful of young attorneys who had almost those exact figures. The biggest mistake they make is only making the minimum required loan payments. This causes the loans to grow & get out-of-hand if one doesn’t receive substantial pay raises & apply the increase in income to loan payments.
If the numbers work out to $120,000 in student loan debt for law school and one expects a starting salary of just $85,000 to $90,000, then law school is probably not a wise investment. However, if one can finish law school with just $50,000 to $60,000 in total student loan debt, then it may be a wise investment for those who enjoy practicing law.