The system and method for cooling a laser using a split liquid cooled heat exchanger. The temperature of coolant entering the system is applied to a portion of the system most in need of lower temperatures and a second heat exchanger uses the outflow from the first heat exchanger to cool a remaining portion of the system that has a tolerance for higher temperatures. The laser cooling system is compact, e.g., less than 45 cubic inches and can handle thermal loads of about 800 W.