For the graduating class of 2021, 98 percent were employed or continuing their education. The employment data in the tables below is generated by NALP, the Association for Legal Career Professionals. The tables below have been formatted for readability; you may also view the original 2009 [PDF], 2010 [PDF], 2011 [PDF], 2012 [PDF], 2013 [PDF], 2014 [PDF], 2015 [PDF], 2016 [PDF], 2017 [PDF], 2018 [PDF], 2019 [PDF], 2020 [PDF], and 2021 [PDF] NALP Summary Reports (partially redacted for privacy).
In addition, we provide the ABA Employment Summary for
2021 [PDF],
2020 [PDF]*, 2019 [PDF], 2018 [PDF], 2017 [PDF],
2016 [PDF], 2015 [PDF], 2014 [PDF], 2013 [PDF], and 2012 [PDF] grads. This includes data other than that reported to NALP—e.g., law school/university funded positions. (The ABA data for previous years mirrored that of NALP, and so we do not include it separately here.)
*Information on employment outcomes for the Class of 2020 many not reflect a particular law school's typical results in this area. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, bar admissions exams were canceled or delayed in many jurisdictions, thus making it more challenging for graduates to secure employment by the annual Graduate Employment Status Date of March 15. Please reference the 3 years of employment outcome data posted on the ABA Required Disclosures webpage of each ABA-Approved Law School or at
www.abarequireddisclosures.org.
Most Popular Markets
Class of 2017-2021
- New York: 26%
- Illinois: 13%
- Washington, D.C.: 12%
- California: 11%
- Michigan: 10%
Breakdown of Jobs by Sector
Class of 2021
- Law Firms: 62%
- Clerkships: 18%
- Public Interest: 13%
- Government: 5%
- Business or Industry: 2%
- Academia: <1%
|
General Employment Information |
| | Latest National NALP Data Available (2021) |
Michigan Law Data |
| | | Class of 2021
| Class of 2020
| Class of 2019
|
|
Graduating Class Size |
35,712 |
363 |
332 |
307 |
|
Employment status known |
34,562 |
363
|
330 |
306 |
|
Bar passage required |
27,019 |
342
|
316 |
293 |
|
# for which salary is known |
18,838 |
330
|
305 |
287 |
|
% for which salary is known |
78.2% |
94.2% |
95.8% |
98% |
|
25th %ile of salary |
$63,000 |
$70,000 |
$70,000 |
$66,991 |
|
50th %ile of salary |
$80,000 |
$205,000 |
$190,000 |
$190,000 |
|
mean salary |
$112,137 |
$153,311 |
$141,899 |
$140,205 |
|
75th %ile of salary |
$190,000 |
$215,000 |
$190,000 |
$190,000 |
|
JD Advantage† |
3,672 |
9 |
7 |
6 |
| Professional Position |
804 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| Other Position |
246 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Undeterminable |
22 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Enrolled in Graduate Studies |
415 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
|
Start Date after March 15 |
217 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Unemployed—not seeking |
374 | 2
|
1 |
2 |
|
Unemployed—seeking |
1,793 |
4 |
5 |
3 |
|
Employment Status Unknown† | 1,150
|
0 |
2 |
1 |
†"JD Advantage" includes management consulting, investment banking, real estate, legal jobs overseas, etc.
|
Employment by Category |
| | Latest National NALP Data Available (2021) |
Michigan Law Data |
| | | Class of 2021
| Class of 2020
| Class of 2019
|
|
Graduating Class Size |
35,712 |
363 |
332 |
307 |
|
Academic |
437 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
Business |
3,487 |
8 |
3 |
4 |
|
Bar passage required |
986 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
|
JD Advantage |
1,803 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
|
Other Professional |
483 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Nonprofessional |
210 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Judicial Clerk |
3,402
|
62 |
56 |
53 |
|
# for which salary is known |
2,543 |
60 |
55 |
51 |
|
% for which salary is known |
75% |
97% |
98% |
96% |
|
25th %ile of salary |
$52,605 |
$59,660 |
$60,000 |
$61,218 |
|
50th %ile of salary |
$61,000 |
$66,108 |
$65,000 |
$63,192 |
|
mean salary | $60,977 |
$64,492 |
$64,618 |
$63,786 |
|
75th %ile of salary |
$68,309 |
$70,548 |
$70,000 |
$66,991 |
|
Private Practice |
18,091 |
219 |
208 |
197 |
|
# for which salary is known |
12,219 |
219 |
207 |
195 |
|
% for which salary is known |
68% |
100% |
99.5% |
99% |
|
25th %ile of salary |
$75,000 |
$205,000 |
$190,000 |
$190,000 |
|
50th %ile of salary |
$131,500 |
$215,000 |
$190,000 |
$190,000 |
|
mean salary | $137,844 |
$198,910 |
$179,510 |
$177,010 |
|
75th %ile of salary | $205,000 |
$215,000 |
$190,000 |
$190,000 |
|
501+ attorneys |
5,745 |
165 |
157 |
143 |
|
251–500 attorneys |
1,116 |
23 |
29 |
30 |
|
101–250 attorneys |
1,129 |
12 |
8 |
5 |
|
51–100 attorneys |
1,000 |
5 |
4 |
9 |
|
26–50 attorneys |
1,228 |
4 |
4 |
7 |
|
11–25 attorneys |
2,027 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
|
1–10 attorneys |
5,551 |
6 |
3 |
1 |
|
Solo practitioner |
210 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Unknown size |
85 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Government | 3,536 |
16 |
19 |
20 |
|
# for which salary is known |
2,266 |
16 |
16 |
17 |
|
% for which salary is known | 64% |
100% |
84% |
85% |
|
25th %ile of salary |
$55,000 |
$60,500 |
$60,480 |
$50,000 |
|
50th %ile of salary |
$65,000 |
$69,000 |
$69,250 |
$60,000 |
|
mean salary |
$67,040 |
$69,100 |
$65,027 |
$65,420 |
|
75th %ile of salary |
$73,000 |
$80,500 |
$72,030 |
$69,000 |
|
Public Interest |
2,758 |
46 |
36 |
25 |
|
Most Popular Markets for 2021 |
|
New York |
25% |
88 Jobs |
Washington, D.C.
|
13.6% |
48 Jobs |
|
California |
12% |
42 Jobs |
Illinois
|
11% |
40 Jobs |
|
Michigan |
8% |
28 Jobs |
|
Breakdown of Jobs by Sector 2021 |
|
Law Firm |
61.9% |
219 Jobs |
|
Clerkships |
17.5% |
62 Jobs |
|
Public Interest |
12.9% |
46 Jobs |
|
Government |
4.5% |
16 Jobs |
|
Business/Industry |
2.3% |
8 Jobs |
|
Academic |
< 1% |
3 Jobs |
