Comprehensive Employment Statistics

​​​​​​​​​​​For the graduating class of 2024​, 98 percent were employed. The employment data in the tables below is generated by NALP, the Association for Legal Career Professionals. The tables belo​w 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], 2021 [PD​F],​ 2022 [PD​F], and 2023 [PDF] ​NALP Summary Reports (partially redacted for privacy). ​

In addition, we provide the ABA Employment Summary for 2024 [PDF], 2023 [PDF], 202​​​​2 [PDF], 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 2020-2024

  • New York: 23.59%
  • Illinois: 14.65%
  • Washington, D.C.: 13.16%
  • California: 9.99%
  • Michigan: 9.75% 



General Employment Information
  Latest National NALP Data Available (2023) Michigan Law Data
 Class of 2023
Class of 2022
Class of 2021
Graduating Class Size 35,215 307​ 325 363
Employment status known 34,670 307
324 363
Bar passage required 28,228 297 310 342
# for which salary is known 20,276 294
307 330
% for which salary is known 82.1% 96.7% 95.7% 94.2%
25th %ile of salary $70,000 $76,148 $72,858 $70,000
50th %ile of salary $90,000 $225,000 $215,000 $205,000
mean salary ​$123,681 $167,130 $161,079 $153,311
75th %ile of salary $215,000​ $225,000 $215,000 $215,000
JD Advantage† 2,693 4 7 9
Professional Position 692 0 3 2
Other Position 233 0 0 1
Undeterminable 13 0 0 0
Enrolled in Graduate Studies 329 1 0 3
Start Date after March 15​ 202 ​2 0 0
Unemployed—not seeking 2790
1 2
Unemployed—seeking 1,723 3 3 4
Employment Status Unknown† 545​
0 1 0

†"JD Advantage" includes management consulting, investment banking, real estate, legal jobs overseas, etc.

 

 

Employment by Category
 Latest National NALP Data Available (2023​) Michigan Law Data
 Class of 2022
Class of 2022
Class of 2021
Graduating Class Size 35,215 307 324 336
Academic 457 1 4 3
Business 2,583 1 7 8
Bar passage required 771 0 2 2
JD Advantage 1,173 1 3 3
Professional Position 447 0 2 2
Other Position​ 190 0 0 1
Judicial Clerk 3,324
61 45 62
# for which salary is known 2,531 59 43 60
% for which salary is known 76% 97% 96% 97%
25th %ile of salary ​$57,000 $69,107 $66,214 $59,660
50th %ile of salary ​$67,000 $72,215 $68,112 $66,108
mean salary$66,472 $72,910 $67,178 $64,492
75th %ile of salary $74,000 $76,148 $73,611 $70,548
Private Practice 18,548 199 208 219
# for which salary is known ​12,998 198 207 219
% for which salary is known ​70% 99.5% 99.5% 100%
25th %ile of salary $89,500​ $225,000 $215,000 $205,000
50th %ile of salary $165,000​ $225,000 $215,000 $215,000
mean salary$152,879 $213,056 $206,280 $198,910
75th %ile of salary$215,000 $225,000 $215,000 $215,000
501+ attorneys 6,368164
173 165
251–500 attorneys 1,216 14 17 23
101–250 attorneys ​1,224 8 8 12
51–100 attorneys 1,144 1 1 5
26–50 attorneys 1,333 1 1 4
11–25 attorneys 2,035 9 6 4
1–10 attorneys 5,005 2​ 2 6
Solo practitioner 186 0 0 0
Unknown size37 0 0 0
Government3,835 12​ 12 16
# for which salary is known 2,526 10 12 16
% for which salary is known66% 83% 100% 100%
25th %ile of salary ​$650,000 $74,950 $58,500 $60,500
50th %ile of salary ​$73,500 $74,975 $72,000 $69,000
mean salary ​$75,025 $81,179 $75,773 $69,100
75th %ile of salary $80,000 $92,000 $74,950 $80,500
Public Interest ​3,095 28​ 44 46

 

 

Most Popular Markets for 2024
New York 23.96%  75 Jobs
Illinois 16.61%  52 Jobs
Michigan 13.74% 43 Jobs
Washington, D.C.
9.90%  31 Jobs
California
8.63%  27 Jobs

 

 

Breakdown of Jobs by Sector 2024
Law Firm 63.90%  200 Jobs
Clerkships17.57%55 Jobs
Public Interest11.18%35 Jobs
Government6.07% 19 Jobs
Business/Industry1.28%4​ Job​
Academic 0% 0 Jobs