Comprehensive Employment Statistics

​​​​​For the graduating class of 2023, 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 [PDF],​ and 2022 [PD​F] ​NALP Summary Reports (partially redacted for privacy). ​

In addition, we provide the ABA Employment Summary for 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 2019-2023

  • New York: 24%
  • Washington, D.C.: 14%
  • Illinois: 14%
  • California: 10%
  • Michigan: 9% 



General Employment Information
  Latest National NALP Data Available (2022) Michigan Law Data
 Class of 2022
Class of 2021
Class of 2020
Graduating Class Size 36,078 325 363332
Employment status known 35,454 324
363 330
Bar passage required 28,040 310 342 316
# for which salary is known ​19,996 3​​07
330 305
% for which salary is known79.9%95.7% 94.2% 95.8%
25th %ile of salary $​66,214 $72,858 $70,000 $70,000
50th %ile of salary $85,836 $215,000 $205,000 $190,000
mean salary ​$118,979 $161,079 $153,311 $141,899
75th %ile of salary $202,500​ $215,000 $215,000 $190,000
JD Advantage† 3,214 7 9 7
Professional Position 795 3 2 0
Other Position 253 0 1 0
Undeterminable 16 0 0 0
Enrolled in Graduate Studies 358 0 3 1
Start Date after March 15​ 234 ​0 0 0
Unemployed—not seeking 3461
2 1
Unemployed—seeking 1,822 3 4 5
Employment Status Unknown† 624​
1 0 2

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

 

 

Employment by Category
 Latest National NALP Data Available (2022​) Michigan Law Data
 Class of 2022
Class of 2021
Class of 2020
Graduating Class Size 36,078 324 336 332
Academic 451 4 3 1
Business 3,159 7 8 3
Bar passage required 986 2 2 0
JD Advantage 1,501 3 3 3
Professional Position 465 2 2 0
Other Position​ 203 0 1 0
Judicial Clerk 3,265
45 62 56
# for which salary is known 2,399 4360 55
% for which salary is known 73% 96% 97% 98%
25th %ile of salary ​$53,657 $66,214 $59,660 $60,000
50th %ile of salary ​$62,605 $68,112 $66,108 $65,000
mean salary$62,568 $67,178 $64,492 $64,618
75th %ile of salary $70,000 $73,611 $70,548 $70,000
Private Practice 18,752 208 219 208
# for which salary is known ​13,167207 219 207
% for which salary is known ​70% 99.5% 100% 99.5%
25th %ile of salary $81,500​ $215,000 $205,000 $190,000
50th %ile of salary $150,000​ $215,000 $215,000 $190,000
mean salary$145,395 $206,280 $198,910 $179,510
75th %ile of salary$215,000 $215,000 $215,000 $190,000
501+ attorneys6,145 173 165 157
251–500 attorneys 1,152 17 23 29
101–250 attorneys ​1,245 8 12 8
51–100 attorneys 1,160​ 1 5 4
26–50 attorneys 1,372 1 4 4
11–25 attorneys 2,133 6 4 3
1–10 attorneys 5,347 2​ 6 3
Solo practitioner 161 0 0 0
Unknown size37 0 0 0
Government3,671 12 16 19
# for which salary is known 2,346 12 16 16
% for which salary is known64% 100% 100% 84%
25th %ile of salary ​$60,000 $58,500 $60,500 $60,480
50th %ile of salary ​$70,000 $72,000 $69,000 $69,250
mean salary ​$71,474 $75,773 $69,100 $65,027
75th %ile of salary $​76,575 $74,950 $80,500 $72,030
Public Interest ​2,983 44​ 4​6 36

 

 

Most Popular Markets for 2023
New York 26%  77 Jobs
Washington, D.C.
1​5%  44 Jobs
Illinois12%  37 Jobs
California
10%  29 Jobs
Michigan 10% 29 Jobs

 

 

Breakdown of Jobs by Sector 2023
Law Firm 66%  199 Jobs
Clerkships20% 61 Jobs
Public Interest 9% 28 Jobs
Government 4% 12 Jobs
Business/Industry <1% 1 Job​
Academic 0% 0 Jobs