A wide range of employment opportunities awaits NYU Law graduates. Private practice is the most common starting point, though many take public service and government positions. We report JD employment data to the American Bar Association (ABA) 10 months after each class graduates. Below is an overview of employment information at that time for the last three years.
ABA Employment Summary Reports
You can view official ABA employment summary reports for the classes of 2017, 2016, and 2015. You may also view the most recent summary report prepared by the National Association for Law Placement (NALP).
| EMPLOYMENT OF NYU LAW GRADUATES 10 MONTHS AFTER GRADUATION | |||
| Class of 2017 | Class of 2016 | Class of 2015 | |
|
TOTAL GRADUATES |
484 |
485 | 485 |
|
Employed |
474 (97.93%) |
478 (98.56%) |
474 (97.73%) |
| Bar admission required | 457 | 462 | 458 |
| JD preferred | 17 | 16 | 15 |
| Other Professional | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Non-Professional | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
Pursuing Graduate Degree |
2 | 2 | 3 |
|
Unemployed - Start Date Deferred
|
0 | 1 | 0 |
|
Unemployed - not seeking |
0 | 1 | 2 |
|
Unemployed - seeking |
5 | 2 | 4 |
|
Employment Status Unknown |
3 | 1 | 2 |
| EMPLOYMENT FUNDING | |||
| Class of 2017 | Class of 2016 | Class of 2015 | |
|
OF EMPLOYED - LAW SCHOOL/UNIVERSITY FUNDED POSITIONS |
31 | 31 | 33 |
| EMPLOYMENT TYPES OF EMPLOYED GRADUATES | |||
| Class of 2017 | Class of 2016 | Class of 2015 | |
|
Law Firm |
73.84% | 74.06% | 68.35% |
| Solo Practice | 0.29% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2 to 10 attorneys | 2.29% | 0.85% | 0.93% |
| 11 to 25 attorneys | 0.86% | 1.13% | 1.85% |
| 26 to 50 attorneys | 1.14% | 1.69% | 0.62% |
| 51 to 100 attorneys | 0.57% | 0.56% | 3.09% |
| 101 to 250 attorneys | 3.71% | 3.67% | 4.32% |
| 251 to 500 attorneys | 12.00% | 13.56% | 14.20% |
| 501 or more attorneys | 79.14% | 78.53% | 75.0% |
| Firm size unknown | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
|
Business and Industry |
2.11% | 2.93% | 3.80% |
|
Government |
4.01% | 4.81% | 6.33% |
|
Public Interest |
13.29% | 11.72% | 13.50% |
|
Judicial Clerkship* |
6.33% | 5.86% | 7.81% |
| Federal | 96.67% | 78.57% | 72.97% |
| State & Local | 0.0% | 21.43% | 27.03% |
| Other | 3.33% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
|
Academia |
0.21% | 0.42% | 0.21% |
|
Military |
0.21% | 0.21% | 0.0% |
* This number reflects only those who take a clerkship immediately following graduation. In keeping with recent hiring preferences of judges, a substantial number of graduates work for one or more years before serving as clerks; approximately 20% of each class ultimately clerks, and some hold more than one clerkship.
| GEOGRAPHIC DESTINATIONS OF EMPLOYED GRADUATES | |||
| Class of 2017 | Class of 2016 | Class of 2015 | |
|
Northeast |
2.95% | 0.84% | 1.69% |
|
Mid-Atlantic |
74.89% | 76.78% | 74.89% |
|
East North Central |
1.05% | 0.42% | 1.05% |
|
West North Central |
0.84% | 0.21% | 0.42% |
|
South Atlantic |
8.02% | 8.37% | 9.92% |
|
East South Central |
0.63% | 0.42% | 1.27% |
|
West South Central |
1.48% | 1.67% | 0.63% |
|
Mountain |
0.84% | 1.26% | 0.42% |
|
Pacific |
7.81% | 6.90% | 8.44% |
|
International |
1.48% | 3.14% | 1.27% |
| MOST POPULAR EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS | |||
| Class of 2017 | Class of 2016 | Class of 2015 | |
|
New York |
73.63% | 75.31% | 72.57% |
|
California |
6.50% | 6.28% | 7.38% |
|
District of Columbia |
5.91% | 6.49% | 7.38% |
| FULL-TIME SALARIES OF EMPLOYED GRADUATES | |||
| Class of 2017 | Class of 2016 | Class of 2015 | |
|
Total Employed Graduates |
474 | 478 | 474 |
| Salaries Reported | 474 (100%) |
477 (99.79%) |
469 (98.95%) |
| 25th Percentile | $72,000 | $90,000 | $63,747 |
| Median | $180,000 | $180,000 | $160,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $180,000 | $180,000 | $160,000 |
| Mean | $145,278 | $146,688 | $124,893 |
|
Law Firm |
Class of 2017 | Class of 2016 | Class of 2015 |
| Salaries Reported | 350 (100%) |
354 (100%) |
322 (99.38%) |
| 25th Percentile | $180,000 | $180,000 | $160,000 |
| Median | $180,000 | $180,000 | $160,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $180,000 | $180,000 | $160,000 |
| Mean | $173,631 | $176,289 | $155,981 |
|
Judicial Clerk |
Class of 2017 | Class of 2016 | Class of 2015 |
| Salaries Reported | 30 (100%) |
28 (100%) |
37 (100%) |
| 25th Percentile | $60,000 | $53,028 | $56,213 |
| Median | $62,000 | $63,763 | $63,722 |
| 75th Percentile | $68,568 | $66,940 | $65,377 |
| Mean | $62,238 | $61,434 | $60,760 |
|
Business & Industry |
Class of 2017 | Class of 2016 | Class of 2015 |
| Salaries Reported | 10 (100%) |
13 (92.86%) |
15 (83.33%) |
| 25th Percentile | $97,500 | $95,000 | $40,000 |
| Median | $127,500 | $120,000 | $55,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $196,250 | $125,000 | $100,000 |
| Mean | $154,500 | $115,385 | $70,833 |
|
Government |
Class of 2017 | Class of 2016 | Class of 2015 |
| Salaries Reported | 20 (100%) |
24 (100%) |
30 (100%) |
| 25th Percentile | $55,000 | $54,609 | $56,250 |
| Median | $60,000 | $61,000 | $62,750 |
| 75th Percentile | $67,746 | $66,125 | $65,000 |
| Mean | $62,363 | $59,248 | $61,023 |
|
Public Interest |
Class of 2017 | Class of 2016 | Class of 2015 |
| Salaries Reported | 63 (100%) |
56 (100%) |
64 (100%) |
| 25th Percentile | $45,000 | $40,000 | $40,250 |
| Median | $52,000 | $50,000 | $49,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $60,000 | $58,000 | $55,600 |
| Mean | $52,646 | $50,426 | $49,263 |
|
Academia |
Class of 2017 | Class of 2016 | Class of 2015 |
| Salaries Reported | 1 (100%) |
2 (100%) |
1 (100%) |
| 25th Percentile | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Median | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 75th Percentile | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Mean | $115,000 | $49,000 | $55,000 |