Recent Graduate Employment Data
ABA Employment Summaries: Classes of 2012, 2011, and 2010.
We also provide additional detailed information about the employment data for the classes of 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2009, and judicial clerkships. ABA Employment Summaries are also provided for the classes of 2012, 2011, and 2010. You may also wish to see our summer employment data.
| The University of Chicago Law School Employment 9 Months after Graduation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2012 | Class of 2011 | Class of 2010 | Class of 2009 | |
| Total Graduates | 215 | 203 | 195 | 206 |
| Employed | 213 | 199 | 191 | 204 |
| Bar Passage Required | 207 | 181 | 177 | 196 |
| JD Advantage | 5 | 16 | 8 | 5 |
| Other Professional | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Non-Professional | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Unknown | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Pursuing Graduate Degree | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Unemployed - Start Date Deferred | 0 | 0 | Category added starting with the Class of 2011 | |
| Unemployed - Not Seeking | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Unemployed - Seeking | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Employment Status Unknown | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Employment Types of Employed Graduates | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2012 | Class of 2011 | Class of 2010 | Class of 2009 | |
| Law Firms | 68.1% | 58.8% | 71.2% | 79.9% |
| Solo | - | - | - | - |
| 2-10 | 5.5% | 6.0% | 5.1% | 0.6% |
| 11-25 | 2.8% | 4.3% | 3.7% | 0.6% |
| 26-50 | 4.8% | 5.1% | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| 51-100 | 3.4% | 6.8% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| 101-250 | 4.8% | 1.7% | 3.7% | 5.5% |
| 251-500 | 11.7% | 5.1% | 8.1% | 5.5% |
| 500+ | 66.9% | 70.9% | 74.3% | 82.8% |
| unknown | - | - | - | - |
| Business and Industry | 3.8% | 7.5% | 4.2% | 3.4% |
| Government | 2.8% | 4.5% | 3.2% | 2.5% |
| Public Interest | 8.5% | 15.1% | 5.2% | 3.4% |
| Clerkship | 16.9% | 10.1% | 14.1% | 9.3% |
| Federal | 88.9% | 95.0% | 88.9% | 89.5% |
| State and Local | 11.1% | 5.0% | 11.1% | 10.5% |
| Other | - | - | - | - |
| Academia | - | 4.0% | 1.6% | 1.5% |
| Other/unknown | - | - | 0.5% | - |
| Geographic Destinations of The University of Chicago Law School Graduates (9 Months Out) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2012 | Class of 2011 | Class of 2010 | Class of 2009 | |
| Northeast (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) | 1.4% | 3.5% | 2.6% | 1.5% |
| Mid-Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) | 18.8% | 13.1% | 25.6% | 21.5% |
| East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) | 38.0% | 41.7% | 38.2% | 35.5% |
| West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, SD, ND) | 3.8% | 3.0% | 3.7% | 2.5% |
| South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) | 10.8% | 9.6% | 8.9% | 8.5% |
| East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) | 0.5% | 1.0% | 2.1% | 1.0% |
| West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) | 7.5% | 6.5% | 4.2% | 7.0% |
| Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) | 3.8% | 4.0% | 3.7% | 2.5% |
| Pacific (AK, CA, WA, HI, OR) | 14.1% | 13.6% | 8.9% | 18.0% |
| Foreign | 1.4% | 4.0% | 2.1% | 2.0% |
| Most Popular Employment Locations | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2012 | Class of 2011 | Class of 2010 | Class of 2009 | |
| Illinois | 35.3% | 38.4% | 36.1% | 33.0% |
| New York | 16.7% | 12.3% | 25.1% | 20.7% |
| California | 13.0% | 11.3% | 8.4% | 16.7% |
| District of Columbia | 7.0% | 6.5% | 7.9% | 6.9% |
| Texas | 7.0% | 6.0% | 3.1% | 6.4% |
| Full-time Salaries of Employed Graduates | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2012 | Class of 2011 | Class of 2010 | Class of 2009 | |
| Total Employed Graduates | 213 | 199 | 191 | 204 |
| Number of Full-time Salaries Reported | 204 | 178 | 181 | 184 |
| Percentage of Full-time Salaries Reported | 95.8% | 89.4% | 94.8% | 90.2% |
| 25th Percentile | $62,909 | $60,827 | $63,000 | $160,000 |
| Median | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 |
| Mean | $118,883 | $114,496 | $122,796 | $144,482 |
| Private Sector | 153 | 132 | 144 | 169 |
| Number of Full-time Salaries Reported | 146 | 118 | 138 | 163 |
| Percentage of Salaries Reported | 95.4% | 89.4% | 95.8% | 96.4% |
| 25th Percentile | $150,000 | $160,000 | $145,000 | $160,000 |
| Median | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 |
| Mean | $146,805 | $149,169 | $143,768 | $155,451 |
| Public Sector | 60 | 67 | 46 | 34 |
| Number of Full-time Salaries Reported | 58 | 60 | 43 | 21 |
| Percentage of Salaries Reported | 96.7% | 89.6% | 93.5% | 61.8% |
| 25th Percentile | $40,000 | $40,000 | $46,000 | $57,778 |
| Median | $57,000 | $52,000 | $60,000 | $61,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $62,909 | $62,909 | $62,909 | $62,000 |
| Mean | $46,979 | $45,496 | $55,491 | $59,761 |
| First Post-Clerkship Job Choices | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2011 | Class of 2010 | Class of 2009 | Class of 2008 | Class of 2007 | 2007-2011 | |
| Law Firm | 93.3% | 84.6% | 77.8% | 82.1% | 95.0% | 86.0% |
| Government | 6.7% | 11.5% | 11.1% | 3.6% | 5.0% | 7.5% |
| Public Interest | 0.0% | 0.0% | 11.1% | 3.6% | 0.0% | 2.8% |
| Academia | 0.0% | 3.8% | 0.0% | 7.1% | 0.0% | 2.8% |
| Business and Industry | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3.6% | 0.0% | 0.9% |
As you can see, Chicago Law graduates find work in every part of the legal profession, as well as in non-legal careers where a law degree is a substantial asset. Our alumni are all over the world, leading the way in private practice, government, public service, business, academia, and the judiciary.
The Law School has long proudly provided data about employment outcomes to prospective students, admitted students, current students, and alumni in various forms. In today’s market, we understand that prospective students want and need more information than ever before in order to make decisions about their futures. We are pleased to offer this extensive data about employment outcomes for the four most recent graduating classes, as well as information about where our students who clerk immediately after graduation choose to work after they are finished clerking.
Please note: Employment and salary information is taken from a variety of sources, including: student self-reporting, alumni surveys, employer information, published salary data, and electronic resources.
Private Sector salaries include graduates in both the Law Firms and Business and Industry categories.
Public Sector salaries include graduates in the Government, Public Interest, Judicial Clerkships, and Academia categories.
Employment categories for the Class of 2012 follow the ABA definitions found at http://2013EmploymentQuestionnaireDefinitionsandInstructions.pdf. Geographic distinctions follow the NALP categories found at http://www.nalp.org/assets/935_erssregions.pdf.
In the few instances where there is a definitional difference regarding employment type for the Class of 2011 and earlier, the above numbers reflect the NALP definitions. For example, NALP counts employment at a public interest law firm as Law Firm employment, whereas the ABA treats it as Public Interest employment.