Career Services

Employment Data for Recent Graduates

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 20232022, and 2021. 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 2023 Class of 2022 Class of 2021

TOTAL GRADUATES

442 473 466

Employed

429
(97.06%)
462
(97.67%)
1
457
(98.50%)
     Bar Passage Required 414 455 442
     J.D. Advantage 15 6 15
     Professional Position 0 1 0
     Other Position 0 0 0

Enrolled in Graduate Studies

2 0 3

Employed - Start Date Deferred

1 1 0

Unemployed - Not Seeking

2 22 0

Unemployed - Seeking

7 8 4

Employment Status Unknown

1 0 2

1:This percentage does not include 1 graduate whose employment start date was deferred by less than 1 month after the 10 month reporting deadline. 

2: 1 graduate was employed full-time in a 1-year judicial clerkship but not receiving remuneration. Per the ABA Employment Protocols, this is coded as "Unemployed - Not Seeking."

EMPLOYMENT FUNDING
  Class of 2023 Class of 2022 Class of 2021

Of Employed - Law School/University Funded Positions

26 13 21

 

EMPLOYMENT TYPES OF EMPLOYED GRADUATES **
  Class of 2023 Class of 2022 Class of 2021

Law Firm

64.80%

71.21% 70.68%
     Solo Practice 0.0% 0.0% 0.31%
     2 to 10 attorneys 1.08% 0.30% 0.93%
     11 to 25 attorneys 0.72% 0.91% 0.93%
     26 to 50 attorneys 1.44% 1.22% 2.17%
     51 to 100 attorneys 2.16% 1.52% 0.62%
     101 to 250 attorneys 1.44% 4.26% 2.79%
     251 to 500 attorneys 10.79% 13.37% 14.55%
     501 or more attorneys 82.37% 78.42% 77.71%
     Firm size unknown 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

Business and Industry

1.86% 0.87% 1.97%

Government

3.03% 3.03% 3.94%

Public Interest

21.68% 16.67% 17.72%

Judicial Clerkship3

7.93% 8.23% 5.47%
     Federal 73.53% 78.95% 72.0%
     State & Local 26.47% 21.05% 28.0%
     Other 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

Academia

0.47% 0.0% 0.22%

Military

0.23% 0.0% 0.0%

3 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 2023 Class of 2022 Class of 2021

Northeast
(CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)

3.03% 1.30% 1.09%

Mid-Atlantic
(NY, NJ, PA)

71.56% 73.16% 73.30%

East North Central
(IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)

1.86% 1.95% 1.31%

West North Central
(IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, SD, ND)

0.23% 0.0% 0.22%

South Atlantic
(DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)

10.96% 9.52% 10.72%

East South Central
(AL, KY, MS, TN)

0.23% 0.65% 0.88%

West South Central
(AR, LA, OK, TX)

1.63% 1.30% 1.31%

Mountain
(AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)

0.93% 1.30% 1.75%

Pacific
(AK, CA, WA, HI, OR)

8.62% 9.09% 8.10%

International

0.93% 1.73% 1.31%

 

MOST POPULAR EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS **
  Class of 2023 Class of 2022 Class of 2021

New York

68.76% 71.00% 71.55%

California

6.99% 8.01% 5.91%

District of Columbia

6.99% 5.63% 7.00%

 

FULL-TIME SALARIES OF EMPLOYED GRADUATES **
  Class of 2023 Class of 2022 Class of 2021

Total Employed Graduates

429 462 457
Salaries Reported

428
(99.77%)

459
(99.35%)
457
(100%)
25th Percentile $75,086 $76,950 $76,648
Median $215,000 $215,000 $215,000
75th Percentile $215,000 $215,000 $215,000
Mean $163,698 $169,751 $169,206

Law Firm

Class of 2023 Class of 2022 Class of 2021
Salaries Reported 278
(100%)

327
(99.39%)

323
(100%)
25th Percentile $215,000 $215,000 $215,000
Median $215,000 $215,000 $215,000
75th Percentile $215,000 $215,000 $215,000
Mean $210,187 $210,753 $209,496

Judicial Clerk

Class of 2023 Class of 2022 Class of 2021
Salaries Reported 34
(100%)
38
(100%)
25
(100%)
25th Percentile $69,922 $66,214 $64,825
Median $75,917 $72,170 $71,616
75th Percentile $80,769 $76,961 $75,406
Mean $74,531 $71,033 $69,693

Business & Industry

Class of 2023 Class of 2022 Class of 2021
Salaries Reported 7
(87.50%)
3
(75%)
9
(100%)
25th Percentile $158,873 n/a $140,000
Median $175,000 $175,000 $175,000
75th Percentile $260,000 n/a $180,000
Mean $206,268 $150,000 $160,944

Government & Military

Class of 2023 Class of 2022 Class of 2021
Salaries Reported 14
(100%)
14
(100%)
18
(100%)
25th Percentile $73,125 $60,000 $66,750
Median $74,000 $70,680 $71,000
75th Percentile $77,682 $76,388 $74,402
Mean $74,307 $70,942 $76,227

Public Interest

Class of 2023 Class of 2022 Class of 2021
Salaries Reported 93
(100%)
77
(100%)
81
(100%)
25th Percentile $62,750 $57,000 $50,000
Median $73,600 $65,000 $64,000
75th Percentile $74,895 $73,434 $71,000
Mean $68,577 $63,082 $62,063

Academia

Class of 2023 Class of 2022 Class of 2021
Salaries Reported 2
(100%)
0
(n/a)
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 $117,500 n/a 70,000

* Percentages were calculated using the number of graduates for the indicated year as the denominator and the number of employed graduates as the numerator.

** Percentages were calculated using the number of employed graduates as the denominator and the number of graduates in each subcategory as the numerator.