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Employment Statistics

2011 Employment Data, Nine Months after Graduation

Employed, Nine Months after Graduation

Category Reported Number
Reported
% of Class
Total Graduates 318 100%
Total Reported to be Employed *272 85.5%
Pursuing Graduate Degree Full-time 3 .94%
Unemployed - Start Date Deferred 2 .63%
Unemployed - Not Seeking Job 6 1.9%
Unemployed - Seeking Job 32 10.1%
Employment Status Unknown 3 .94%

* Sixty-four Members of the Class of 2011 were employed in short-term (less than one-year) positions as of February 15, 2012, including 14 supported by a USD funded law fellowship (see chart below).

Employment Requirements

2011 employment requirements

Law School/University Funded Positions

Type of Fellowship Number
Of Employed - Law School/University Funded Short Term 15
USD Law Public Interest Fellows 5
USD Law Research Fellows 3
USD Law Clinic Staff Attorneys 6
USD Legal Writing Fellow 1

Salaries by Employment Status

Employment Status Number Reported Full-time Salary *
Number Salaries Reported % Reported 25% 50%
(median)
75%
Employed - Bar Passage Required 211 101 47.9% $57,000 $65,000 $100,000
Employed - JD Advantage 36 16 44.4% $50,250 $72,250 $86,250
Employed - Other Professional 13 3 23.1% $52,500 $60,000 $90,000
Employed - Non-professional 11 0        
Employed - Job Type Unknown 1 0        

Salaries by Employment Type

Employment Type Number Reported Full-time Salary *
Number Salaries Reported % Reported 25% 50%
(median)
75%
Law Firms 148 68 46.5% $52,000 $70,000 $108,500
   Solo 6 0 0      
   2-10 73 20 27.4% $50,000 $54,080 $63,025
   11-25 8 6 75.0% $41,825 $56,250 $88,750
   26-50 11 5 45.5% $44,720 $80,000 $90,000
   51-100 16 14 87.5% $65,000 $67,600 $87,500
   101-250 6 5 83.3% $85,000 $90,000 $97,000
   251-500 3 3 100% $110,000 $140,000 $142,500
   501+ 15 14 93.3% $110,000 $160,000 $160,000
   Size Unknown 10 1 10.0% $49,920 $49,920 $49,920
Business & Industry 71 28 39.4% $60,000 $80,000 $104,000
Government 22 10 45.5% $50,000 $57,000 $60,375
Public Interest (inc.
Public Defender)
11 3 27.3% $55,000 $65,000 $66,500
Judicial Clerkships            
   Federal 8 8 100% $60,000 $60,000 $60,600
   State & Local 0 0 0      
Other 0 0 0      
Academia 10 3 30.0% $64,250 $76,500 $90,750
Employer Type Unknown 2 0 0      

High Salaries by Employment Type

2011 high salaries by employment type

High Salaries by Employment Status

2011 high salaries by employment status

Most Popular Employment Locations

Employment Location State Number
State with largest employment California 231
State with 2nd largest employment Illinois 6
State with 3rd largest employment Colorado 5

 

The data above was reported to the American Bar Association (ABA) and National Association of Legal Career Professionals (NALP). We regularly collect and report employment information from our most recent graduating class, following guidelines established by NALP and the ABA.

* Salary numbers based on 120 full-time salaries reported (44% of employed graduates reporting).

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