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
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
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).
For questions about this page, please email Career Services.
