Employment Statistics
The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School experience enables our graduates to pursue successful and fulfilling careers. The data below attests to our continued success in the market.
This information is based on student survey responses, ABA and NALP data, and reflects employment as of the March 15 following graduation for the classes of 2015-2019. Please note that the judicial clerkship chart reflects a different time period and includes alumni.
General Employment Information | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Graduating Class Size | 250 | 243 | 256 | 258 | 246 |
Employment Status Known | 250 | 243 | 256 | 258 | 245 |
Employed | 248 | 241 | 254 | 253 | 240 |
Start Date Deferred | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Seeking Employment | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Not Seeking Employment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Enrolled in Full-Time Degree | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Unknown | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
The Law School’s cross-disciplinary JD program prepares students for a range of careers in the law and related fields, complemented by professional development programs that build skills necessary to pursue the best jobs and careers. At the Law School, students are exposed to the widest variety of legal employers, nationally and internationally, as well as to Penn alumni worldwide who have used their law degrees to push the boundaries in their fields.
Job Type | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Law Firm | 188 | 182 | 183 | 180 | 173 |
2-10 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
11-25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
26-50 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
51-100 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 4 |
101-250 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 |
251-500 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 25 | 23 |
501+ | 151 | 152 | 150 | 138 | 133 |
Unknown size | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Solo Practice | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Judicial Clerk | 29 | 26 | 39 | 33 | 34 |
Business or Industry | 8 | 11 | 15 | 21 | 12 |
Government/Military | 9 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
Public Interest | 14 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 14 |
Academic | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Law School Funded (Short-Term) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Law School Funded (Long-Term) |
7 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
Other Short Term |
1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
2019
Salary Information | 2019 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Mean | Salaries Reported | |
Salary - All Job Types |
$150,000 | $190,000 | $190,000 | $158,794 |
237/248 (96%) |
Law Firm | $190,000 | $190,000 | $190,000 | $183,992 |
184/188 (98%) |
2-10 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
11-25 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
26-50 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
51-100 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
101-250 | $102,500 | $147,500 | $175,000 | $129,038 |
8/8 (100%) |
251-500 | $190,000 | $190,000 | $190,000 | $190,882 |
17/17 (100%) |
501+ | $190,000 | $190,000 | $190,000 | $188,742 |
151/151 (100%) |
Unknown size | - | - | - | - | - |
Solo Practice | - | - | - | - | - |
Judicial Clerk | $61,218 | $65,580 | $68,036 | $63,989 |
29/29 (100%) |
Business or Industry | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
< 5 reported |
Government/ Military |
$60,000 | $60,000 | $67,500 | $64,186 |
7/9 (78%) |
Public Interest | $45,000 | $53,000 | $56,000 | $52,270 |
13/14 (93%) |
Academic | - | - | - | - | - |
2018
Salary Information | 2018 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Mean | Salaries Reported | |
Salary - All Job Types |
$160,000 | $190,000 | $190,000 | $157,627 |
233/241 (97%) |
Law Firm | $190,000 | $190,000 | $190,000 | $183,311 |
181/182 (99%) |
2-10 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
11-25 | - | - | - | - | - |
26-50 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
51-100 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
101-250 | $160,000 | $175,000 | $190,000 | $173,125 |
8/8 (100%) |
251-500 | $190,000 | $190,000 | $190,000 | $185,938 |
16/17 (94%) |
501+ | $190,000 | $190,000 | $190,000 | $186,818 |
152/152 (100%) |
Unknown size | - | - | - | - | - |
Solo Practice | - | - | - | - | - |
Judicial Clerk | $55,925 | $65,732 | $66,110 | $61,439 |
22/26 (85%) |
Business or Industry | $115,000 | $137,500 | $157,500 | $141,875 |
8/11 (73%) |
Government/ Military |
$40,250 | $51,412 | $58,000 | $58,215 |
10/10 (100%) |
Public Interest | $40,000 | $45,000 | $50,000 | $45,583 |
12/12 (100%) |
Academic | - | - | - | - | - |
2017
Salary Information | 2017 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Mean | Salaries Reported | |
Salary - All Job Types |
$125,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $147,967 |
247/254 (97%) |
Law Firm | $180,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $174,088 |
181/183 (99%) |
2-10 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
11-25 | - | - | - | - | - |
26-50 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
51-100 | $100,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $136,667 | 6/7 (86%) |
101-250 | $160,000 | $170,000 | $183,750 | $167,500 |
6/6 (100%) |
251-500 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $175,588 |
17/17 (100%) |
501+ | $180,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $177,107 |
150/150 (100%) |
Unknown size | - | - | - | - | - |
Solo Practice | - | - | - | - | - |
Judicial Clerk | $57,550 | $64,820 | $66,110 | $61,637 |
37/39 (95%) |
Business or Industry | $125,000 | $148,750 | $152,500 | $147,708 |
12/15 (80%) |
Government/ Military |
$45,599 | $51,478 | $72,989 | $60,126 |
6/6 (100%) |
Public Interest | $50,000 | $51,500 | $53,125 | $51,200 |
10/10 (100%) |
Academic | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
2016
Salary Information | 2016 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Mean | Salaries Reported | |
Salary - All Job Types |
$125,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $149,011 |
245/253 (97%) |
Law Firm | $180,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $173,030 |
179/180 (99%) |
2-10 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
11-25 | - | - | - | - | - |
26-50 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
51-100 | $102,500 | $115,000 | $150,000 | $126,667 | 6/6 (100%) |
101-250 | $155,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $155,714 |
7/7 (100%) |
251-500 | $170,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $169,494 |
25/25 (100%) |
501+ | $180,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $177,645 |
138/138 (100%) |
Unknown size | - | - | - | - | - |
Solo Practice | - | - | - | - | - |
Judicial Clerk | $54,711 | $62,000 | $63,886 | $58,764 |
31/33 (94%) |
Business or Industry | $125,000 | $145,000 | $200,000 | $162,000 |
17/21 (81%) |
Government/ Military |
$53,000 | $60,892 | $63,412 | $59,367 |
8/8 (100%) |
Public Interest | $45,500 | $48,250 | $50,000 | $48,482 |
10/11 (91%) |
Academic | - | - | - | - | - |
2015
Salary Information | 2015 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Mean | Salaries Reported | |
Salary - All Job Types |
$100,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $131,638 |
235/240 (98%) |
Law Firm | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $154,192 |
172/173 (99%) |
2-10 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
11-25 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
26-50 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
51-100 | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported | < 5 reported |
101-250 | $150,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $148,000 |
5/5 (100%) |
251-500 | $150,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $152,391 |
23/23 (100%) |
501+ | $160,000 | $160,000 | $160,000 | $158,397 |
133/133 (100%) |
Unknown size | - | - | - | - | - |
Solo Practice | - | - | - | - | - |
Judicial Clerk | $52,000 | $60,000 | $63,161 | $58,431 |
31/34 (91%) |
Business or Industry | $100,000 | $125,000 | $150,000 | $135,000 |
11/12 (92%) |
Government/ Military |
$52,237 | $62,000 | $64,045 | $59,652 |
7/7 (100%) |
Public Interest | $45,000 | $47,000 | $55,000 | $50,000 |
14/14 (100%) |
Academic | - | - | - | - | - |
Judicial Clerkships
Law School students receive unparalleled support from staff and faculty in their pursuit of judicial clerkships. And today, recent clerkship placements are at the highest levels in our history. For the years 2015-20, our students and alumni secured 386 clerkships at all levels.
Judicial Clerkships | FIVE YEARS: May 1, 2015 - April 30, 2020 | May 1, 2019 - April 30, 2020 | May 1, 2018 - April 30, 2019 | May 1, 2017 - April 30, 2018 | May 1, 2016 - April 30, 2017 | May 1, 2015 - April 30, 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US Supreme Court | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
1 |
Circuit | 111 | 23 | 15 | 21 | 24 | 28 |
District | 190 | 47 | 30 | 39 | 31 | 43 |
Federal Staff Attorneys | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
Magistrate | 18 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
Bankruptcy | 5 | 1 | 2 | - | 2 | - |
Tax | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
U.S. Court of International Trade | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - |
U.S. Court of Federal Claims | 4 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
Federal Administrative Law Judge | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
Delaware Chancery | 6 | - | 2 | - | 2 | 2 |
State Supreme | 16 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
State Intermediate | 7 | - | - | 2 | 2 | 3 |
State Trial | 16 | - | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
Territory Trial | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 2 |
International | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
Total | 386 | 78 | 73 | 75 | 73 | 87 |
Additional Employment and Bar Passage Statistics
Employment Requirements | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bar Passage Required - Full-time* | 237 | 228 | 238 | 234 | 230 |
Bar Passage Required - Part-time | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
J.D. Advantage* | 10 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 10 |
Professional | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Non-Professional | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
* Includes graduates in positions funded by the Law School.