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 listed below. Please note that the judicial clerkship chart reflects a different time period and includes alumni.
| General Employment Information | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graduating Class Size | 258 | 250 | 243 | 256 | 258 |
| Employment Status Known | 258 | 250 | 243 | 256 | 258 |
| Employed | 257 | 248 | 241 | 254 | 253 |
| Start Date Deferred | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seeking Employment | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Not Seeking Employment | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Enrolled in Full-Time Degree | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Unknown | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Firm | 189 | 188 | 182 | 183 | 180 |
| 2-10 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 11-25 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26-50 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 51-100 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
| 101-250 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 |
| 251-500 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 25 |
| 501+ | 149 | 151 | 152 | 150 | 138 |
| Unknown size | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Solo Practice | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Judicial Clerk | 26 | 29 | 26 | 39 | 33 |
| Business or Industry | 15 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 21 |
| Government/Military | 6 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 8 |
| Public Interest | 20 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 11 |
| Academic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Law School Funded (Short-Term) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
|
Law School Funded (Long-Term) |
11 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 4 |
|
Other Short Term |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Class of 2020 salary table coming soon!
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 | - | - | - | - | - |
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 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bar Passage Required - Full-time* | 241 | 237 | 228 | 238 | 234 |
| Bar Passage Required - Part-time | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| J.D. Advantage* | 16 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 17 |
| Professional | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Non-Professional | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
* Includes graduates in positions funded by the Law School.
Employment Fields
Employment Locations
To view our ABA Employment Summary Reports in accordance with Standard 509, please click here.
Per Interpretation 509-2 of Standard 509, law schools may choose to publicize additional employment outcome data beyond what the Employment Protocols require. This additional data, per Standard 509, must be “complete, accurate, and not misleading to a reasonable law school student or applicant.” Law schools are expected to use “due diligence in obtaining and verifying such information.” The following additional employment outcome data has not been, and will not be, audited by the ABA. It is meant to supplement the annual ABA Employment Summary Report, which reflects the employment status of members of each graduating class as of the annual Graduate Employment Status Date of March 15. Please reference the 3 years of employment outcome data posted on the ABA Required Disclosures webpage of each ABA-Approved Law School or at www.abarequireddisclosures.org.