JD Stats

2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019

Class of 2021

The following charts include data inclusive of both JD and JD-MBA graduates. In reviewing the data, we encourage you look at not only the data on this page, but also the ABA and NALP reports on the main Employment Statistics page.

The data considers employment sector, job type, whether the work is full- or part-time, and the permanence of the position. The salary information is presented in several ways: by salary range, by employment sector, and by job type. Graduates employed in Law School/University Funded positions include individuals employed full-time in competitively funded, full-time post-graduate fellowships, and part-time in bridge-to-practice positions.

Employment Report at 10 Months After Graduation

Employment Status
Number
Full-Time
Part-Time
Number
Reported
% of
Reported
Long-Term1
Short-Term
Long-Term
Short-Term
Employed (Total)
267
97.8%
265
2
0
0
     Bar Passage Reqd2
257
94.1%
256
1
0
0
     JD Advantage
9
3.3%
9
0
0
0
     Professional
1
0.4%
0
1
0
0
     Non-Professional
0
0.0%
0
0
0
0
     Job Type Unknown
0
0.0%
0
0
0
0
Pursuing Grad. Deg. FT
2
0.7%
 
Employed - Start Date Deferred
0
0.0%
Unemployed (Total)
4
1.5%
     Not Seeking Job
2
0.7%
     Seeking Job
2
0.7%
Status Unknown
0
0.0%
Total Graduates
273
100%
1 A "long-term" position is one that either has no definite term or a term of one year or more. A "short-term" position is one that has a definite term of less than one year.
2 Includes students employed in Law School/University Funded positions, including 5 recipients of our highly selective one-year public interest Jay A. Pritzker Fellowships.
Law School/University Funded Positions
Number
Full-Time
Part-Time
Number
Reported
% of
Reported
Long-Term
Short-Term
Long-Term
Short-Term
Of Employed - Law School/University Funded
8
2.9%
8
0
0
0
Employment Type
Number
Reported
Full-Time
Part-Time
Long-Term
Short-Term
Long-Term
Short-Term
Law Firms
210
210
0
0
0
     Solo
0
0
0
0
0
     2 - 10
1
1
0
0
0
     11 - 25
4
4
0
0
0
     26 - 50
9
9
0
0
0
     51 - 100
7
7
0
0
0
     101 - 250
7
7
0
0
0
     251 - 500
9
9
0
0
0
     501+
173
173
0
0
0
     Size Unknown
0
0
0
0
0
Business & Industry
6
6
0
0
0
Government (incl. Public Defender)
2
2
0
0
0
Public Interest
20
19
1
0
0
Judicial Clerkships1
27
26
1
0
0
     Federal1
16
15
1
0
0
     State & Local
11
11
0
0
0
     Other
0
0
0
0
0
Education
2
2
0
0
0
Employer Type Unknown
0
0
0
0
0
Total Employed
267
265
2
0
0
1 Includes Circuit Court Staff Attorneys
Judicial Clerkships
Number
Circuit Court of Appeals
7
Federal District Court
6
Federal Magistrate
0
Federal Special Jurisdiction
1
Federal Staff Attorney
2
State Supreme Court
4
State/Local Trial & Appellate Court
7
International Court
0
Salary Information
Number
Percent
Number and Percent of Employed Reporting Salaries1
258/265
97%
Number and Percent of Total Class Reporting Salaries
258/273
95%
1 Based upon salaries of full-time, long-term employed graduates.
Known Salaries of All Employed1
Number
Percent of Reporting Salaries (258)
Percent of Employed (265)
Percent of Class (273)
Less than $40,000
0
0%
0%
0%
$40,000 - $59,999
17
7%
6%
6%
$60,000 - $79,999
29
11%
11%
11%
$80,000 - $99,999
5
2%
2%
2%
$100,000 - $119,999
4
2%
2%
1%
$120,000 - $139,999
4
2%
2%
1%
$140,000 - $159,999
3
1%
1%
1%
$160,000 - $179,999
7
3%
3%
3%
$180,000+
189
73%
71%
69%
Employed and Not Reporting
7
N/A
3%
3%
1 Based upon salaries of full-time, long-term employed graduates.
Salary by Selected Job Sectors1
Mean
25th
Pctl
Median
Salary
75th
Pctl
# Reporting
Salary
# Employed in Category (Percent Reporting)
Law Firm
$206,310
$215,000
$215,000
$215,000
205
210 (98%)
     Solo
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
0
0 (0%)
     2-10
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
0
1 (0%)
     11-25
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
3
4 (75%)
     26-50
$156,667
$120,000
$170,000
$190,000
9
9 (100%)
     51-100
$175,583
$165,000
$184,250
$208,375
6
7 (86%)
     101-250
$145,000
$105,000
$155,000
$182,500
5
7 (71%)
     251-500
$190,000
$180,000
$195,000
$197,500
9
9 (100%)
     501+
$214,017
$215,000
$215,000
$215,000
173
173 (100%)
     Unknown size
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
0
0 (0%)
Judicial Clerkship2
$66,070
$61,264
$69,939
$71,523
19
19 (100%)
Business/Industry
$123,500
$90,000
$119,000
$163,500
6
6 (100%)
Public Interest/Government
$60,603
$50,000
$55,000
$64,945
20
21 (95%)
Education
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
1
2 (0%)
1 Based upon salaries of full-time, long-term employed graduates.
2 An outlier Business/Industry salary was excluded from calculations as it was extremely high in comparison to other salaries.
Salary by Job Type1
Mean
25th
Percentile
Median
Salary
75th
Percentile
# Reporting
Salary
# Employed in Category (Percent Reporting)
Bar Passage Required
$180,743
$180,000
$215,000
$215,000
251
256 (98%)
JD Advantage
$111,786
$80,000
$110,000
$141,250
7
9 (78%)
1 Based upon salaries of full-time, long-term employed graduates.
2 An outlier Bar Passage Required salary was excluded from calculations as it was extremely high in comparison to other salaries.
July Bar Passage (Illinois)
Percent
Northwestern Law Class of 2021 Illinois Bar Passage Rate
94% (122/133)
State of Illinois Bar Passage Rate for All First-Time Takers
79%
Top 5 Employment Markets1
Illinois: 42%; New York: 19%; California: 15%; District of Columbia: 6%; Massachusetts: 3%
1 Based upon 267 employed graduates.

2021 JD Employment Statistics

American Bar Association Required Disclaimers: 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.