JD Stats

2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019

Class of 2022

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)
261
98.5%
260
0
1
0
     Bar Passage Reqd2
247
93.2%
247
0
0
0
     JD Advantage3
13
4.9%
13
0
0
0
     Professional
0
0.0%
0
0
0
0
     Other Position
1
0.4%
0
0
1
0
     Job Type Unknown
0
0.0%
0
0
0
0
Pursuing Graduate Degree
1
0.4%
 
Employed - Start Date Deferred
0
0.0%
Unemployed (Total)
3
1.1%
     Not Seeking Job
1
0.4%
     Seeking Job
2
0.8%
Status Unknown
0
0.0%
Total Graduates
265
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 six recipients of our highly selective one-year post-graduate public interest fellowships.
3 Includes one student employed in a Law School/University Funded position.

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
7
0.0%
7
0
0
0
Employment Type
Number
Reported
Full-Time
Part-Time
Long-Term
Short-Term
Long-Term
Short-Term
Law Firms
193
193
0
0
0
     Solo
0
0
0
0
0
     2 - 10
1
1
0
0
0
     11 - 25
1
1
0
0
0
     26 - 50
2
2
0
0
0
     51 - 100
2
2
0
0
0
     101 - 250
6
6
0
0
0
     251 - 500
7
7
0
0
0
     501+
174
174
0
0
0
     Size Unknown
0
0
0
0
0
Business & Industry
11
10
0
1
0
Government
10
10
0
0
0
Public Interest (incl. Public Defender)
18
18
0
0
0
Judicial Clerkships
27
27
0
0
0
     Federal1
20
20
0
0
0
     State & Local
7
7
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
261
260
0
1
0
1 Includes Circuit Court Staff Attorneys
Judicial Clerkships
Number
Circuit Court of Appeals
6
Federal District Court
11
Federal Magistrate
0
Federal Special Jurisdiction
0
Federal Staff Attorney
3
State Supreme Court
1
State/Local Trial & Appellate Court
6
International Court
0
Salary Information
Number
Percent
Number and Percent of Employed Reporting Salaries1
253/260
97%
Number and Percent of Total Class Reporting Salaries
253/265
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
16
6%
6%
6%
$60,000 - $79,999
37
15%
14%
14%
$80,000 - $99,999
1
0%
0%
0%
$100,000 - $119,999
1
0%
0%
0%
$120,000 - $139,999
3
1%
1%
1%
$140,000 - $159,999
3
1%
1%
1%
$160,000 - $179,999
6
2%
2%
2%
$180,000+
186
73%
72%
70%
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
$211,243
$215,000
$215,000
$215,000
190
193 (98%)
     Solo
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
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
0
1 (0%)
     26-50
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
2
2 (100%)
     51-100
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
2
2 (100%)
     101-250
$172,500
$180,000
$190,000
$215,000
6
6 (100%)
     251-500
$206,786
$205,000
$205,000
$215,000
7
7 (100%)
     501+
$214,598
$215,000
$215,000
$215,000
173
174 (100%)
     Unknown size
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
0
0 (0%)
Judicial Clerkship2
$66,779
$64,304
$68,000
$71,669
27
27 (100%)
Business/Industry
$180,875
$175,000
$175,000
$186,750
9
10 (100%)
Public Interest/Government
$63,862
$51,968
$60,000
$69,500
26
28 (93%)
Education
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
<5 reported
1
2 (50%)
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
$179,407
$175,000
$215,000
$215,000
243
247 (98%)
JD Advantage2
$165,222
$175,000
$175,000
$185,000
10
13 (77%)
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
93% (129/140)
State of Illinois Bar Passage Rate for All First-Time Takers
77%
Top 5 Employment Markets1
Illinois: 47%; New York: 18%; California: 10%; District of Columbia: 4%; Massachusetts: 2%
1 Based upon 261 employed graduates.

2022 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.