For each graduating class, KU Law measures employment at graduation and nine months after graduation. Each February, every law school in the country submits employment data for its most recent graduating class to the National Association for Law Placement (NALP). Each June, law schools receive a detailed report from NALP of national and school-specific employment and salary trends.
Class of 2010 Employment Statistics
We submitted our Class of 2010 employment report to NALP on Feb. 22, 2011. There were 168 students in the Class of 2010. Of the 165 students for whom we were able to gather employment information, 131 students reported employment and 10 reported returning to school to seek an additional degree. Sixteen students reported seeking employment, and 8 reported not seeking employment.
We ran preliminary calculations for employed at graduation and nine months after graduation based on the US News & World Report methodology.
To calculate employed at graduation, US News adds the number of employed grads plus those seeking additional degrees, and divides by the total number of graduates less those not seeking employment.
For the nine-month figure, US News adds the number of employed grads plus (1) those seeking additional degrees and (2) one-fourth of unknown grads and divides by the total number of graduates less those not seeking employment.
55 percent of the KU Law Class of 2010 was employed at graduation. 88.6 percent of the KU Law class of 2010 was employed or seeking an additional degree within nine months of graduation. These employment statistics will be reported to US News this fall and will appear in the April 2012 rankings issue.
With the exception of the employed at graduation statistic, which fell from 63.2 percent to 55 percent, the Classes of 2009 and 2010 were quite similar. The number of students still seeking employment nine months after graduation increased by two students from 2009 to 2010, but the Class of 2010 was larger by eight students.
Class of 2009 and Class of 2010 Salaries
In the KU Law Class of 2009, 108 students reported salaries, or 82 percent of employed students. Our 82 percent salary reporting rate compared favorably with the national rate of 54 percent. In fact, the highest national percentage of employed graduates reporting salaries over the last eight years was 65 percent.
One hundred and five (105) KU Law graduates reported salaries in the 2010 class. This represented 80 percent of employed graduates.
A breakdown of Class of 2009 salaries by employment sector and employment category may be viewed here. Salary means and medians by employment sector and employment category for the Class of 2010 will be published on the KU Law website when we receive our NALP report in June.
Class of 2009 and Class of 2010 Bar Passage Required Jobs
The overall NALP and US News employment statistics count all jobs of any type. While most law students enroll with the goal of practicing law, by graduation some have decided to pursue less traditional, "JD preferred" jobs or other professional positions that do not require the passage of a bar exam.
Nevertheless, it is important to be aware of the number of grads accepting jobs requiring bar passage.
In the KU Law Class of 2009, 97 students reported accepting jobs requiring bar passage, representing 62 percent of grads for whom employment status was known. Ninety four (94) of these positions were full time, while three were part time.
Nationally, 71 percent of law students in the Class of 2009 for whom employment status was known reported accepting a job requiring bar passage.
The same overall number (97) reported accepting jobs requiring bar passage in the KU Law Class of 2010, or 59 percent of graduates for whom employment status is known. Ninety-five (95) of these positions were full time, while two were part time.
A breakdown of this statistic over the last eight years can also be viewed here.
Todd Rogers, Assistant Dean for Career Services
Labels: career options, career service, employment, job market, KU Law, law school, legal career, NALP, statistics, University of Kansas, US News