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Law School Graduates Employment Summary (Class of 2021)

For class of 2021, 35,529 students have graduated from ABA-accredited law schools. Among them, 32,192 has hired in law firms or law related companies. The total rate of employed is 90.61%.
by working status, 31,164 graduates hired as full-time status and 1,176 contracted as part-time status. By duration, 31,286 graduates got long-term jobs and 1,054 got short-term jobs.
83.61% (26,915) of total employed graduates employed by companies where the bar passage is required and 11.45% (3,686) graduates got J.D. Advantage (or J.D. Preferred) jobs where the bar passage does not require.
The below table summarizes the employment statistics by working status and contract duration. The category definition can be found at ABA Data Terms.
TotalPercentage (%) Full-timePart-time
Long-termShort-termLong-termShort-term
Total Graduates35,529
Total Employed32,19290.61%30,637527649527
Bar Passage Required26,91575.76%26,433210211210
J.D. Advantage3,68610.37%3,101207229207
Professional Position8532.40%6504311643
Other2740.77%116298629
Undeterminable280.08%7212
Enrolled in Graduate Studies4261.20%
Start Date Deferred2200.62%
Unemployed - Not Seeking4101.15%
Unemployed - Seeking1,8765.28%
Employment Status Unknown4061.14%

Employment by Company and Position Types

56.77% (18,275) of all employed graduates found employment at law firms. By size of law firm, 5,757 graduates (17.88%) were employed at law firms with 500 or more employees and 5,618 graduates (17.45%) at law firms with 1 to 10 employees.
3,586 students (11.14%) went to business and industry, and 3,673 graduates (11.41%) were employed by government.
The following table summarizes the law school employment statistics by position and hired organization types.
TotalPercentage (%) Full-timePart-time
Long-termShort-termLong-termShort-term
Total Employed32192-30637527 649527
Law Firms1827551.44%17732119294119
Total Employed32,19290.61% 30,637527649527
Solo2500.70% 2282162
1-105,61815.81% 5,2305923159
11-252,0575.79% 2,006142814
26-501,2313.46% 1,212686
51-1001,0112.85% 99611011
101-2501,1523.24% 1,143545
251-5001,1133.13% 1,105525
More than 5005,75716.20% 5,743929
Unknown Size860.24% 69838
Business and Industry3,58610.09% 3,116141230141
Government3,67310.34% 3,516844884
Public Interest2,7437.72% 2,599664266
Clerkships - Federal1,2073.40% 1,18918018
Clerkships ±State, Local, and Territorial2,1676.10% 2,09069169
Clerkships - Tribal10.00% 1000
Clerkships - International160.05% 13303
Education4511.27% 340233023
Employer Type Unknown730.21% 41444

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