[UPDATE: As with last year, it appears the ABA took down the employment spreadsheet by late Friday afternoon, making this post … an exclusive.  There may be substantial revisions to come.] 

At last, something to write about! ( And time to do it too!) 

On Friday, the ABA updated its Employment Summary Report Web site, which provides employment data for each law school class going back to 2010.  Many if not all law schools have uploaded their individual reports, and some intrepid researchers have already dug into them, but I prefer to wait until the easy-to-use spreadsheet comes out.  Note: There may be revisions to these data, but this first, preliminary cut gives a good sense of the class of 2015’s employment outcomes.  Also, I diligently account for all accredited law schools, so researchers should recognize that Concordia Law School must be inserted manually.  Indiana Tech has no data. 

39,423 people graduated from 204 ABA-accredited law schools outside of Puerto Rico roughly between September 1, 2014, and August 31, 2015.  The employment information is good as of about March 15, 2016. 

Here’s the employment status distribution. 

Surprisingly, many of the employment status categories’ percentages are identical to last year, even though the absolute numbers have fallen.  I almost thought I was looking at the 2014 data by mistake.  Notably, the employment status tables added a section for “Employed – Law School/University Funded” jobs.  It’s probable that a good chunk of these jobs were classified as “JD Advantage” until now, further clouding the validity of that category. 

The display tables appear below the fold to conserve blog space. 

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Here’s a table of graduate unemployment:

STATUS (EXCL.  P.R.) 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Unemployed – Not Seeking 1,245 1,014 939 795 553 494 Unemployed – Seeking 2,686 4,016 4,770 5,060 4,103 3,744 Status Unknown 1,458 1,453 1,073 979 841 766 Total Grads 43,526 43,735 45,757 46,112 43,195 39,423 Unemployed – Not Seeking 2.9% 2.3% 2.1% 1.7% 1.3% 1.3% Unemployed – Seeking 6.2% 9.2% 10.4% 11.0% 9.5% 9.5% Status Unknown 3.3% 3.3% 2.3% 2.1% 1.9% 1.9% Total Percent 12.4% 14.8% 14.8% 14.8% 12.7% 12.7%

Pertinently, 59.9 percent of graduates held full-time jobs requiring bar passage, up only slightly from 58.7 percent for the class of 2014 and 55.9 percent for the class of 2013. ( None of these figures include school-funded jobs.)  The actual number of such jobs fell again to 23,600 from 25,344 last year.  That’s a 6.9 percent decline.  It’s troubling that demand for new full-time lawyers is falling with graduates.  The phenomenon suggests that many graduates in past years were finding less stable work than the full-time/long-term category implies.  Instead, fewer graduates aren’t translating to higher employment rates.  I expected things to look better this year. 

And now, what you crave: the year-over-year comparison table for each law school, sorted by their 2015 percentage of graduates in full-time bar-passage required jobs:

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PERCENT GRADUATES EMPLOYED FULL-TIME/LONG-TERM IN BAR-PASSAGE-REQUIRED JOBS (EXCL.  LAW-SCHOOL-FUNDED JOBS) RANK SCHOOL ‘2014 ‘2015 CHANGE 1.  Chicago 87.1% 90.8% 3.7% 2.  Pennsylvania 91.4% 89.8% -1.5% 3.  Cornell 90.1% 89.6% -0.4% 4.  Duke 87.9% 88.9% 1.0% 5.  New York University 86.0% 87.4% 1.4% 6.  Columbia 87.2% 87.2% 0.0% 7.  Harvard 85.5% 85.9% 0.4% 8.  California-Berkeley 85.4% 85.3% -0.1% 9.  Stanford 85.0% 85.1% 0.1% 10.  Michigan 81.8% 85.0% 3.2% 11.  Virginia 84.8% 84.7% -0.1% 12.  Baylor 67.6% 81.5% 13.8% 13.  Northwestern 78.4% 81.3% 2.9% 14.  Yale 69.6% 81.2% 11.7% 15.  Kentucky 80.6% 80.3% -0.3% 16.  Seton Hall 72.3% 79.4% 7.1% 17.  Vanderbilt 74.2% 78.9% 4.7% 18.  Idaho 68.3% 78.5% 10.2% 19.  Iowa 77.8% 78.1% 0.2% 20.  Boston College 74.4% 77.3% 3.0% 21.  Southern Methodist 69.7% 76.6% 6.9% 22.  Florida 69.3% 76.6% 7.3% 23.  Washington University 72.9% 76.3% 3.4% 24.  Texas 71.5% 75.7% 4.2% 25.  Boston University 67.9% 75.5% 7.6% 26.  Emory 64.2% 75.3% 11.1% 27.  Washington and Lee 63.8% 75.3% 11.5% 28.  Ohio State 72.4% 75.0% 2.6% 29.  Nevada 65.5% 74.0% 8.6% 30.  Notre Dame 66.5% 73.7% 7.3% 31.  California-Los Angeles 71.7% 73.7% 2.0% 32.  New Mexico 80.2% 73.2% -7.0% 33.  West Virginia 58.9% 72.8% 13.9% 34.  Southern California 65.0% 72.8% 7.8% 35.  Florida State 67.2% 72.6% 5.5% 36.  Georgia 70.6% 72.3% 1.6% 37.  Alabama 72.5% 72.2% -0.3% 38.  Colorado 66.7% 70.4% 3.8% 39.  Arizona State 70.2% 70.3% 0.1% 40.  St. John’s 61.5% 69.8% 8.3% 41.  Nebraska 73.5% 69.6% -3.9% 42.  Louisiana State 72.4% 69.5% -2.8% 43.  Missouri (Columbia) 65.9% 69.2% 3.3% 44.  Oklahoma 68.5% 69.0% 0.5% 45.  Washington 64.0% 68.6% 4.6% 46.  Drake 64.6% 68.4% 3.8% 47.  Cardozo, Yeshiva 56.6% 68.0% 11.3% 48.  Minnesota 73.7% 67.6% -6.1% 49.  California-Davis 66.9% 67.6% 0.7% 50.  Georgetown 69.6% 67.3% -2.4% 51.  Fordham 67.8% 66.8% -0.9% 52.  Hofstra 56.8% 66.8% 10.0% 53.  William and Mary 63.7% 66.3% 2.6% 54.  Florida International 65.6% 66.0% 0.4% 55.  Wake Forest 69.5% 65.9% -3.6% 56.  Rutgers (Merged) 63.1% 65.9% 2.8% 57.  Louisville 66.1% 65.6% -0.4% 58.  Tennessee 57.0% 65.6% 8.7% 59.  North Carolina 69.1% 65.5% -3.6% 60.  Texas Tech 60.6% 65.4% 4.8% 61.  Illinois 64.3% 65.2% 0.9% 62.  Albany 62.3% 65.0% 2.8% 63.  Drexel 63.1% 64.8% 1.7% 64.  Wisconsin 66.5% 64.8% -1.7% 65.  George Washington 65.6% 64.7% -0.9% 66.  Indiana (Bloomington) 64.9% 64.6% -0.2% 67.  Montana 67.5% 64.6% -2.9% 68.  Arkansas (Fayetteville) 55.0% 64.6% 9.6% 69.  California-Irvine 63.4% 64.5% 1.1% 70.  South Carolina 65.3% 64.5% -0.8% 71.  Gonzaga 56.8% 64.5% 7.7% 72.  Mercer 68.5% 64.3% -4.2% 73.  Utah 66.7% 64.3% -2.4% 74.  Brooklyn 52.4% 64.0% 11.6% 75.  Georgia State 71.2% 63.8% -7.4% 76.  Kansas 67.2% 63.7% -3.5% 77.  Creighton 63.9% 63.6% -0.3% 78.  Northeastern 52.8% 63.5% 10.7% 79.  Pace 56.2% 63.3% 7.0% 80.  New Hampshire 64.3% 62.9% -1.4% 81.  Tulsa 68.4% 62.8% -5.6% 82.  Marquette 51.4% 62.4% 11.0% 83.  Mississippi College 53.1% 62.3% 9.2% 84.  Loyola (CA) 58.3% 62.0% 3.7% 85.  Villanova 65.0% 62.0% -3.0% 86.  Stetson 57.0% 62.0% 5.0% 87.  George Mason 52.2% 61.8% 9.7% 88.  Arizona 65.3% 61.8% -3.5% 89.  Missouri (Kansas City) 64.3% 61.7% -2.6% 90.  Miami 68.2% 61.6% -6.6% 91.  Cincinnati 63.2% 61.5% -1.7% 92.  SUNY Buffalo 60.2% 61.3% 1.1% 93.  Richmond 58.4% 61.0% 2.6% 94.  Denver 55.2% 60.9% 5.7% 95.  Washburn 72.3% 60.8% -11.5% 96.  Nova Southeastern 62.1% 60.5% -1.7% 97.  Texas A&M [Wesleyan] 52.2% 60.4% 8.2% 98.  Belmont 64.7% 60.2% -4.5% 99.  Tulane 60.9% 60.2% -0.8% 100.  Wayne State 52.1% 60.0% 7.9% 101.  St. Louis 62.5% 59.9% -2.6% 102.  Case Western Reserve 54.2% 59.7% 5.6% 103.  Penn State (Dickinson Law) 65.3% 59.6% -5.7% 104.  North Dakota 59.2% 59.5% 0.3% 105.  City University 48.0% 59.5% 11.5% 106.  Northern Illinois 59.6% 59.4% -0.2% 107.  Connecticut 52.9% 59.2% 6.3% 108.  Wyoming 49.3% 58.9% 9.6% 109.  Temple 61.3% 58.9% -2.4% 110.  Indiana (Indianapolis) 60.2% 58.8% -1.5% 111.  Houston 65.2% 58.6% -6.6% 112.  William Mitchell 55.9% 57.8% 1.9% 113.  Maryland 57.1% 57.6% 0.5% 114.  Regent 47.5% 56.8% 9.2% 115.  Oklahoma City 63.6% 56.7% -6.9% 116.  Southern Illinois 63.8% 56.6% -7.2% 117.  California-Hastings 51.0% 56.5% 5.5% 118.  Brigham Young 68.1% 56.4% -11.7% 119.  Touro 56.6% 56.1% -0.5% 120.  San Diego 47.8% 55.9% 8.1% 121.  St. Thomas (MN) 49.0% 55.8% 6.8% 122.  South Dakota 67.9% 55.7% -12.2% 123.  Willamette 67.2% 55.3% -11.9% 124.  Syracuse 57.3% 55.0% -2.3% 125.  DePaul 55.2% 54.9% -0.4% 126.  Hawaii 54.4% 54.5% 0.1% 127.  Memphis 57.3% 53.7% -3.5% 128.  Faulkner 45.8% 53.7% 7.9% 129.  Samford 56.6% 53.6% -3.0% 130.  Pittsburgh 52.5% 53.6% 1.1% 131.  Appalachian 35.8% 53.3% 17.5% 132.  Baltimore 52.2% 53.2% 1.0% 133.  Duquesne 57.1% 53.1% -4.0% 134.  Penn State (Penn State Law) 65.3% 53.1% -12.2% 135.  Pepperdine 49.0% 52.8% 3.8% 136.  Arkansas (Little Rock) 59.2% 52.4% -6.8% 137.  St. Mary’s 59.2% 52.3% -6.9% 138.  Roger Williams 46.2% 52.3% 6.1% 139.  Cleveland State 48.3% 52.3% 3.9% 140.  Chicago-Kent, IIT 52.1% 52.0% -0.1% 141.  Mississippi 55.3% 51.8% -3.5% 142.  Dayton 52.9% 51.6% -1.2% 143.  Akron 52.4% 51.4% -1.0% 144.  Widener (Commonwealth) 54.0% 51.3% -2.7% 145.  Loyola (IL) 55.3% 51.0% -4.4% 146.  John Marshall (Chicago) 56.1% 50.9% -5.2% 147.  Liberty 46.1% 50.8% 4.8% 148.  Quinnipiac 41.6% 50.4% 8.8% 149.  Campbell 59.7% 50.3% -9.4% 150.  Michigan State 46.2% 49.5% 3.3% 151.  Oregon 47.3% 49.2% 1.9% 152.  Howard 54.9% 49.1% -5.7% 153.  Charleston 52.7% 48.9% -3.9% 154.  Widener (Delaware) 44.9% 48.8% 3.9% 155.  Seattle 48.8% 48.7% -0.1% 156.  New York Law School 43.4% 48.6% 5.2% 157.  Elon 39.4% 48.1% 8.6% 158.  Vermont 48.5% 47.5% -0.9% 159.  Lewis and Clark 52.6% 47.3% -5.3% 160.  Loyola (LA) 51.4% 47.0% -4.4% 161.  Chapman 47.8% 47.0% -0.9% 162.  South Texas 61.8% 46.9% -14.9% 163.  Pacific, McGeorge 44.9% 46.1% 1.1% 164.  Toledo 43.9% 45.7% 1.8% 165.  Catholic 45.8% 44.4% -1.4% 166.  American 45.0% 44.2% -0.8% 167.  Northern Kentucky 44.9% 44.0% -0.9% 168.  Suffolk 46.7% 43.5% -3.1% 169.  Western New England 37.8% 43.3% 5.6% 170.  St. Thomas (FL) 47.2% 43.0% -4.2% 171.  Maine 50.5% 42.9% -7.7% 172.  New England 42.5% 42.8% 0.3% 173.  Valparaiso 49.4% 42.0% -7.4% 174.  Western State 32.7% 41.8% 9.2% 175.  Concordia N/A 41.7% N/A 176.  Ohio Northern 46.8% 41.3% -5.5% 177.  La Verne 45.5% 41.0% -4.4% 178.  California Western 48.4% 40.2% -8.2% 179.  Lincoln Memorial 66.7% 40.0% -26.7% 180.  Arizona Summit [Phoenix] 39.9% 39.8% -0.1% 181.  Santa Clara 35.6% 39.3% 3.6% 182.  Florida Coastal 34.5% 38.8% 4.3% 183.  Capital 38.8% 38.5% -0.2% 184.  Florida A&M 33.9% 38.1% 4.2% 185.  Southwestern 38.7% 37.0% -1.7% 186.  Detroit Mercy 37.2% 36.8% -0.4% 187.  Golden Gate 24.6% 36.7% 12.1% 188.  San Francisco 33.0% 36.1% 3.1% 189.  Southern University 34.5% 36.1% 1.5% 190.  Ave Maria 36.4% 36.0% -0.3% 191.  Texas Southern 40.3% 35.4% -5.0% 192.  Barry 42.6% 34.5% -8.1% 193.  Massachusetts — Dartmouth 30.9% 34.5% 3.6% 194.  North Carolina Central 40.8% 32.7% -8.1% 195.  Hamline 48.7% 30.0% -18.7% 196.  WMU Cooley 30.0% 27.5% -2.5% 197.  Atlanta’s John Marshall 43.7% 26.7% -17.0% 198.  Charlotte 34.1% 26.3% -7.8% 199.  Thomas Jefferson 29.7% 24.5% -5.2% 200.  Puerto Rico 16.4% 23.8% 7.4% 201.  District of Columbia 26.2% 22.1% -4.2% 202.  Whittier 27.3% 21.3% -6.0% 203.  Pontifical Catholic 5.5% 16.6% 11.1% 204.  Inter American 11.1% 7.6% -3.5% TOTAL (EXCL.  P.R.) 58.7% 59.9% 1.2% 10TH PERCENTILE (EXCL.  P.R.) 38.8% 39.3% 0.5% 25TH PERCENTILE (EXCL.  P.R.) 48.5% 49.2% 0.7% MEDIAN (EXCL.  P.R.) 58.9% 59.9% 1.0% 75TH PERCENTILE (EXCL.  P.R.) 67.2% 67.6% 0.4% 90TH PERCENTILE (EXCL.  P.R.) 73.7% 78.9% 5.2% MEAN (EXCL.  P.R.) 58.2% 58.6% 0.5%

Notes:

(1) This will be the last year Mitchell and Hamline separately report employment data.  The spreadsheet contains an entry for Mitchell | Hamline for those interested. 

(2) Similarly, Rutgers now reports as one school, so the 2014 entry is the weighted average employment rate for both the Camden and Newark campuses. 

(3) Countering the trend, Penn State became two law schools as of this year, so I used the weighted average employment rate for the class of 2014 for both schools. 

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Previous posts on this topic:

That’s all I’ve got.