Graduate Employment Statistics - Text Version
Overview
Employment Information for the Class of 2021
KU Law reports students employed 10 months following graduation to the ABA and NALP. For the Class of 2021, the ABA required that a student be employed as of March 15, 2022, to be counted.
Overall employment at KU Law was 96.9% for the Class of 2021. Including one student enrolled in a full-time graduate program, the overall number was 97.9%. This represents the eighth consecutive year of overall employment at or above 90%, including full-time graduate degree enrollment.
Overall Employment
| Reporting Entity | % Employed | Formula Used | Class Size for 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| KU Law Overall Employment | 97.9% | (Employed + Full-Time Graduate Programs) / Class Size | 98 |
This includes 95.9% of the Class of 2021 who landed positions that were Bar Passage-Required or JD-Advantage jobs that were also full-time and long-term — jobs that we regard as the highest quality positions for new graduates.
Unless otherwise specified, all numbers are based on data reported to the ABA for the Class of 2021. Differences in criteria between bodies like the ABA and NALP may create minor differences in similar categories. Find the related ABA and NALP forms on the Consumer Information (ABA Required Disclosures) page.
Five-Year Comparison of KU Law Overall Employment Rates
(Employed + Full-Time Graduate Programs / Class Size)
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97.9% | 93.1% | 93.1% | 93.3% | 91.7% |
Employment by Category
Five-Year Comparison of Employment Categories - ABA
(Number Employed in Category) / Class Size
| Practice Area | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class Size | 98 | 102 | 102 | 119 | 121 |
| Private Practice | 44.9% | 57.8% | 42.2% | 42% | 45.5% |
| Business | 7.1% | 7.8% | 9.8% | 16% | 16.5% |
| Government | 16.3% | 6.9% | 18.6% | 20.2% | 13.2% |
| Judicial Clerk | 13.3% | 4.9% | 11.8% | 8.4% | 7.4% |
| Public Interest | 15.3% | 9.8% | 8.8% | 4.2% | 1.6% |
| Education | 0% | 5.9% | 1% | 1.7% | 0.8% |
| Employer Type Unknown | 0% | 0% | 1% | 0% | 0% |
Private Practice Detail (Class of 2021) - ABA
(Number Employed in Category) / Class Size
Class of 2021 size = 98
| Size of Firm | # Reported | % of Reported |
|---|---|---|
| Solo | 0 | 0% |
| 1-10 attorneys | 17 | 17.3% |
| 11-25 | 9 | 9.2% |
| 26-50 | 8 | 8.2% |
| 51-100 | 1 | 1% |
| 101-250 | 0 | 0% |
| 251-500 | 2 | 2% |
| 501+ | 7 | 7.1% |
| Unknown Size | 0 | 0% |
Geographic Distribution
Class of 2020 Geographical Distribution - ABA
Note: Geographic distribution for the Class of 2021 will be updated soon.
Graduation from KU Law permits you to stay in the region or move anywhere you prefer. While percentages vary widely, about 55.8% of employed 2020 graduates remained in Kansas, and another 26.2% took positions in Missouri. The balance of our students commenced their careers in communities across the U.S. KU Law alumni can be found in all 50 states and in countries around the globe, including China, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.
| State | # Reported | % Reported |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 53 | 55.8% |
| Missouri | 25 | 26.2% |
| Arizona | 3 | 3.1% |
| Texas | 2 | 2% |
| California | 1 | 1.1% |
| Colorado | 1 | 1.1% |
| Illinois | 1 | 1.1% |
| Louisiana | 1 | 1.1% |
| South Dakota | 1 | 1.1% |
| Utah | 1 | 1.1% |
| Washington, D.C. | 1 | 1.1% |
| Unknown | 1 | 1.1% |
Five-Year Comparison of Geographical Distribution by Region - ABA
| Region | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 2.1% |
| Middle Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) | 0% | 4.2% | 1.8% | 1% | 3.1% |
| East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) | 1.1% | 1% | 3.6% | 2.9% | 2.1% |
| West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) | 83.2% | 70.5% | 78.2% | 77.5% | 79.4% |
| South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) | 5.3% | 11.6% | 2.7% | 2% | 3.1% |
| West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) | 3.1% | 5.3% | 3.6% | 2.9% | 1% |
| East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 0% |
| Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) | 5.3% | 4.2% | 6.4% | 7.8% | 3.1% |
| Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) | 1.1% | 1% | 3.6% | 3.9% | 5.2% |
| Foreign | 0% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 1% |
ABA Statement on Employment Data
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 three years of employment outcome data posted on the ABA Required Disclosures webpage of each ABA-Approved Law School or at abarequireddisclosures.org.