In April 2019, Colorado Law reported post-graduation employment data for its class of 2018 to the American Bar Association (ABA) and the National Association for Law Placement (NALP). A detailed description of the employment outcomes and salaries for the class of 2018 as of ten months after graduation, March 15, 2019, appears below.

You may view the class of 2018 ABA Employment Summary here and the class of 2018 NALP Employment Report here.

How Many Graduates from the Class of 2018 Are Employed?

Consistent with transparency in reporting, we calculate overall employment percentages by dividing the number of employed graduates by the total number of graduates.

  • 94% (181/193) of graduates reported employment ten months after graduation (March 15, 2019)  (Ranked #36 out of 204 law schools reporting class of 2018 employment outcomes)
    • 85% (164/193) of graduates reported a full-time, long-term (defined as a position that does not have a definite term of less than one year), non-school funded job for which bar passage was required or a JD degree was an advantage. (Ranked #53 out of 204 law schools reporting class of 2018 employment outcomes)
    • 80% (155/193) of graduates reported a full-time, long-term, non-school funded job for which bar passage was required.  (Ranked #35 out of 204 law schools reporting class of 2018 employment outcomes)
    • 91% (175/193) reported full time jobs. This represents 97% of employed graduates.
    • 85% (165/193) reported long-term jobs. 
  • 65% (125/193) of graduates reported employment at graduation

Three members of the class of 2018 reported accepting jobs before Friday, March 15, but did not start their employment until Monday, March 18. In accordance with ABA and NALP rules, none of these graduates are counted as employed. Adding these three would bring the percentage of those employed in full-time law or law-related jobs that last one year or more to 87%, and overall employment to 95% as of March 18, 2019.

Class of 2018 graduates ten months after graduation

  • Employed = 181*
  • Accepted a job before March 15 that starts after March 15 = 3
  • Unemployed and seeking employment = 5
  • Unemployed and not seeking employment = 1
  • Unknown = 3

* Five of the 181 employed graduates are receiving funding from Colorado Law's post-graduate public service fellowship program for work with judges and government agencies.

U.S. News Employment Statistics

On March 12, 2019 U.S. News & World Report released its current law school rankings, which include employment statistics from the class of 2017. For both the “employed at graduation” and “employed ten months after graduation” categories, U.S. News gives maximum weight only to those graduates with full-time jobs that last at least one year for which bar passage was required, or a JD degree was an advantage, and which are not funded by the law school or university.

Employment statistics utilizing the U.S. News formula at graduation:

  • 58.5% (113/193) for the class of 2018
    • 53.6% for the class of 2017
    • 52.2% for the class of 2016
    • 53.5% for the class of 2015

Employment statistics utilizing the U.S. News formula ten months after graduation:

  • 85.0% (164/193) for the class of 2018
    • 83.9% for the class of 2017
    • 73.4% for the class of 2016
    • 81.1% for the class of 2015

Employment Categories

  • 41% (74/181) of employed graduates are working in law firms:
    • 99% (73/74) of these graduates are in full-time, long-term positions for which bar passage is required.
    • 23 of those 74 grads reported employment at a National Law Journal 500 law firm ten months after graduation, while three additional grads will join an NLJ 500 firm after their judicial clerkships. These 26 graduates account for 14% of all employed 2018 graduates, compared to 16% for class of 2017 graduates and 17% for class of 2016 graduates.
      • Salaries for these firms range from $75-190K.
  • 18% (32/181) of employed graduates are working in judicial clerkships:
    • Two are in federal court clerkships, 10 are in state appellate court clerkships, and 20 are in state trial court clerkships.
  • 15% (27/181) of employed graduates are working in government:
    • 96% of these graduates are working in full-time positions for which bar passage was required, or a JD degree was an advantage.
  • 11% (21/181) of employed graduates are working in business:
    • Sixteen of these graduates are in full-time jobs that last at least one year for which bar passage was required, or a JD degree was an advantage.
    • These businesses include CoBank, DISH Network, Medtronic, Molson Coors, T-Mobile, and Xcel Energy.
  • 10% (18/181) of employed graduates are working in public interest:
    • Sixteen of these graduates are working for Public Defender Offices.
  • 3% (5/181) of employed graduates are working in Law School-funded fellowships:
    • Three are working for judges and two are working for a government agency.
  • 2% (4/181) of employed graduates are working in education.

Salaries

  • 99% (179/181) of all employed graduates reported a salary:
    • These salaries represent 164 long-term jobs and 15 short-term jobs.
  • The median salary was $61,731 and the mean was $75,217.
  • The private practice (law firm) mean salary was $95,597, the private sector mean salary was $90,517, and the public sector mean salary was $57,061.
  • Twenty-five percent of the graduates reporting salaries earn $80,000 or more per year.
  • Twenty-five percent of the graduates reporting salaries earn $54,750 or less per year.

To maintain consistency with the 2018 NALP employment report, we report only salaries from full-time, long-term positions held by members of the class of 2018 as of March 15, 2019. We received salaries from 99.4% of graduates employed in full-time, long-term positions (164/165).

With respect to salaries, our public service-focused programs, including criminal defense, are strong. The Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) is available for many graduates working in public service jobs, and the program awarded 61 qualified applicants with $5,500 awards during the 2019 award year.

Salary Summary by Employment Sector
Sector # of grads FT/LT FT/ST PT/LT PT/ST % FT/LT w/ Salary Median Mean 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
Private Sector 96 90 4 0 2 99% $75,000 $90,517 $62,500 $110,000
Public Sector 85 75 6 0 4 100% $57,000 $57,061 $50,000 $59,208

Salary Summary by Employment Category
Category # of grads FT/LT FT/ST PT/LT PT/ST % FT/LT w/ Salary Median Mean 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
Law Firms 74 73 1 0 0 99% $80,000 $95,597 $65,000 $121,250
Judicial Clerk 35 30 3 0 2 100% $52,000 $53,273 $49,275 $58,776
Government 29 26 1 0 2 100% $61,500 $62,597 $50,000 $70,000
Business 21 16 3 0 2 100% $72,500 $69,751 $54,250 $81,000
Public Interest 18 18 0 0 0 100% $57,000 $56,108 $57,000 $57,276
Academic 4 2 2 0 0 100% - - - -

Salary Summary by Employment Type
Type # of grads FT/LT FT/ST PT/LT FT/ST % FT/LT w/ Salary Median Mean 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
Bar Required 166 156 6 0 4 99% $62,500 $75,854 $55,000 $81,250
JD Advantage 13 9 4 0 0 100% $56,000 $64,253 $49,920 $75,000
Other Professional 2 0 0 0 2 - - - - -
Non-Professional 0 - -   - - - - - -
  • ​“Bar Required” jobs require that the graduate pass the bar and be licensed to practice law. These jobs may be in a law firm, business, government, or non-profit setting. This category also includes judicial clerks and positions that require the graduate to pass the bar after being hired.
  • “JD Advantage” jobs include those for which the employer sought an individual with a JD, and perhaps even required a JD, but the job itself does not require bar passage, an active law license, or involve practicing law.
  • An "Other Professional" position is one that requires professional skills or training but in which a JD is neither required nor particularly applicable, such as accountant, teacher, business manager, nurse, etc.
  • A "Non-Professional" position is one that does not require any special professional skills or training. 

Employment Summary by Location

Of the 158 graduates reporting employment in the Mountain region, 148 were employed in Colorado. This represents 82% of employed graduates.

Region # Student Reported % of Reported
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0 -
Mid-Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) 1 0.5%
North East Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 3 1.7%
North West Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 3 1.7%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 4 2.2%
South East Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 1 0.5%
South West Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 6 3.3%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) 158 87.3%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 5 2.8%
Foreign 0 -
Unknown 0 -

 

Timing of Post-Graduate Jobs

The timing of Colorado Law students accepting post-graduate employment has followed a distinct pattern over the last five years. By spring break, one-third or more of students had reported a post-graduate position. By graduation, at least one half of graduates were employed. While some graduates found positions over the summer, it was more common for graduates to report accepting jobs in September and October. By mid-December (seven months after graduation), approximately 90 percent of our graduates had found jobs.

April 1, 2018 51%
April 15 57%
May 1 61%
May 15 62%
June 1 64%
June 15 65%
July 1 66%
July 15 66%
August 1 67%
August 15 68%
September 1 69%
September 15 71%
October 1 76%
October 15 81%
November 1 84%
November 15 86%
December 1 87%
December 15 88%
January 1, 2019 89%
January 15 91%
February 1 92%
February 15 92%
March 1 93%
March 15 94%

Post-Graduate Employers of the Colorado Law Class of 2018

Duplicate employers have been removed. Out of state employers have been marked.

  • 1st Judicial District Court, Judge Enquist
  • 1st Judicial District Court, Judge Hall
  • 1st Judicial District Court, Judge Kopcow
  • 1st Judicial District Court, Judge Oeffler
  • 2nd Judicial District Court, Judge Baumann
  • 2nd Judicial District Court, Judge Gerdes
  • 2nd Judicial District Court, Judge Madden
  • 2nd Judicial District Court, Judge Starrs
  • 2nd Judicial District Court, Judge Vallejos
  • 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office
  • 8th Judicial District Court, Judge Lammons
  • 8th Judicial District Court, Judge Odell
  • 13th Judicial District Attorney's Office
  • 14th Judicial District Attorney's Office
  • 14th Judicial District Court (MT)
  • 18th Judicial District Court, Judge Weishaupl
  • 20th Circuit State Attorney's Office (FL)
  • 20th Judicial District Attorney's Office
  • 20th Judicial District Court, Judge Butler
  • 20th Judicial District Court, Judge Hartman
  • 20th Judicial District Court, Judge LaBuda
  • 20th Judicial District Court, Judge Langer
  • 20th Judicial District Court, Judge Mulvahill
  • 20th Judicial District Court, Judge Sierra
  • 22nd Judicial District Attorney's Office
  • Albourne America LLC (CA)
  • Allen & Vellone
  • Alteryx, Inc.
  • Altus Law Group
  • Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc.
  • Arcane Marketing (ID)
  • Armstrong Teasdale
  • Aurora City Attorney's Office
  • Ayres, Jenkins, Gordy & Almand, P.A. (MD)
  • Baker McKenzie (TX)
  • Baron Education
  • Block45 Legal
  • Boulder City Attorney's Office
  • Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
  • Buchanan Sperling & Holleman, P.C.
  • Bull & Davies, P.C.
  • Chambliss, Bahner & Stopphel, P.C. (TN)
  • City of Lakewood
  • CoBank
  • Colorado Attorney General's Office
  • Colorado Court of Appeals, Judge Fox
  • Colorado Court of Appeals, Judge Harris
  • Colorado Court of Appeals, Judge Taubman
  • Colorado Court of Appeals, Judge Webb
  • Colorado Department of Transportation
  • Colorado Senate Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg
  • Colorado State Public Defender
  • Colorado Supreme Court, Justice Boatright
  • Colorado Supreme Court, Justice Coats
  • Colorado Supreme Court, Justice Hood
  • Davis Graham & Stubbs
  • Denver City Attorney's Office, Airport Legal Services Section
  • Denver City Attorney's Office, Legislative Counsel Section
  • Denver City Attorney's Office, Litigation Section
  • Denver City Attorney's Office, Municipal Operations Section
  • Denver City Attorney's Office, Prosecution & Code Enforcement
  • DISH Network L.L.C.
  • DLA Piper (TX)
  • EMPSi: Environmental Management and Planning Solutions, Inc.
  • Erise IP
  • Fairfield & Woods P.C.
  • Federal Communications Commission (DC)
  • Fowler, Schimberg, Flanagan & McLetchie P.C.
  • Getches Wilkinson Center
  • Global Healthcare Exchange
  • Greenberg Traurig
  • Gunnison Law and Mediation, Ltd.
  • Hall, Hieatt & Connely, LLP (CA)
  • Hawai'i Third Circuit Court, Fourth Division, Judge Fujino (HI)
  • Hoffmann, Parker, Wilson & Carberry, P.C.
  • Hogan Lovells
  • Holland & Hart
  • Holland & Knight
  • Hopkins Law LLC
  • Howard Family Law, LLC (MN)
  • Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court (IL)
  • Jefferson County District Attorney's Office
  • Jeffress Law
  • JLT Insurance
  • Kalexius
  • Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell LLP
  • Kaplan Test Prep
  • Keating & Lyden
  • Kilpatrick Townsend (CO and WA)
  • King & Greisen
  • King & Spalding
  • Kissinger Fellman
  • Kutak Rock
  • Law Office of Moeller Graf P.C.
  • Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie
  • Lisa Green and Associates
  • Manuel Solis Law Firm
  • Martinez Law, LLC
  • Medtronic
  • Messner & Reeves
  • Michael Best & Friedrich (IL)
  • Milgrom & Daskam, PC
  • Miller Farmer Law
  • Molson Coors Brewing Company
  • Murr Siler & Accomazzo
  • National Young Farmers Coalition
  • New Mexico Court of Appeals (NM)
  • New Mexico State Public Defender (NM)
  • Otten Johnson Robinson Neff + Ragonetti PC
  • Paperbark Law
  • Polsinelli
  • Porzak Browning
  • Professional Finance Company
  • Ramos Law
  • Real Capital Solution
  • Redfern Mason Larsen and Moore (IA)
  • Roepke Law Office
  • Royal Legal Solutions (TX)
  • Sage Law Firm
  • Sherman & Howard
  • Simplifya
  • Snell & Wilmer
  • Stahly LLC
  • Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
  • Susan Loggans and Associates (IL)
  • Sutin Thayer & Browne (NM)
  • Techstars
  • The Woody Law Firm
  • Tjornehoj & Hack LLC
  • T-Mobile, Layer3 TV
  • Trombly Law
  • TrustPoint.One (MO)
  • Tyson Gurney & Hovey, LLC
  • U.S. Air Force JAG (TX)
  • U.S. Army
  • U.S. Army JAG (AK)
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit, Judge Kelly (NM)
  • U.S. Department of Justice, Environment & Natural Resources Division (DC)
  • U.S. District Court, District of Wyoming, Judge Rankin (WY)
  • University of Arkansas School of Law (AR)
  • University of Colorado Law School
  • University of Colorado Law School American Indian Law Program
  • Vincente Sederberg
  • Warren County Superior Court, Judge Picheca (NJ)
  • Werge & Hahn
  • Williamson County Court, Judge Matthews (TX)
  • Winget, Spadafora, Schwartzberg
  • Wyoming Office of the Attorney General Office (WY)
  • Wyoming Outdoor Council (WY)
  • Wysocki Justus
  • Xcel Energy
  • Zinda Law Group