Graduates’ Employment Data

Graduates’ Employment Data

On April 3, 2024 Colorado Law reported post-graduation employment data for its class of 2023 to the American Bar Association (ABA). Below is a summary of the employment information for the class of 2023 as of ten months after graduation, March 15, 2024.

You may view the class of 2023 ABA Employment Summary here. The NALP Employment Report for the class of 2023 can be found here.

How Many Graduates from the Class of 2023 Are Employed?

• 95% (162/171) of 2023 graduates reported employment ten months after graduation (March 15, 2024)
• 90% (154/171) of graduates reported a full-time, long-term (does not have a definite term of less than one year) job for which bar passage was required or a JD degree was an advantage.
• 84% (144/171) of graduates reported a full-time, long-term job for which bar passage was required.
• 91% (156/171) reported full time jobs. This represents 96% of employed graduates.
• 92% (157/171) reported long-term jobs. This represents 97% of employed graduates.

Class of 2023 graduates ten months after graduation

• Employed = 162*
• Employed, start date deferred = 1
• Pursuing additional degree = 1
• Unemployed and seeking employment = 6
• Unemployed and not seeking employment = 1
• Unknown = 0

* Four of the 162 employed graduates received funding from Colorado Law's post-graduate fellowship program for work with a judge. Two of the 162 employed graduates are working for a government agency which was partially funded by Colorado Law.

U.S. News Employment Statistics

On April 9, 2024 U.S. News & World Report released its current law school rankings, which include employment statistics from the classes of 2021 and 2022. U.S. News gives maximum weight to those employed 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 graduates pursing a post-JD degree.

U.S. News employment statistics ten months after graduation:

• 90.6% (155/171) for the class of 2023
  • 93.4% for the class of 2022
  • 86.5% for the class of 2021
  • 83.1% for the class of 2020
  • 85.9% for the class of 2019
  • 85.5% for the class of 2018

Employment Categories

• 48% (77/162) of employed 2023 graduates are working in law firms. 97% of these graduates are working in full-time, long-term positions for which bar admission was required, or a JD degree was an advantage.
  • 33 of these 77 grads reported employment at a National Law Journal 500 law firm ten months after graduation, while 3 additional grads will join an NLJ 500 firm after a judicial clerkship. Together, these 36 graduates account for 22% of employed 2023 graduates, compared to 22% of employed 2022 graduates, 21% of employed 2021 graduates,14% of employed 2020 graduates, and 22% of employed 2019 graduates.
• 15% (25/162) of employed graduates are working in public interest. 100% of these graduates are working in full-time, long-term positions for which bar admission was required, or a JD degree was an advantage.
  • Twenty of these graduates are working for public defender offices, 17 of which are in Colorado.
• 14% (23/162) of employed graduates are working in government. 100% of these graduates are working in full-time, long-term positions for which bar admission was required, or a JD degree was an advantage.
  • Eight of these graduates are working for the federal government in Colorado, D.C., Utah and Virginia.
  • Twelve of these graduates are working for state government agencies in Colorado, New York, and Washington.
  • Three of these graduates are working for local government in Colorado. Two of these are working in a position that was partially funded by Law School.
• 14% (23/162) of employed graduates are working for judges.
  • Three of these graduates are in federal court clerkships in Colorado, Montana, and Oklahoma.
  • Six of these graduates are in state appellate court clerkships in Colorado and Montana, and 14 are in state trial court clerkships in Colorado, Alaska, Illinois, and Virginia. Four of the graduates with state trial courts are working in a Law School-funded fellowship.
• 8% (13/162) of employed graduates are working in business. 85% of these graduates are working in full-time, long-term positions for which bar admission was required, or a JD degree was an advantage.
  • These businesses include DISH Network, Partners Group, PWC, and Woodward.
• 1% (1/162) of employed graduates are working in education.

Salaries

• 97% (157/162) of all employed graduates reported a salary to the CDO:
  • These salaries represent 153 long-term jobs and 4 short-term jobs.
• The median salary was $81,948 and the mean was $105,598.
• Twenty-five percent of the graduates reporting salaries earn $141,250 or more per year.
• Twenty-five percent of the graduates reporting salaries earn $69,750 or less per year.

Salary Summary by Employment Sector

Salary Summary by Employment Category

Salary Summary by Employment Type

^{Bar Admission Required/Anticipated: This job requires the graduate to pass the bar, before or after being hired, and be licensed to practice law. These jobs may be in a law firm, business, government, non-profit setting, or judicial clerk.
JD Advantage: This job does not require bar passage, an active law license, or involve practicing law, but your JD provides a demonstrable advantage in obtaining or performing the job. Examples of this job type are varied and numerous.
Professional: This job requires professional skills or training but a JD is neither required nor particularly applicable. Examples include teachers of non-law topics, real estate agents, performing arts specialists, doctors, nurses, engineers, or architects.
Other position: This job does not require any professional skills or training such as a barista, server, or hairstylist.}

Employment Summary by Location

Of the 133 graduates reporting employment in the Mountain region, 130 are employed in Colorado. This represents 80% of employed class of 2023 graduates compared to 87% for class of 2022 graduates and 81% for class of 2021 graduates.

Timing of Post-grad Jobs

The timing of Colorado Law students accepting post-graduate employment follows a similar pattern each year. By the end of the 3L fall semester, usually one-third or more of students report a post-graduate position. By graduation, typically two-thirds graduates are employed. While some graduates accept positions over the summer, it is more common for graduates to report accepting jobs in August and September, after the bar exam but before the bar results have been released. Then, by mid-January, we typically hit our high and expect some fluctuation before March 15.

Post-graduate employers

Click here for a list of employers.