Published: April 6, 2018
Colorado Law Class of 2017

The University of Colorado Law School is pleased to announce that the number of 2017 graduates employed in full-time, long-term law or law-related jobs 10 months after graduation is the highest of any class over the last decade.

Earlier this month, Colorado Law reported post-graduation employment data for the Class of 2017 as of 10 months after graduation (March 15, 2018) to the American Bar Association and the National Association for Law Placement. Of all graduates of the Class of 2017, 85 percent (142/168) secured full-time, long-term jobs for which bar passage was required or a JD degree was an advantage within 10 months of graduation.

Additionally, 77 percent (129/168) of graduates reported accepting a full-time, long-term job for which bar passage was required—also the highest number in the last decade.

Overall employment for the Class of 2017 10 months after graduation was 91 percent. Ninety-nine percent (152/153) of employed graduates reported a salary. The private practice (law firm) median salary was $98,500, the private sector median salary was $90,000, and the public sector median salary was $55,000.

“The Class of 2017 was comprised of remarkable students who fully engaged in the life of the law school and worked long hours developing their legal skills in a wide variety of settings.  It is no surprise that they have raised the bar on post-graduate employment outcomes,” said Assistant Dean for Career Development Todd Rogers.

“The numbers speak for themselves, showing the high quality of our students and the high value that a wide range of employers place on a Colorado Law education,” said Dean S. James Anaya.

2017 graduates entered into positions in Colorado and across the nation. A breakdown of where employed graduates are working is as follows:

  • 35% law firms
  • 18% government
  • 18% judicial clerkships, including federal, state appellate, and state trial court
  • 15% business, including Cisco Systems, DISH Network, Equinix, KeyBank, and Otter Products
  • 9% public interest, including six graduates working for public defender offices
  • 3% law school-funded fellowships, which include government and public interest organizations
  • 2% education

A full summary of the Class of 2017 employment data is available here.