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Cornell University
Private school
Ithaca, NY

Graduate salaries for Cornell University

Total 2018 graduates: 196

  • 80.6% of this school's 2018 graduates were employed and reported a salary.
  • We know that at least 40.3% of this school's 2018 graduates made $190,000 or more.

Median salary: $179,153

This is the most recent median salary for graduates who borrowed, reported in 2020 about graduates from 2016 and 2017. This average is derived from actual tax returns in the year following graduation and mapped to J.D. programs by the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of the Treasury. Learn more.

Additionally, the majority of law schools voluntarily publish salary information about graduates based upon student/graduate surveys, investigation, and public information. This salary information is on this page.

Salary distribution for 2018 graduates

# of grads % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
Employed - salary reported15880.6%$174,000$190,000$190,000$162,775
Employed - No salary reported2814.3%
Non-employed105.1%
Total graduates196100%

Salary distribution by job sector for 2018 graduates

# of grads % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
Private sector - salary reported13367.9%$180,000$190,000$190,000$181,955
Private sector - no salary reported136.6%
Public sector - salary reported25 12.8% $53,810$61,218$68,666 $60,737
Public sector - no salary reported157.7%
Unknown sector00%
Non-employed105.1%
Total graduates196100%

When a row has no salary data, indicated by a "-" (hyphen), it either means that no graduates reported a salary for the category or that fewer than five graduates reported a salary for the category.

Salaries by job type for 2018 graduates

Full-time, long-term salaries
# in category # Salaries % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
Bar passage required 17815478.6% $180,000$190,000$190,000$164,975
J.D. advantage 5-0 ----
Professional 1-0 ----
Non-professional 3-0 ----
Employed 18615880.6% $174,000$190,000$190,000$162,775
Non-employed 10
Total Graduates 196

Salaries by employer type and job type for 2018 graduates

Full-time, long-term salaries
# in category # Salaries % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
Law firm 140 131 66.8% $180,000 $190,000 $190,000 $183,351
Law firm: Bar passage required 143 131 66.8% $180,000 $190,000 $190,000 $183,351
Business & industry 6 - - - - - -
Government 14 8 4.1% $62,117 $68,833 $75,000 $67,612
Government: Bar passage required 9 6 3.1% $68,000 $68,833 $75,000 $68,278
Government: Other 521%
Public interest 6 5 2.6% $48,950 $50,000 $55,000 $52,190
Public interest: Bar passage required 8 5 2.6% $48,950 $50,000 $55,000 $52,190
Clerkship 18 12 6.1% $54,905 $61,218 $63,648 $59,714
Federal 13 8 4.1% $61,218 $62,148 $67,000 $62,605
State 5 0 - - - -
Education 2 - - - - - -
Employed 18615880.6% $174,000$190,000$190,000$162,775
Non-employed 10
Total graduates 196

Law firm salaries by size for 2018 graduates

Full-time, long-term salaries
# in category # Salaries % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
Law firm size 140 131 66.8% $180,000$190,000$190,000$183,351
Solo 0
2-10 attorneys 1 - 0 - - - -
11-25 attorneys 1 - 0 - - - -
26-50 attorneys 0 - 0 - - - -
51-100 attorneys 4 - 0 - - - -
101-250 attorneys 7 5 2.6% $160,000 $160,000 $180,000 $163,000
251-500 attorneys 16 21 10.7% $180,000 $180,000 $190,000 $175,714
501+ attorneys 111 103 52.6% $180,000 $190,000 $190,000 $186,835
Size unknown 0
Employed, non-law firm 46 27 13.8%
Non-employed 10
Total graduates 196

Salaries by state for 2018 graduates

Full-time, long-term salaries
# in category # salaries % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
New York - 100 51% $180,000 $190,000 $190,000 $178,818
Outside of New York
or unknown
- 51 26% $76,000 $180,000 $190,000 $145,538
Employed 18615880.6% $174,000$190,000$190,000$162,775
Non-employed 10
Total graduates 196
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