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Michigan State University
Public school
East Lansing, MI

Graduate salaries for Michigan State University

Total 2018 graduates: 255

  • 42.4% of this school's 2018 graduates were employed and reported a salary.
  • We know that at least 21.2% of this school's 2018 graduates made $58,000 or more.

Median salary: $58,402

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 reported10842.4%$48,970$58,000$70,167$65,923
Employed - No salary reported11545.1%
Non-employed3212.5%
Total graduates255100%

Salary distribution by job sector for 2018 graduates

# of grads % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
Private sector - salary reported7228.2%$50,000$63,250$96,000$73,009
Private sector - no salary reported7228.2%
Public sector - salary reported36 14.1% $44,000$50,000$60,000 $51,751
Public sector - no salary reported4316.9%
Unknown sector00%
Non-employed3212.5%
Total graduates255100%

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 1759436.9% $50,000$59,000$75,000$67,608
J.D. advantage 33135.1% $40,000$58,000$70,000$55,585
Professional 6-0 ----
Non-professional 1-0 ----
Employed 22310842.4% $48,970$58,000$70,167$65,923
Non-employed 32
Total Graduates 255

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 121 61 23.9% $50,000 $60,000 $100,000 $73,601
Law firm: Bar passage required 114 60 23.5% $50,000 $61,250 $100,000 $74,161
Law firm: Other 710.4%
Business & industry 23 11 4.3% $58,000 $70,000 $80,000 $69,727
Business & industry: Bar passage required 16 7 2.7% $58,000 $65,000 $70,000 $65,714
Business & industry: Other 741.6%
Government 36 16 6.3% $40,000 $45,383 $59,535 $49,206
Government: Bar passage required 24 10 3.9% $42,966 $49,100 $61,370 $52,274
Government: Bar passage required 10 5 2% $35,000 $40,000 $45,266 $44,250
Government: Other 210.4%
Public interest 19 10 3.9% $44,000 $48,850 $55,000 $50,150
Public interest: Bar passage required 14 10 3.9% $44,000 $48,850 $55,000 $50,150
Public interest: Other 500%
Clerkship 20 10 3.9% $51,499 $57,937 $63,542 $57,423
Federal 5 0 - - - -
State 15 5 2% $50,000 $52,000 $55,874 $54,151
Education 4 - - - - - -
Employed 22310842.4% $48,970$58,000$70,167$65,923
Non-employed 32
Total graduates 255

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 121 61 23.9% $50,000$60,000$100,000$73,601
Solo 4
2-10 attorneys 52 22 8.6% $48,000 $53,500 $60,000 $54,748
11-25 attorneys 23 15 5.9% $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $63,440
26-50 attorneys 12 7 2.7% $45,600 $60,000 $65,000 $56,657
51-100 attorneys 6 - 0 - - - -
101-250 attorneys 8 6 2.4% $100,000 $108,500 $115,000 $112,000
251-500 attorneys 10 7 2.7% $100,000 $110,000 $120,000 $108,571
501+ attorneys 3 - 0 - - - -
Size unknown 3
Employed, non-law firm 102 47 18.4%
Non-employed 32
Total graduates 255

Salaries by state for 2018 graduates

Full-time, long-term salaries
# in category # salaries % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
Michigan - 58 22.7% $48,600 $58,850 $80,000 $67,099
Outside of Michigan
or unknown
- 50 19.6% $49,340 $58,000 $70,000 $64,559
Employed 22310842.4% $48,970$58,000$70,167$65,923
Non-employed 32
Total graduates 255
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