Northwestern University
Private school
Chicago, IL
Graduate salaries for Northwestern University
This school has disclosed recent salary data (Class of 2017), but not for the most recent year of available data (Class of 2018).
Total 2017 graduates: 248
- 93.5% of this school's 2017 graduates were employed and reported a salary.
- We know that at least 46.8% of this school's 2017 graduates made $180,000 or more.
Median salary: $176,087
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 2017 graduates
| # of grads | % of class | 25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | Mean | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed - salary reported | 232 | 93.5% | $97,500 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $143,398 |
| Employed - No salary reported | 6 | 2.4% | ||||
| Non-employed | 10 | 4% | ||||
| Total graduates | 248 | 100% | ||||
Salary distribution by job sector for 2017 graduates
| # of grads | % of class | 25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | Mean | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private sector - salary reported | 187 | 75.4% | $160,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $162,630 |
| Private sector - no salary reported | 5 | 2% | ||||
| Public sector - salary reported | 45 | 18.1% | $57,000 | $60,518 | $66,379 | $63,479 |
| Public sector - no salary reported | 1 | 0.4% | ||||
| Unknown sector | 0 | 0% | ||||
| Non-employed | 10 | 4% | ||||
| Total graduates | 248 | 100% | ||||
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 2017 graduates
| Full-time, long-term salaries | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # in category | # Salaries | % of class | 25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | Mean | |
| Bar passage required | 205 | 208 | 83.9% | $105,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $147,532 |
| J.D. advantage | 27 | 24 | 9.7% | $77,500 | $120,000 | $140,000 | $107,570 |
| Professional | 0 | - | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| Non-professional | 0 | - | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| Employed | 238 | 232 | 93.5% | $97,500 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $143,398 |
| Non-employed | 10 | ||||||
| Total Graduates | 248 | ||||||
Salaries by employer type and job type for 2017 graduates
| Full-time, long-term salaries | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # in category | # Salaries | % of class | 25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | Mean | |
| Law firm | 164 | 163 | 65.7% | $180,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $169,314 |
| Law firm: Bar passage required | 164 | 163 | 65.7% | $180,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $169,314 |
| Business & industry | 28 | 24 | 9.7% | $80,835 | $125,000 | $150,000 | $117,236 |
| Business & industry: Bar passage required | 24 | 20 | 8.1% | $80,000 | $125,000 | $140,000 | $111,434 |
| Business & industry: Other | 4 | 4 | 1.6% | ||||
| Government | 9 | 5 | 2% | $63,000 | $65,000 | $84,000 | $72,800 |
| Government: Bar passage required | 5 | 5 | 2% | $63,000 | $65,000 | $84,000 | $72,800 |
| Government: Other | 4 | 0 | 0% | ||||
| Public interest | 9 | 12 | 4.8% | $50,000 | $50,000 | $54,688 | $52,179 |
| Public interest: Bar passage required | 11 | 10 | 4% | $50,000 | $50,000 | $52,100 | $51,115 |
| Clerkship | 26 | 26 | 10.5% | $60,000 | $63,796 | $66,379 | $62,631 |
| Federal | 19 | 19 | 7.7% | $60,210 | $65,000 | $68,000 | $64,018 |
| State | 7 | 7 | 2.8% | $55,057 | $58,000 | $65,000 | $58,865 |
| Education | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Employed | 238 | 232 | 93.5% | $97,500 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $143,398 |
| Non-employed | 10 | ||||||
| Total graduates | 248 | ||||||
Law firm salaries by size for 2017 graduates
| Full-time, long-term salaries | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # in category | # Salaries | % of class | 25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | Mean | |
| Law firm size | 164 | 163 | 65.7% | $180,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $169,314 |
| Solo | 0 | ||||||
| 2-10 attorneys | 6 | 5 | 2% | $60,000 | $60,000 | $70,000 | $62,600 |
| 11-25 attorneys | 1 | - | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 26-50 attorneys | 2 | - | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 51-100 attorneys | 3 | - | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 101-250 attorneys | 6 | 6 | 2.4% | $100,000 | $150,000 | $180,000 | $143,333 |
| 251-500 attorneys | 9 | 9 | 3.6% | $120,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $160,556 |
| 501+ attorneys | 137 | 137 | 55.2% | $180,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $176,489 |
| Size unknown | 0 | ||||||
| Employed, non-law firm | 74 | 69 | 27.8% | ||||
| Non-employed | 10 | ||||||
| Total graduates | 248 | ||||||
Salaries by state for 2017 graduates
| Full-time, long-term salaries | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # in category | # salaries | % of class | 25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | Mean | |
| Illinois | - | 93 | 37.5% | $160,000 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $157,599 |
| Outside of Illinois or unknown |
- | 139 | 56% | $68,000 | $165,000 | $180,000 | $133,897 |
| Employed | 238 | 232 | 93.5% | $97,500 | $180,000 | $180,000 | $143,398 |
| Non-employed | 10 | ||||||
| Total graduates | 248 | ||||||
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