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Northwestern University
Private school
Chicago, IL
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Graduate salaries for Northwestern University

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 reported23293.5%$97,500$180,000$180,000$143,398
Employed - No salary reported62.4%
Non-employed104%
Total graduates248100%

Salary distribution by job sector for 2017 graduates

# of grads % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
Private sector - salary reported18775.4%$160,000$180,000$180,000$162,630
Private sector - no salary reported52%
Public sector - salary reported45 18.1% $57,000$60,518$66,379 $63,479
Public sector - no salary reported10.4%
Unknown sector00%
Non-employed104%
Total graduates248100%

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 20520883.9% $105,000$180,000$180,000$147,532
J.D. advantage 27249.7% $77,500$120,000$140,000$107,570
Professional 0-0 ----
Non-professional 0-0 ----
Employed 23823293.5% $97,500$180,000$180,000$143,398
Non-employed 10
Total Graduates 248

Salaries by employer type and job type for 2017 graduates

Toggle job type sub categories
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 441.6%
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 400%
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 23823293.5% $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 23823293.5% $97,500$180,000$180,000$143,398
Non-employed 10
Total graduates 248
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