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Southern Methodist University
Private school
Dallas, TX
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Graduate salaries for Southern Methodist University

Total 2018 graduates: 240

  • 79.6% of this school's 2018 graduates were employed and reported a salary.
  • We know that at least 39.8% of this school's 2018 graduates made $85,000 or more.

Median salary: $87,718

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 reported19179.6%$65,000$85,000$160,000$108,001
Employed - No salary reported3313.8%
Non-employed166.7%
Total graduates240100%

Salary distribution by job sector for 2018 graduates

# of grads % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
Private sector - salary reported16669.2%$72,000$90,000$180,000$115,057
Private sector - no salary reported2811.7%
Public sector - salary reported25 10.4% $54,933$58,957$63,000 $61,148
Public sector - no salary reported41.7%
Unknown sector00%
Non-employed166.7%
Total graduates240100%

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 19417974.6% $63,500$85,000$160,000$107,727
J.D. advantage 22114.6% $70,000$87,000$126,000$108,182
Professional 5-0 ----
Non-professional 1-0 ----
Employed 22419179.6% $65,000$85,000$160,000$108,001
Non-employed 16
Total Graduates 240

Salaries by employer type and job type for 2018 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 154 139 57.9% $72,000 $90,000 $180,000 $117,781
Law firm: Bar passage required 152 139 57.9% $72,000 $90,000 $180,000 $117,781
Law firm: Other 200%
Business & industry 40 27 11.3% $70,000 $85,000 $120,000 $101,037
Business & industry: Bar passage required 17 15 6.3% $70,000 $85,000 $100,000 $92,200
Business & industry: Bar passage required 19 11 4.6% $70,000 $87,000 $126,000 $108,182
Business & industry: Other 410.4%
Government 11 10 4.2% $56,233 $58,957 $75,000 $67,034
Government: Bar passage required 10 10 4.2% $56,233 $58,957 $75,000 $67,034
Government: Other 100%
Public interest 6 5 2.1% $45,000 $50,000 $50,000 $49,400
Public interest: Bar passage required 5 5 2.1% $45,000 $50,000 $50,000 $49,400
Public interest: Other 100%
Clerkship 9 9 3.8% $56,375 $61,000 $62,500 $59,706
Federal 6 6 2.5% $61,000 $62,250 $64,000 $62,497
State 3 0 - - - -
Education 3 - - - - - -
Employed 22419179.6% $65,000$85,000$160,000$108,001
Non-employed 16
Total graduates 240

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 154 139 57.9% $72,000$90,000$180,000$117,781
Solo 1
2-10 attorneys 52 44 18.3% $60,000 $69,000 $80,000 $68,318
11-25 attorneys 21 19 7.9% $70,000 $85,000 $100,000 $85,368
26-50 attorneys 14 12 5% $71,750 $90,000 $95,000 $96,125
51-100 attorneys 10 9 3.8% $88,000 $90,000 $125,000 $107,000
101-250 attorneys 7 6 2.5% $105,000 $142,500 $160,000 $135,000
251-500 attorneys 13 15 6.3% $180,000 $180,000 $190,000 $169,133
501+ attorneys 36 34 14.2% $190,000 $190,000 $190,000 $184,706
Size unknown 0
Employed, non-law firm 70 52 21.7%
Non-employed 16
Total graduates 240

Salaries by state for 2018 graduates

Full-time, long-term salaries
# in category # salaries % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
Texas - 176 73.3% $65,000 $86,000 $170,000 $109,198
Outside of Texas
or unknown
- 14 5.8% $62,500 $82,500 $115,000 $95,308
Employed 22419179.6% $65,000$85,000$160,000$108,001
Non-employed 16
Total graduates 240
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