Skip to main content
Law School Transparency logo
University of Southern California
Private school
Los Angeles, CA
Job Score
Admission chances

Graduate salaries for University of Southern California

Total 2018 graduates: 205

  • 62.9% of this school's 2018 graduates were employed and reported a salary.
  • We know that at least 31.5% of this school's 2018 graduates made $165,000 or more.

Median salary: $99,325

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 reported12962.9%$80,000$165,000$190,000$138,571
Employed - No salary reported5727.8%
Non-employed199.3%
Total graduates205100%

Salary distribution by job sector for 2018 graduates

# of grads % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
Private sector - salary reported11154.1%$110,000$180,000$190,000$151,159
Private sector - no salary reported4522%
Public sector - salary reported18 8.8% $50,000$63,500$69,000 $60,946
Public sector - no salary reported125.9%
Unknown sector00%
Non-employed199.3%
Total graduates205100%

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 16612360% $80,000$170,000$190,000$141,501
J.D. advantage 1162.9% $50,000$81,000$84,000$78,500
Professional 2-0 ----
Non-professional 0-0 ----
Employed 18612962.9% $80,000$165,000$190,000$138,571
Non-employed 19
Total Graduates 205

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 137 103 50.2% $125,000 $190,000 $190,000 $155,831
Law firm: Bar passage required 136 103 50.2% $125,000 $190,000 $190,000 $155,831
Law firm: Other 100%
Business & industry 19 8 3.9% $78,000 $84,000 $114,500 $91,000
Government 9 - - - - - -
Public interest 7 - - - - - -
Clerkship 11 9 4.4% $67,000 $68,000 $69,283 $66,392
Federal 7 6 2.9% $67,000 $67,923 $69,000 $66,855
State 4 0 - - - -
Education 3 - - - - - -
Employed 18612962.9% $80,000$165,000$190,000$138,571
Non-employed 19
Total graduates 205

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 137 103 50.2% $125,000$190,000$190,000$155,831
Solo 1
2-10 attorneys 33 14 6.8% $70,000 $80,000 $125,000 $91,543
11-25 attorneys 11 7 3.4% $70,000 $78,000 $130,000 $91,143
26-50 attorneys 8 - 0 - - - -
51-100 attorneys 4 - 0 - - - -
101-250 attorneys 6 5 2.4% $115,000 $125,000 $130,000 $129,400
251-500 attorneys 9 8 3.9% $135,000 $170,000 $175,000 $158,125
501+ attorneys 65 64 31.2% $190,000 $190,000 $190,000 $182,797
Size unknown 0
Employed, non-law firm 49 26 12.7%
Non-employed 19
Total graduates 205

Salaries by state for 2018 graduates

Full-time, long-term salaries
# in category # salaries % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
California - 115 56.1% $78,000 $165,000 $190,000 $136,597
Outside of California
or unknown
- 14 6.8% $125,000 $175,000 $190,000 $154,786
Employed 18612962.9% $80,000$165,000$190,000$138,571
Non-employed 19
Total graduates 205
Feedback