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Vanderbilt University
Private school
Nashville, TN
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Graduate salaries for Vanderbilt University

Total 2018 graduates: 179

  • 83.8% of this school's 2018 graduates were employed and reported a salary.
  • We know that at least 41.9% of this school's 2018 graduates made $130,000 or more.

Median salary: $129,252

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 reported15083.8%$66,510$130,000$180,000$124,475
Employed - No salary reported1910.6%
Non-employed105.6%
Total graduates179100%

Salary distribution by job sector for 2018 graduates

# of grads % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
Private sector - salary reported11061.5%$120,000$160,000$180,000$147,645
Private sector - no salary reported84.5%
Public sector - salary reported40 22.3% $51,125$60,500$65,755 $70,755
Public sector - no salary reported116.1%
Unknown sector00%
Non-employed105.6%
Total graduates179100%

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 15214480.4% $70,000$137,500$180,000$126,620
J.D. advantage 763.4% $45,000$55,000$65,000$73,000
Professional 0-0 ----
Non-professional 0-0 ----
Employed 16915083.8% $66,510$130,000$180,000$124,475
Non-employed 10
Total Graduates 179

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 109 103 57.5% $130,000 $165,000 $180,000 $152,485
Law firm: Bar passage required 107 103 57.5% $130,000 $165,000 $180,000 $152,485
Law firm: Other 200%
Business & industry 9 7 3.9% $50,000 $65,000 $72,000 $76,429
Government 17 9 5% $68,499 $80,000 $82,027 $75,626
Government: Bar passage required 13 9 5% $68,499 $80,000 $82,027 $75,626
Government: Other 400%
Public interest 14 12 6.7% $46,330 $51,125 $57,500 $52,368
Public interest: Bar passage required 13 10 5.6% $47,660 $51,125 $55,000 $52,342
Public interest: Other 121.1%
Clerkship 20 19 10.6% $58,000 $61,215 $61,221 $59,009
Federal 18 17 9.5% $60,000 $61,218 $61,221 $59,623
State 2 0 - - - -
Education 0 - - - - - -
Employed 16915083.8% $66,510$130,000$180,000$124,475
Non-employed 10
Total graduates 179

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 109 103 57.5% $130,000$165,000$180,000$152,485
Solo 0
2-10 attorneys 3 - 0 - - - -
11-25 attorneys 4 - 0 - - - -
26-50 attorneys 1 - 0 - - - -
51-100 attorneys 4 - 0 - - - -
101-250 attorneys 13 13 7.3% $115,000 $135,000 $150,000 $133,462
251-500 attorneys 17 15 8.4% $120,000 $130,000 $150,000 $132,133
501+ attorneys 67 65 36.3% $165,000 $180,000 $180,000 $170,308
Size unknown 0
Employed, non-law firm 60 47 26.3%
Non-employed 10
Total graduates 179

Salaries by state for 2018 graduates

Full-time, long-term salaries
# in category # salaries % of class 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Mean
Tennessee - 21 11.7% $65,000 $120,000 $130,000 $105,712
Outside of Tennessee
or unknown
- 129 72.1% $68,499 $150,000 $180,000 $127,529
Employed 16915083.8% $66,510$130,000$180,000$124,475
Non-employed 10
Total graduates 179
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