Previous Employment Statistics

The following information reflects graduates' employment status as of February 15th in the year noted as reported to the American Bar Association (ABA) and NALP—the Association for Legal Career Professionals.  Please reference the ABA's and NALP's instructions to assist in reviewing and interpreting this data.

Employment Status
  Class of 2010 Class of 2009 Class of 2008
  # Reported (Long/Short)* # Reported # Reported
Total Graduates (December, May and July Grads)** 198 211 211

Employment Status Known

 193 211 207
Employed 145 (97/47) 159 154
Bar Admission Required FT 77 127 114
Bar Admission Required PT  4 7 1
Bar Admission Required (FT or PT Unknown)  3 0 0
JD Preferred FT  14 6 20
JD Preferred PT  2 0 1
JD Preferred (FT or PT Unknown)  2 0 0
Professional Other FT  14 13 11
Professional Other PT  3  3  1 
Professional Other (FT or PT Unknown)  1  0  0 
Non-Professional Other FT 4  2  4 
Non-Professional Other PT 1  1  2 
Non-Professional Other (FT or PT Unknown) 5  0  0 
Employed-Job Type Unknown  17  0  0 
Pursuing Degree Full Time  7  3  1 
Unemployed and Seeking Employment  35 35 40
Unemployed and Not Seeking Employment 6 14 12
Employment Status Unknown 5 0 4

 

*The ABA began collecting long-term/short-term data for the Class of 2010.

Graduates choosing to practice in Canada must complete a 10-month articling term post-graduation as a condition of licensure. Accordingly, most graduates articling in Canada are in short-term positions (lasting less than 12 months) by definition.

**Data includes graduates from December of the preceding year as well as May and July graduates for the year noted.  For example, the Class of 2010 includes December 2009, May 2010 and July 2010 graduates in UDM Law's JD, JD/MBA, and Canadian & American Dual JD programs. 

Employment Type by Sector
2010 2009 2008
# Reported (Long/Short) % Reported % Reported % Reported
Employed Graduates 145 75.1 75.4 74.4
Private Practice 69 47.6 65.4 57.1
Solo 2 (2/0) 2.9 11.5 3.4
2-10 23 (15/8) 33.3 40.4 43.2
11-25 15 (8/7) 21.7 10.6 13.6
26-50 2 (1/1) 2.9 13.5 3.4
51-100 5 (5/0) 7.2 2.9 10.2
101-250 5 (3/2) 7.2 6.7 10.2
251-500 2 (0/2) 2.9 6.7 3.4
501+ 9 (2/7) 13.0 4.8 4.5
Unknown 6 (2/4) 8.7 2.9 8.0
Business and Industry 37 (29/8) 25.5 19.5 22.1
Government 18 (17/1) 12.4 6.3 5.2
Public Interest 6 (2/4) 4.1 1.9 4.5
Judicial Clerkship 9 (9/0) 6.2 3.8 5.8
Academia 5 (2/3) 3.4 3.1 5.2
Law School Funded Position*** 3 (1/2) - - -
Employer Type Unknown 1 0.7

***The ABA and NALP began tracking positions funded by law schools in 2010.

Employment Location
2010 2009 2008
% Reported % Reported % Reported
In State (Michigan) 57.7 61.0 57.8
Out-of-State 15.5 23.9 25.3
Foreign 26.8 15.1 16.9
Employment by Region:
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.8 - -
Mid-Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) 8.9 11.3 5.8
E. North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 60.2 68.6 66.9
W. North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE,ND, SD) - - 0.6
South Atlantic (DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 2.4 3.8 3.9
E. South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) - 0.6 -
W. South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) - - 2.6
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 0.8 - 2.6
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) - 0.6 0.6
Number of States Where Graduates are Employed 10 12 19
Most Popular Employment Locations 2010 2009 2008
% Reported % Reported % Reported
Michigan 57.7 61.0 57.8
New York 5.7 8.2 3.2
Pennsylvania 2.4 3.1 1.3
Illinois 0.8 3.8 5.2
Washington, D.C. 1.6 1.3 1.3

 

Full-Time Salaries of Employed Graduates****
2010 2009 2008
Total Employed Graduates 145 159 154
Number of Salaries Reported 35 38 60
25th Percentile 42,000 45,000 42,500
# Reported/
# with Salary		 Salary # Reported/
# with Salary		 Salary # Reported/
# with Salary		 Salary
Private Practice 69
11		 40,000 104
25		 50,000 88
26		 42,500
Solo 2
<5 reported		 - 12
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 -
2-10 23
<5 reported		 - 42
10		 36,000 38
11		 42,500
11-25 15
<5 reported		 - 11
<5 reported		 - 12
5		 40,000
26-50 2/
<5 reported		 - 14
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 -
51-100 5
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 - 9
<5 reported		 -
101-250 5
<5 reported		 - 7
<5 reported		 - 9
<5 reported		 -
251-500 2
<5 reported		 - 7
5		 105,000 3
<5 reported		 -
501+ 9
<5 reported		 - 5
<5 reported		 - 4
<5 reported		 -
Unknown 6
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 - 7
<5 reported		 -
Business and Industry 37
9		 49,000 31
7		 42,000 34
16		 40,000
Government 18
7		 42,000 10
<5 reported		 - 8
6		 42,500
Public Interest 6
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 - 7
<5 reported		 -
Judicial Clerkship 9
5		 32,400 6
<5 reported		 - 9
7		 40,000
Academia 5
<5 reported		 - 5
<5 reported		 - 8
<5 reported		 -
Median 50,000 65,000 50,000
# Reported/# with Salary Salary # Reported/
# with Salary 		 Salary   # Reported/
# with Salary		  Salary
Private Practice 69
11		 60,000 104
25		 65,000 88
26		 51,500
Solo 2
<5 reported		 - 12
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 -
2-10 23
<5 reported		 - 42
10		 43,060 38
11		 47,500
11-25 15
<5 reported		 - 11
<5 reported		 - 12
5		 50,000
26-50 2
<5 reported		 - 14
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 -
51-100 5
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 - 9
<5 reported		 -
101-250 5
<5 reported		 - 7
<5 reported		 - 9
<5 reported		 -
251-500 2
<5 reported		 - 7
5		 105,000 3
<5 reported		 -
501+ 9
<5 reported		 - 5
<5 reported		 - 4
<5 reported		 -
Unknown 6
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 - 7
<5 reported		 -
Business and Industry 37
9		 62,000 31
7		 68,000 34
16		 48,000
Government 18
7		 50,000 10
<5 reported		 - 8
6		 47,500
Public Interest 6
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 - 7
<5 reported		 -
Judicial Clerkship 9
5		 42,500 6
<5 reported		 - 9
7		 47,000
Academia 5
<5 reported		 - 5
<5 reported		 - 8
<5 reported		 -
75th Percentile 62,000 90,000 70,000
# Reported/
# with Salary		 Salary # Reported/
# with Salary 		  Salary # Reported/
# with Salary 		 Salary 
Private Practice 69
11		 60,000 104
25		 105,000 88
26		 82,500
Solo 2
<5 reported		 - 12
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 -
2-10 23
<5 reported		 - 42
10		 65,000 38
11		 51,000
11-25 15
<5 reported		 - 11
<5 reported		 - 12
5		 55,000
26-50 2
<5 reported		 - 14
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 -
51-100 5
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 - 9
<5 reported		 -
101-250 5
<5 reported		 - 7
<5 reported		 - 9
<5 reported		 -
251-500 2
<5 reported		 - 7
5		 120,000 3
<5 reported		 -
501+ 9
<5 reported		 - 5
<5 reported		 - 4
<5 reported		 -
Unknown 6
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 - 7
<5 reported		 -
Business and Industry 37
9		 72,600 31
7		 90,000 34
16		 80,000
Government 18
7		 54,000 10
<5 reported		 - 8
6		 51,000
Public Interest 6
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 - 7
<5 reported		 -
Judicial Clerkship 9
5		 62,000 6
<5 reported		 - 9
7		 54,000
Academia 5
<5 reported		 - 5
<5 reported		 - 8
<5 reported		 -
Mean 53,891 71,136 60,457
# Reported/
# with Salary		 Salary # Reported/
# with Salary		 Salary # Reported/
# with Salary		 Salary
Private Practice 69
11		 55,500 104
25		 78,449 88
26		 68,804
Solo 2
<5 reported		 - 12
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 -
2-10 23
<5 reported		 - 42
10		 48,272 38
11		 46,227
11-25 15
<5 reported		 - 11
<5 reported		 - 12
5		 48,600
26-50 2
<5 reported		 - 14
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 -
51-100 5
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 - 9
<5 reported		 -
101-250 5
<5 reported		 - 7
<5 reported		 - 9
<5 reported		 -
251-500 2
<5 reported		 - 7
5		 118,000 3
<5 reported		 -
501+ 9
<5 reported		 - 5
<5 reported		 - 4
<5 reported		 -
Unknown 6
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 - 7
<5 reported		 -
Business and Industry 37
9		 62,511 31
7		 67,093 34
16		 59,000
Government 18
7		 48,143 10
<5 reported		 - 8
6		 47,500
Public Interest 6
<5 reported		 - 3
<5 reported		 - 7
<5 reported		 -
Judicial Clerkship 9
5		 46,214 6
<5 reported		 - 9
7		 47,357
Academia 5
<5 reported		 - 5
<5 reported		 - 8
<5 reported		 -

**** <5 reported indicates insufficient salaries reported to disclose while maintaining confidentiality.