Class of 2022 Employment Information
On April 5, 2023Colorado Law reported post-graduation employment data for its class of 2022 to the American Bar Association (ABA). Below is a summary of the employment information for the class of 2022as of ten months after graduation, March 15, 2023.
You may view the class of 2022ABA Employment Summaryhere. The NALP Employment Report for the class of 2022 can be found here.
How Many Graduates from the Class of 2022Are Employed?
- 95% (157/166) of 2022 graduates reported employment ten months after graduation (March 15, 2023)
- 93% (155/166) of graduates reported a full-time, long-term (does not have a definite term of less than one year)job for which bar passage was required or a JD degree was an advantage (#26 nationally).
- 82% (136/166) of graduates reported a full-time, long-termjob for which bar passage was required.
- 94% (156/166) reported full time jobs. This represents 99% of employed graduates.
- 94% (156/166) reported long-term jobs.This represents 99% of employed graduates.
Class of 2022graduates ten months after graduation
- Employed = 157*
- Employed, start date deferred = 1
- Pursuing additional degree = 1
- Unemployed and seeking employment = 3
- Unemployed and not seeking employment = 2
- Unknown = 2
* One of the 157 employed graduates received funding from Colorado Law's post-graduate fellowship program for work with a judge.
U.S. News Employment Statistics
On April 18, 2023U.S. News & World Report released its current law school rankings, which include employment statistics from the class of 2021.U.S. News gives maximum weight to those employed graduates with full-time jobs that last at least one year for which bar passage was required, or a JD degree was an advantage.
U.S. News Employment statisticsat graduation (no longer assigned a rankings weight by U.S. News):
- 70.0% (116/166) for the class of 2022
- 57.3% for the class of 2021
- 46.3% for the class of 2020
- 62.8% for the class of 2019
- 58.5% for the class of 2018
U.S. News employment statisticsten months after graduation:
- 93.4% (155/166) for the class of 2022
- 83.0% for the class of 2021
- 78.5% for the class of 2020
- 84.6% for the class of 2019
- 85.0% for the class of 2018
Employment Categories
- 54%(85/157) of employed 2022 graduates are working inlaw firms:
- All of these graduates are in full-time, long-term positions for which bar passage is required.
- 30 of the 85 grads reported employment at a National Law Journal 500 law firm ten months after graduation, while 4additional grads will join an NLJ 500 firm after a judicial clerkship. Together, these 34 graduates account for 22% of all employed 2022 graduates, compared to 21%of all employed 2021graduates,14% of class of 2020 graduates, 22% of class of 2019 graduates, 14% of class of 2018 graduates, 16% of class of 2017 graduates, and 17% of class of 2016 graduates.
- 15%(24/157) of employed graduates are working injudicial clerkships:
- Three of these graduates are in federal court clerkships. Seven are in state appellate court clerkships in Colorado and Alaska, and 14 are in state trial court clerkships.
- 13%(21/157) of employed graduates are working ingovernment:
- All of these graduates are working in full-time positions that last at least one year for which bar passage was required, or a JD degree was an advantage.
- 8%(13/157) of employed graduates are working inbusiness:
- 100% of these graduates are working in full-time jobs that last at least one year for which bar passage was required, or a JD degree was an advantage.
- These businesses include DaVita, DISH Network, Ernst & Young, Woodward, and Xcel Energy.
- 6%(10/157) of employed graduates are working inpublic interest:
- Six of these graduates are working for public defender offices in Colorado.
- 1%(1/157) of employed graduates are working in Law School-fundedfellowships.
Salaries
- 94% (147/157) of all employed graduates reported a salary to the CDO:
- These salaries represent 146long-term jobs and 1short-term job.
- The median salary was $80,000and the mean was $97,291.
- Twenty-five percent of the graduates reporting salaries earn $122,000 or more per year.
- Twenty-five percent of the graduates reporting salaries earn $60,000or less per year.
Colorado Law is dedicated to makingpublic interest legal careersa real option for our graduates, despite the reality of educational debt.OurLoan Repayment Assistance Program(LRAP) is available to graduates working in qualifying public interest jobsand providedpartial loan repayment awards in the amount of $6,500 to 52 qualified applicants in the 2022award year.
Salary Summary by Employment Sector
| Sector | # of grads | FT/LT | FT/ST | PT/LT | PT/ST | % FT/LT w/ Salary | Median | Mean | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Private Sector | 98 | 98 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90% | $105,000 | $122,028 | $80,000 | $180,000 |
| ʳܲٴǰ | 59 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100% | $59,208 | $61,436 | $52,830 | $68,487 |
Salary Summary by Employment Category
| Category | # of grads | FT/LT | FT/ST | PT/LT | PT/ST | % FT/LT w/ Salary | Median | Mean | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Law Firms | 85 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 92% | $110,000 | $125,487 | $80,000 | $180,000 |
| Judicial Clerk | 25 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100% | $54,288 | $55,916 | $49,896 | $59,406 |
| Government | 21 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | $61,947 | $67,853 | $56,430 | $75,000 |
| Business | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 77% | $93,500 | $95,050 | $78,875 | $113,750 |
| Public Interest | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | $64,260 | $64,178 | $64,000 | $68,565 |
| Education | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | $50,000 | $51,533 | $50,000 | $52,300 |
Salary Summary by Employment Type
| Type | # of grads | FT/LT | FT/ST | PT/LT | PT/ST | % FT/LT w/ Salary | Median | Mean | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Bar Required | 137 | 136 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 95% | $80,000 | $101,514 | $60,000 | $140,000 |
| JD Advantage | 19 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 84% | $63,474 | $71,989 | $51,830 | $79,250 |
| Professional | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Non-Professional | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Bar Admission Required/Anticipated: This job requires the graduate to pass the bar, before or after being hired, and be licensed to practice law. These jobs may be in a law firm, business, government, non-profit setting, or judicial clerk.
JD Advantage: This job does not require bar passage, an active law license, or involve practicing law, but your JD provides a demonstrable advantage in obtaining or performing the job. Examples of this job type are varied and numerous.
Professional: This job requires professional skills or training but a JD is neither required nor particularly applicable. Examples include teachers of non-law topics, real estate agents, performing arts specialists, doctors, nurses, engineers, or architects.
Non-Professional: This job does not require any professional skills or training such as a barista, server, or hairstylist.
Employment Summary by Location
Of the 140graduates reporting employment in the Mountain region, 137are employed in Colorado. This represents 87% of employed graduates.
| Region | # Student Reported | % of Reported |
| New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mid-Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) | 3 | 1.9% |
| North East Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) | 1 | 0.6% |
| North West Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) | 1 | 0.6% |
| South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) | 7 | 4.5% |
| South East Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) | 0 | 0.0% |
| South West Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) | 3 | 1.9% |
| Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) | 140 | 89.2% |
| Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) | 2 | 1.3% |
| Foreign | 0 | 0.0% |
| Unknown | 0 | 0.0% |
Timing of Post-grad Jobs
The timing of Colorado Law students accepting post-graduate employment follows a similar pattern each year. By the end of the 3L fall semester, usuallyone-third or more of students report a post-graduate position. By graduation, typically two-thirdsgraduates are employed. While some graduates accept positions over the summer, it is more common for graduates to report accepting jobs in August and September, after the bar exam but before the bar results have been released. Then, by mid-January, we typically hit our high and expectsome fluctuation before March 15.
| Class of 2022 Offer Timing | % Reported |
| Permanent offer received before graduation | 67% |
| Offer received after graduation but before bar results | 27% |
| Offer received after bar results | 6% |
Post-graduate employers
Click here for a list of employers.
Employment Reports
- Class of 2024 ABA Employment Summary
- Class of 2023 Employment Information
- Class of 2022 Employment Information
- Class of 2021 Employment Information
- Class of 2020 Employment Information
- Class of 2019 Employment Information
- Class of 2018 Employment Information
- Class of 2017Employment Information
- Class of 2016 Employment Information
- Class of 2015 Employment Information
- Class of 2014 Employment Information
ABA Disclosures
Per Interpretation 509-2 of , law schools may choose to publicize additional employment outcome data beyond what the Employment Protocols require. This additional data, per Standard 509, must be “complete, accurate, and not misleading to areasonable law school student or applicant.” Law schools are expected to use “due diligence in obtaining and verifying such information.” The additional employment outcome data on this page has not been, and will not be, audited by the ABA. It is meant to supplement the annual ABA Employment Summary Report, which reflects the employment status of members of each graduating class as of the annual Graduate Employment Status Date of March 15. Please reference the 3 years of employment outcome data posted on the ABA Required Disclosures webpage of each ABA-Approved Law School or at .