Harvard Law School graduates command some of the highest salaries in the legal profession.
Harvard Law School is regarded by many in the legal world as the pinnacle of academia. The school attracts a distinguished applicant pool each year and is highly selective in its admissions process. The majority of Harvard Law School graduates pursue careers in private practices, where average salaries are well into the six figures.
Harvard Law: The Cream of the Crop
Harvard University is home to one of the nation's preeminent law schools. In 2010, Harvard Law School received 7,610 applications and made 833 offers of admission - a mere 10.9 percent acceptance rate. Its students are among the most academically qualified, boasting 25th to 75th percentile scores of 171 and 176 for the LSAT and 3.78 and 3.96 for undergraduate GPA. Learning among such esteemed company is not inexpensive - the tuition for the 2010-11 academic year was $45,450.
Employment by Industry
The majority of Harvard Law School graduates work in the private sector. Sixty-four percent of the Class of 2010 worked in private practices, 22 percent in judicial clerkships, eight percent in public interest organizations, three percent in government, two percent in business and the remaining one percent in the military and academia. Of those that pursued judicial clerkships, 39 percent accepted positions in U.S. Circuit Courts, 34 percent in U.S. District Courts, eight percent in State Supreme Courts, eight percent in other federal courts, six percent in the U.S. Supreme Court and the remaining five percent in other state courts and foreign countries.
First Year Compensation
The average starting salary for 2008 Harvard Law School graduates embarking on a career in the private sector was over $155,000 per year. This statistic masks the range of salaries of graduates entering other fields. A graduate opting for a less lucrative career path, such as providing legal services to Native Americans or advising an inner city clinic, might earn as little as $30,000. To promote public service, Harvard University offers debt forgiveness programs and other incentives to its student body. There is no upper ceiling for Harvard Law School alumni earnings, the school website points out. A Harvard grad who is a highly successful real estate developer or personal injury lawyer can earn seven figures.
Career Compensation
Based on data from 241 self-identified Harvard Law School alumni at various points in their career, their salaries ranged from as little as $50,000 to as much as $400,000 per year, according to PayScale.com. Alumni with less than one year of experience earned an average of approximately $75,000, whereas alumni with 20 or more years of experience earned a salary of $200,000. Bonuses ranged from approximately $4,000 to $85,000.
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