Excel professionally.

Vanderbilt Law graduates consistently secure top-tier legal employment with employers across the nation and around the world. With more than 75% starting their careers outside Tennessee, Vanderbilt graduates enjoy remarkable geographic mobility, which is supported by the school's longstanding relationships with legal employers coast to coast and its global alumni network.

J.D. Class of 2017

188

Vanderbilt J.D. Class of 2017 total graduates

91%

Ninety-one percent of 2017 graduates were employed 10 months after graduation.

85%

Eighty-five percent of employed 2017 graduates started their careers outside Tennessee across 27 states, Washington, D.C., and abroad.

$132,500

J.D. Class of 2017 median salary across all employment sectors based on the 91% of employed graduates (137 of 178) reporting salaries.
Private sector median salary $180,000, average salary $148,799 (based on 112 of 127 graduates reporting salaries).
Public sector median salary $60,105, average salary $60,180 (based on 34 of 44 graduates reporting salaries).

10th

Vanderbilt ranked 10th nationally on the percentage of 2017 graduates employed in federal judicial clerkships (based on ABA data).

11th

Vanderbilt ranked 11th on the percentage of 2017 graduates employed in full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage (based on ABA data).

7th

Vanderbilt ranked 7th, “Best Schools for Public Service,” PreLaw Magazine, Winter 2016.

13th

National Law Journal 2018 Go-To Law Schools based on percentage of 2017 graduates who took associate attorney positions at the nation's largest 100 firms.

12th

Above the Law Top 50 Law Schools, limited to "national" schools "with quality employment prospects both outside of their particular region and/or for graduates who don't graduate at the top of the class"

I love that there are lots of career paths you can take with a law degree, and Vanderbilt’s Career Services departments is one of its greatest assets. They were incredibly helpful. Anywhere I wanted to go, they were ready and willing to help.

STEVE BERNEMAN | Class of 2010

Choose your path.

For the Classes of 2012 through 2016, the top eight employment destinations among VLS graduates have been:

21%

Tennessee

14%

New York

9%

Washington, D.C.

9%

Texas

6%

Georgia

5%

California

5%

Florida

4%

Illinois

The remaining 27% took employment across another 30 states and internationally.

Wherever we travel, employers tell us how highly they regard Vanderbilt graduates. They're well-trained lawyers who are also good people.

ELIZABETH WORKMAN | Assistant Dean for Career Services

Expert advice. Excellent outcomes.

The 2018 Career Services Guide offers extensive information about VLS career planning resources and employment outcomes for the J.D. Class of 2016, including graduates' employers and locations, as well as summary statistics and national benchmarks for employment status, employment type, geographic location, and salaries.

I wanted to make sure I would have the opportunity to go back to the Northeast, and I found plenty of opportunities in Boston. I would encourage anyone not to worry about going back home to work with a Vanderbilt Law degree.

AMIT TANTRI | Class of 2013