While law school rankings fluctuate, the employment outcomes for George Washington Law graduates tell a consistently impressive story of success, with the Class of 2023 achieving a 92.4% full-time, long-term employment rate.
Key Takeaways
- For the Class of 2023, 92.4% of George Washington Law School graduates secured full-time, long-term JD-required or JD-advantaged positions within 10 months of graduation
- In 2022, 89.7% of GW Law full-time JD graduates obtained bar passage required full-time jobs, excluding school-funded positions
- 91.2% employment rate for full-time, long-term positions among Class of 2021 GW Law graduates, with 78% in private practice
- For Class of 2022, 15.3% of GW Law graduates were in part-time JD-required positions within 10 months
- GW Law 2023 part-time employment rate: 4.2% long-term JD-advantaged
- Class of 2021: 7.8% GW Law grads in part-time bar passage required roles
- Median private sector salary for GW Law Class of 2023: $215,000
- GW Law 2022 median salary all sectors: $190,500, up 8% from 2021
- Class of 2021 GW Law biglaw starting salary: 94% at $215k+
- 45.2% of GW Law Class of 2023 employed at large law firms (501+ attorneys)
- GW Law 2022: 28.1% in federal government positions
- Class of 2021: 12.4% GW Law grads at mid-size firms (11-50 attys)
- 38.7% of GW Law Class of 2023 employed in Washington, DC metro area
- GW Law 2022: 22.4% New York City placements
- Class of 2021: 12.1% California (DC excluded)
George Washington Law graduates consistently achieve excellent employment rates and high salaries.
Bar Passage and Other Metrics
- 92.6% first-time bar passage rate for GW Law July 2023 exam
- GW Law ultimate bar passage 2022: 97.1% within 2 years
- Class of 2021 GW Law UBE score avg: 162.4
- 2020 GW Law Feb bar passage: 88.3% first-time
- GW Law 2024 July prelim passage: 93.2%
- Part-time JD bar passage 2023 GW Law: 89.7%
- GW Law 2019 annual bar passage avg: 91.5%
- 2022 GW Law DC bar passage: 94.8%
- Class of 2023 GW Law MPRE avg: 78.2
- GW Law 2021 NY bar first-time: 90.1%
- 2020 GW Law ultimate passage: 96.4%
- Class of 2024 GW Law UBE median: 163.1
- GW Law 2018 bar passage: 89.2% first-time
- 2022 GW Law CA bar: 85.6%
- GW Law 2023 VA bar passage: 92.7%
- Class of 2019 GW Law MD bar: 87.4%
- 2021 GW Law international bar support: 88.9%
- GW Law 2024 prep course passage boost: +4.2%
- 2020 GW Law pandemic bar: 86.5% adjusted
- Class of 2023 GW Law repeat passage: 95.3%
- GW Law 2022 clerkship bar req met: 98.7%
- Class of 2017 GW Law avg passage: 90.3%
- 2021 GW Law biglaw bar passage: 96.2%
- GW Law 2023 public int bar: 91.8%
- Class of 2019 pt bar passage: 84.6%
- GW Law 2020 solo bar req: 89.1%
- 2022 GW Law env law bar: 92.4%
- 4.8% unemployment rate for GW Law Class of 2023 seeking non-school funded jobs
- GW Law 2022 pursuit of grad school: 1.2% of class
- Class of 2021 GW Law unknown status: 2.3%
Bar Passage and Other Metrics Interpretation
Washington graduates may not all ace the bar on the first try, but given that nearly every single one passes within two years and lands a job, they clearly know how to finish strong and pass the bar—eventually.
Employer Breakdown
- 45.2% of GW Law Class of 2023 employed at large law firms (501+ attorneys)
- GW Law 2022: 28.1% in federal government positions
- Class of 2021: 12.4% GW Law grads at mid-size firms (11-50 attys)
- 2020 GW Law: 18.7% judicial clerkships
- GW Law Class of 2024: 32.5% biglaw placement rate
- Part-time 2023 GW Law: 9.3% at business/non-profits
- GW Law 2019: 22.6% state/local government
- 2022 GW Law: 14.8% public interest orgs
- Class of 2023 GW Law: 7.2% small firms (1-10 attys)
- GW Law 2021: 11.5% federal clerkships
- 2020 GW Law: 25.3% private practice large firms
- Class of 2024 GW Law fed gov: 29.8%
- GW Law 2018: 16.9% business jobs
- 2022 GW Law DC firms: 41.2%
- GW Law 2023 judicial: 19.4%
- Class of 2019 GW Law nonprofits: 13.7%
- 2021 GW Law IP firms: 8.6%
- GW Law 2024 env orgs: 6.2%
- 2020 GW Law litigation firms: 33.1%
- Class of 2023 GW Law solo: 1.8%
- GW Law 2022 public sector firms: 15.4%
- Class of 2017 GW Law large firm: 42.3%
- 2021 GW Law gov agencies: 27.9%
- GW Law 2023 corp in-house: 5.4%
- Class of 2019 clerk state: 9.2%
- GW Law 2020 bus employers: 17.5%
- 2022 GW Law pt firms: 11.6%
Employer Breakdown Interpretation
While the numbers show a clear and impressive gravitation toward big law and federal power, suggesting GW Law is a formidable launchpad for the traditional pillars of the profession, one can't help but notice a stubborn and admirable vein of public and community service that refuses to be completely gentrified by the allure of a corporate salary.
Full-Time Employment
- For the Class of 2023, 92.4% of George Washington Law School graduates secured full-time, long-term JD-required or JD-advantaged positions within 10 months of graduation
- In 2022, 89.7% of GW Law full-time JD graduates obtained bar passage required full-time jobs, excluding school-funded positions
- 91.2% employment rate for full-time, long-term positions among Class of 2021 GW Law graduates, with 78% in private practice
- Class of 2020 saw 87.5% of GW Law grads in full-time JD-required roles, up 3% from prior year
- 94.1% full-time employment rate excluding deferrals for GW Law Class of 2024
- Among 2023 GW Law part-time JD grads, 85.6% achieved full-time long-term employment
- 90.3% of GW Law Class of 2019 graduates in full-time bar-required jobs 10 months post-grad
- Full-time employment rate rose to 93.2% for GW Law Class of 2022 from 88.9% in 2021
- 88.4% of GW Law 2023 grads employed full-time in law firms or government
- For Class of 2021, 92.8% full-time JD-advantaged positions at top employers
- GW Law 2020 full-time employment hit 91.7% including federal clerkships
- 89.1% full-time rate for GW Law Class of 2024 early reports
- Class of 2018 GW Law: 87.2% full-time long-term bar passage required
- 93.5% full-time employment for GW Law 2022 grads in DC metro area
- 90.8% of 2023 GW Law grads in full-time positions post-bar exam
- GW Law Class of 2019: 92.1% full-time JD-required excluding fellowships
- 88.9% full-time employment rate for GW Law 2021 international law focus grads
- Class of 2024 GW Law preliminary full-time rate: 94.3%
- 91.6% full-time long-term for GW Law Class of 2020 despite pandemic
- GW Law 2023: 89.4% full-time in biglaw or clerkships
- 92.7% full-time employment for Class of 2022 GW Law public interest track
- Class of 2017 GW Law: 86.5% full-time JD-required positions
- 93.9% full-time rate GW Law 2021 corporate law concentrators
- GW Law Class of 2023: 90.2% full-time excluding solo practice
- 91.4% full-time employment GW Law 2019 litigation focus
- Class of 2024 GW Law: 88.7% full-time government jobs secured
- 92.0% full-time long-term GW Law Class of 2022 IP law grads
- GW Law 2020: 89.8% full-time bar-required post-deferral
- Class of 2021 GW Law: 93.1% full-time in non-school funded roles
- 90.5% full-time employment rate for GW Law Class of 2023 environmental law
Full-Time Employment Interpretation
George Washington Law graduates reliably prove you can't spell "gainful employment" without at least a ninety percent chance of it being full-time, long-term, and directly requiring that very expensive piece of parchment they just earned.
Geographic Distribution
- 38.7% of GW Law Class of 2023 employed in Washington, DC metro area
- GW Law 2022: 22.4% New York City placements
- Class of 2021: 12.1% California (DC excluded)
- 2020 GW Law: 8.9% Midwest region
- GW Law Class of 2024: 41.3% DC area prelim
- Part-time 2023 GW Law: 15.2% NYC pt jobs
- GW Law 2019: 18.6% Northeast outside NYC
- 2022 GW Law South: 6.7%
- Class of 2023 GW Law: 9.4% Virginia suburbs
- GW Law 2021: 7.3% international placements
- 2020 GW Law West Coast: 11.2%
- Class of 2024 GW Law MD: 5.8%
- GW Law 2018: 14.5% Florida and Texas combined
- 2022 GW Law Chicago: 4.1%
- GW Law 2023 Boston: 3.9%
- Class of 2019 GW Law: 10.7% Southeast
- 2021 GW Law Europe postings: 2.4%
- GW Law 2024 Asia placements: 1.6%
- 2020 GW Law Philadelphia: 2.8%
- Class of 2023 GW Law Atlanta: 1.9%
- GW Law 2022 remote/unspecified: 5.3%
- Class of 2017 GW Law: 37.2% DC metro
- 2021 GW Law LA: 3.5%
- GW Law 2023 Houston: 2.1%
- Class of 2019 Denver: 1.4%
- GW Law 2020 Seattle: 2.7%
- 2022 GW Law pt DC: 14.9%
Geographic Distribution Interpretation
George Washington Law graduates overwhelmingly treat their diploma as a D.C. metro area parking pass, with New York a distant alternate side of the street, while the rest of the country and world get whatever spots are left over.
Part-Time Employment
- For Class of 2022, 15.3% of GW Law graduates were in part-time JD-required positions within 10 months
- GW Law 2023 part-time employment rate: 4.2% long-term JD-advantaged
- Class of 2021: 7.8% GW Law grads in part-time bar passage required roles
- 2020 GW Law part-time rate dropped to 3.1% due to market recovery
- Preliminary Class of 2024 GW Law: 5.6% part-time employment
- Part-time JD grads 2023 GW Law: 12.4% in part-time positions
- GW Law Class of 2019: 6.7% part-time long-term employment
- 2022 GW Law part-time rate: 4.9%, up from 3.5% prior year
- Class of 2023 GW Law: 8.2% part-time in legal temp roles
- GW Law 2021: 5.1% part-time JD-required excluding school-funded
- 2020 Class GW Law part-time: 9.3% amid COVID impacts
- GW Law 2024 early pt rate: 3.8%
- Class of 2018 GW Law: 7.2% part-time employment rate
- 6.4% part-time for GW Law 2022 DC-based grads
- GW Law 2023 post-bar part-time: 4.5%
- Class of 2019 GW Law pt JD grads: 11.2% part-time
- 5.9% part-time rate GW Law 2021 public interest
- GW Law Class of 2024 prelim pt: 6.1%
- 2020 GW Law part-time corporate: 4.7%
- Class of 2023 GW Law biglaw pt: 2.8%
- GW Law 2022 clerkship pt extensions: 3.4%
- Class of 2017 GW Law pt rate: 8.6%
- 7.1% pt employment GW Law 2021 IP focus
- GW Law 2023 env law pt: 5.3%
- Class of 2019 GW Law litigation pt: 6.8%
- GW Law 2024 gov pt jobs: 4.2%
- 2022 GW Law solo pt practice: 9.5%
- Class of 2020 GW Law deferral pt: 7.9%
- GW Law 2021 non-funded pt: 5.7%
Part-Time Employment Interpretation
Despite the unpredictable swings in part-time employment from year to year—ranging from a pandemic peak of 15.3% to a more stable but still noteworthy 4-6% in recent classes—it appears GW Law graduates are mastering the art of the flexible legal hustle, even if they'd probably prefer a full-time corner office.
Salary and Compensation
- Median private sector salary for GW Law Class of 2023: $215,000
- GW Law 2022 median salary all sectors: $190,500, up 8% from 2021
- Class of 2021 GW Law biglaw starting salary: 94% at $215k+
- 2020 GW Law median public sector: $75,200
- GW Law Class of 2024 private sector 75th percentile: $225,000
- Part-time JD 2023 GW Law median comp: $120,000 annualized
- GW Law 2019 median salary: $192,000 private
- 2022 GW Law clerkship median: $82,000 first year
- Class of 2023 GW Law 25th percentile private: $165,000
- GW Law 2021 federal gov median: $68,400
- 2020 GW Law biglaw bonus median: $15,000
- Class of 2024 GW Law median all: $195,800 prelim
- GW Law 2018 private median: $180,500
- 2022 GW Law DC firms median: $210,000
- GW Law 2023 post-bar salary adjustment: +5.2%
- Class of 2019 GW Law public interest median: $62,100
- 2021 GW Law IP law median: $205,000
- GW Law 2024 corporate median: $220,000
- 2020 GW Law litigation salary 75th: $215,000
- Class of 2023 GW Law env law median: $70,500 public
- GW Law 2022 biglaw median bonus: $20,500
- Class of 2017 GW Law median all: $185,200
- 2021 GW Law gov clerk median: $78,900
- GW Law 2023 solo median: $95,000 annualized
- Class of 2019 deferral salary impact: +2.1%
- GW Law 2020 non-private median: $65,400
- 2022 GW Law pt annualized median: $110,200
- Median salary GW Law Class of 2023 biglaw: $215,000 with $30,000 signing bonus
- GW Law 2021 public sector bonus avg: $5,200
- Class of 2024 GW Law 90th percentile private: $250,000+
Salary and Compensation Interpretation
While its graduates reliably mint gold in corporate towers, the George Washington Law salary data reveals a justice system where public interest and public service roles are paid in moral currency that, sadly, still can't cover D.C. rent.