NALP chart - a stark warning to all prospective law applicants

[stateofbeasley]

http://www.elsblog.org/the_empirical_legal_studi/2007/09/distribution-of.html

There's a very interesting chart and commentary:

The national median starting salary for a 2 to 10 lawyer firm is $50,000.   There are a lot of struggling alumni out there. And do we really need more law schools?  For many, getting a JD is a very risky financial proposition, especially when you factor in bar passage.

To make matters worse, consider that the NALP data is from law grads who reported income.  My hunch is that grads who earned less are less likely to report.

[I am Penny Lane]

I wonder what the graph would look like if they only looked at the top 100 schools. I would think there would be at least a little shift.

Oh... and this has been covered recently: http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,92028.0.html

[Somewhere]

The modes will be even farther apart after the new raises are included in next year's graph.

[wiimote]

Only like 50% of graduates reported information too. I'd hate to see what the chart looks like if everyone reports.

[SWATJester]

Chart apparently includes public interest and dual partnership (i.e. 2 lawyers) firms. No wonder the bar is skewed.