How much do Harvard Law School graduates typically earn after graduation?
I'm really interested in possibly going to law school after college and Harvard is definitely a dream school for me. I'm trying to get a realistic idea of what the earning potential is like for Harvard Law grads.
I've heard all kinds of numbers thrown around, but it's tough to tell what's accurate, especially with different career paths (like big law vs. public interest). If anyone has some recent stats or personal experience, that would be super helpful. Does the starting salary change a lot if you go into private practice compared to government or nonprofit? Also, do things like location make a big difference on pay, or is it mostly about which firm you join?
If you've got any insight into what the typical salary progression looks like over time for a Harvard J.D., that'd be awesome to know, too. Just trying to see if the cost of law school is justified by what people are actually making out in the real world!
I've heard all kinds of numbers thrown around, but it's tough to tell what's accurate, especially with different career paths (like big law vs. public interest). If anyone has some recent stats or personal experience, that would be super helpful. Does the starting salary change a lot if you go into private practice compared to government or nonprofit? Also, do things like location make a big difference on pay, or is it mostly about which firm you join?
If you've got any insight into what the typical salary progression looks like over time for a Harvard J.D., that'd be awesome to know, too. Just trying to see if the cost of law school is justified by what people are actually making out in the real world!
6 months ago
•
22 views
Luis Nario-Malberg
• 6 months ago
Advisor
Harvard Law grads have a wide range of earning potential, and a lot of it depends on the type of job they take after graduating. According to Harvard's most recent employment data, about 65-70% of grads enter law firms right out of school, especially large corporate firms (often called 'Big Law').
For those going into Big Law, the starting salary is typically at the top of the market. For the Class of 2023, the standard starting salary at large firms in major cities like New York, Chicago, or San Francisco is $215,000. This base salary can also be supplemented with bonuses that push total first-year compensation even higher. At these firms, salary progression is fairly predictable: if you stay, you usually get a raise of about $10,000 to $20,000 each year, so you could be making $300,000 or more by your fourth or fifth year (if you’re still on the partnership track).
However, a good number of grads choose government roles (e.g. prosecutor or public defender), judicial clerkships, or nonprofit work. Starting salaries in these fields are much lower. Public interest law salaries often range from $55,000 to $70,000, and government roles might start in the $60,000 to $80,000 range depending on the jurisdiction.
Location is a major factor, since large law firms in big cities pay more than firms in smaller markets. For example, a Big Law associate in New York makes more than someone at a mid-sized firm in the Midwest. Ultimately, the biggest differences in pay come down to whether you’re in corporate/private practice (especially Big Law) or something like government, academia, or nonprofit.
Over time, graduates who stay in the private sector can see substantial salary growth, especially if they make partner or move to high-level in-house counsel positions at companies. If a Harvard Law grad becomes a partner at a major firm, total compensation can reach anywhere from several hundred thousand to a few million per year. But making partner is highly competitive and not guaranteed.
To give a real example: a friend of mine from Harvard Law started at a major New York firm making $215,000, got raises each year, and after three years lateraled to a tech company’s legal team for around $250,000 plus stock options. Another friend chose a public defender route and started at $63,000 in Boston, but she’s since received promotions and pay bumps and now earns around $100,000 after five years.
So yes, the cost of law school can be justified by earnings, especially if you opt for the private sector, but it’s important to factor in your intended career path, debt, and lifestyle. Harvard’s loan repayment assistance programs can also help make public interest work more feasible.
For those going into Big Law, the starting salary is typically at the top of the market. For the Class of 2023, the standard starting salary at large firms in major cities like New York, Chicago, or San Francisco is $215,000. This base salary can also be supplemented with bonuses that push total first-year compensation even higher. At these firms, salary progression is fairly predictable: if you stay, you usually get a raise of about $10,000 to $20,000 each year, so you could be making $300,000 or more by your fourth or fifth year (if you’re still on the partnership track).
However, a good number of grads choose government roles (e.g. prosecutor or public defender), judicial clerkships, or nonprofit work. Starting salaries in these fields are much lower. Public interest law salaries often range from $55,000 to $70,000, and government roles might start in the $60,000 to $80,000 range depending on the jurisdiction.
Location is a major factor, since large law firms in big cities pay more than firms in smaller markets. For example, a Big Law associate in New York makes more than someone at a mid-sized firm in the Midwest. Ultimately, the biggest differences in pay come down to whether you’re in corporate/private practice (especially Big Law) or something like government, academia, or nonprofit.
Over time, graduates who stay in the private sector can see substantial salary growth, especially if they make partner or move to high-level in-house counsel positions at companies. If a Harvard Law grad becomes a partner at a major firm, total compensation can reach anywhere from several hundred thousand to a few million per year. But making partner is highly competitive and not guaranteed.
To give a real example: a friend of mine from Harvard Law started at a major New York firm making $215,000, got raises each year, and after three years lateraled to a tech company’s legal team for around $250,000 plus stock options. Another friend chose a public defender route and started at $63,000 in Boston, but she’s since received promotions and pay bumps and now earns around $100,000 after five years.
So yes, the cost of law school can be justified by earnings, especially if you opt for the private sector, but it’s important to factor in your intended career path, debt, and lifestyle. Harvard’s loan repayment assistance programs can also help make public interest work more feasible.
Luis Nario-Malberg
Mooresville, North Carolina
Harvard College, Class of 2018, A.B. in Philosophy
Experience
5 years