How much do Cambridge law graduates earn?

Asked by: Madonna Hermann  |  Last update: May 20, 2026
Score: 4.1/5 (42 votes)

Cambridge law graduates earn a median salary of approximately £69,000 five years after graduation, though earnings vary dramatically, with top commercial lawyers earning upwards of £100,000-£180,000+ as newly qualified (NQ) solicitors, far exceeding the national average and median earnings for other law graduates.

How much do Cambridge lawyers make?

Lawyer salaries in Cambridge

How accurate is an average base pay range of £42K-£71K/yr? Your input helps Glassdoor refine our pay estimates over time.

How much do you get paid after graduating from Cambridge?

Employees who graduate from University of Cambridge earn an average of $204k, mostly ranging from $165k per year to $458k per year based on 142 profiles.

How much does an Ivy League lawyer make?

Here are the law schools and median salaries after four years: Columbia Law School, $280,926. The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, $261,434. Cornell Law School, $249,283.

How much do Oxford law graduates earn?

Oxford graduates earn on average £46,000 five years after graduating, data from the 2021 to 2022 tax year reveals – significantly higher than the South-East average of £29,600 a year. Oxford Law graduates had the highest pay of any course, earning on average £64,600 five years after graduating.

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How much do Harvard law grads make?

Four years after graduation, Harvard Law graduates had a median annual salary of $233,589 and a median debt of $93,235, for a debt-to-income ratio of 39.9%.

How much do the top 1% lawyers make?

The top 1% of lawyers in the U.S. earn significantly more, often reaching into the high six figures and even millions annually, with top earners in "Big Law" (large firms) making starting salaries well over $200k, and senior partners potentially earning millions, especially in high-demand areas like corporate, IP, or patent law in major cities like New York, D.C., or California, far surpassing the median lawyer salary of around $135k-$140k.
 

What percentage of lawyers make $500,000?

A relatively small percentage of lawyers earn over $500k, as most fall below $200k, but top earners in "Big Law," specialized corporate/IP/malpractice fields, or successful firm ownership can reach this level, with the top 1% often exceeding it, driven by high-stakes cases and strategic practice areas. 

How much do Yale lawyers make?

The estimated average salary for a Lawyer at Yale University is $198,684 per year or $96 per hour, but some professionals have reported earning up to roughly $363,591 per year (90th percentile). The typical pay range is between $149,013 (25th percentile) and $278,157 (75th percentile) annually.

What LSAT score gets you a full ride?

To get a full law school scholarship, aim for an LSAT score significantly above the school's median, generally in the mid-160s to 170+ range, especially for higher-ranked schools, as schools use high scores to award significant aid, but remember your GPA and other factors (leadership, experience) matter, with top schools often requiring scores above 170. 

What salary do you need to live comfortably in Cambridge?

What Salary Do I Need to Live in Cambridge, MA? Based on the 30% rule., you should spend only 30% of your pretax income on rent each month. If you rent a one-bedroom apartment at $2,612, you'll need to earn at least $104,480 a year, $8,706.66 a month, or about $52.24 an hour to comfortably afford your rent.

Who is the highest paid professor at Cambridge?

University of Cambridge vice-chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice received the highest total salary of £577,000.

What is a Harvard professor's salary?

Harvard professor salaries vary widely by school, rank, and experience, but generally range from around $110,000 for early-career (Assistant) to well over $200,000 for senior faculty, with some professional school professors earning $300k-$400k+; while data is varied, average estimates often hover in the $180k-$200k+ range for full professors, though many report lower figures, especially in humanities, notes Sundial Essay Review and The Harvard Crimson, with significant potential for higher earnings in business/medical fields. 

Is Cambridge law prestigious?

The latest university rankings for law place three US universities in the top spots, while Cambridge beats its rival Oxford outside of the top three.

What law specialty makes the most money?

The highest-paying lawyer jobs are often in specialized corporate, intellectual property (IP), and high-stakes litigation fields, with roles like Corporate Lawyer, Patent Attorney, Chief Legal Officer/General Counsel, IP Lawyer, and Trial Lawyer (Medical Malpractice/Securities) leading the way, particularly in large firms or major corporations where partners and executives earn substantial incomes. Top salaries are also found in niche areas like Tax Law, Energy Law (Oil & Gas), and high-level In-House Counsel positions. 

What famous lawyers went to Cambridge?

Numerous distinguished academics have been members of the Cambridge Law Faculty. These include F W Maitland, a prominent legal historian; Glanville Williams, a renowned criminal lawyer and author of Learning the Law; William Wade, a noted administrative lawyer; and Robert Jennings, an eminent international lawyer.

What was Barack Obama's LSAT score?

Barack Obama's specific LSAT score has never been officially released, but it's widely believed to have been very high, likely in the 170-175 range, to gain admission to Harvard Law School with a relatively low undergraduate GPA. Analysts suggest he needed a score in the top percentiles (perhaps 94th-98th) to overcome his lower GPA and secure a spot at the prestigious institution, indicating a strong performance near the perfect 180 score. 

What are the big 3 law schools?

The "Big Three" law schools traditionally refer to Yale, Harvard, and Stanford, known for their extreme selectivity, prestige, and leading placement in BigLaw, though rankings shift, with Chicago, Columbia, and NYU often forming an adjacent elite tier (T-14) with strong BigLaw outcomes. These top schools, especially Yale, Harvard, and Stanford, consistently boast the lowest acceptance rates and attract the most top-tier applicants for lucrative careers in large law firms, academia, or federal clerkships. 

How rare is a 177 LSAT?

A 177 LSAT score is extremely rare and exceptional, placing you in the top 0.5% of test-takers, or the 99.5th percentile, meaning you scored better than 99.5% of everyone who took the test. It's a near-perfect score that is considered functionally perfect for admissions, opening doors to virtually any law school, including the most elite ones like Harvard, Stanford, and Yale, especially when paired with a strong GPA. 

How rich is the average lawyer?

In general, the five highest-paying states for lawyers are as follows: California ($201,530) Massachusetts ($196,230) New York ($188,900)

What is the salary of a top 10 law firm?

List of Highest Paying Law Firms In India in 2024

  • Khaitan & Co. Starting Salary: ₹16-17 LPA. ...
  • Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas (SAM) Starting Salary: ₹16 LPA. ...
  • Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM) Starting Salary: ₹16 LPA. ...
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  • AZB & Partners. ...
  • J Sagar Associates (JSA)

What percentage of new law firms fail?

You're still expected to grow your firm. Spoiler: 43% of law firms fail completely, not because they aren't good, but because they never learned how to grow a law firm like a business.

What is the wealthiest type of lawyer?

The richest types of lawyers are often specialists in high-stakes fields like Corporate Law, Intellectual Property (IP) & Patent Law, and Medical Malpractice/Personal Injury, especially those with science backgrounds or who handle massive litigation, with top earners often found in BigLaw or as successful plaintiffs' attorneys. While IP lawyers (especially patent attorneys with STEM degrees) command high fees for complex inventions, large corporate mergers, or complex personal injury settlements, overall wealth can also come from strategic business investments or big-ticket litigation.
 

Who are the Golden 5 law firms?

The "Golden 5" law firms usually refer to London's elite "Magic Circle" firms: A&O Shearman, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters, and Slaughter and May, known for their high profitability and corporate law expertise, a term coined by legal journalists in the 1990s. While some US firms like Kirkland & Ellis and Latham & Watkins dominate in revenue and size, the Magic Circle remains the benchmark for UK-based global corporate law.
 

Are lawyers paid more than doctors?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics gives median salaries for both doctors and lawyers, so it's clear that the doctors' number is higher. But median salaries are the midpoint in a list of salaries for one occupation, meaning that half of the list makes more and half makes less.