How much do NYU Law graduates make?
Asked by: Lorenza Toy | Last update: June 1, 2026Score: 4.4/5 (74 votes)
NYU Law graduates see a wide salary range, with recent classes showing high mean salaries, especially in large firms (around $220k+) but also significant variation into public interest (around $75k) and other fields, demonstrating a bimodal distribution where big-law dominates high earners, while median salaries for all roles are lower but still strong. For example, the Class of 2024's overall mean was ~$170k, with law firm mean at ~$220k and public interest at ~$75k, though percentiles show a huge spread, notes the NYU School of Law.
How much do 1st year lawyers make in New York?
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $209,508 and as low as $44,308, the majority of First Year Attorney salaries currently range between $71,700 (25th percentile) to $131,300 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $172,857 annually in New York City.
How much do you get paid after graduating NYU?
Of those who secured a post-graduation opportunity, 72.9% were working, 19.9% were continuing their education, and . 8% were both working and attending school. The overall mean annual salary was $75,336, an increase of 5.9% from the mean salary for the Class of 2021.
How much do lawyers make their first year out of law school?
Paycheck Variation For First-Year Law Associates
Somewhat surprisingly, the first-year salary is even higher than that in California. In Los Angeles, new associates make nearly 14% higher than the national average, coming in at $171,581.
Do lawyers make $500,000 a year?
Yes, many lawyers earn $500,000 or more annually, especially partners at large firms, top corporate lawyers, or specialized trial attorneys, but it's not typical for the average lawyer, whose median salary is much lower, requiring significant experience, specialization (like IP or M&A), and business acumen to reach that high income level.
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Is Kim Kardashian a lawyer or attorney?
No, Kim Kardashian is not yet a lawyer or attorney; she is studying to pass the California Bar Exam after completing a six-year legal apprenticeship, but she has not yet passed the final exam required for licensure, despite her efforts and passing the "baby bar" (First-Year Law Students' Exam) previously.
Is NYU Law elite?
NYU Law is one of the highest-ranked law schools in the United States.
Is a 3.7 GPA good for NYU?
Although there are no official NYU GPA requirements, you should plan to exceed the average NYU GPA of 3.7. Also, try to impress at your NYU interview, write solid essays, and prepare early to match the average NYU SAT scores. Take our quiz below to get a score on your college admissions readiness!
Can an RN make $200,000?
Yes, a Registered Nurse (RN) can make $200,000 or more, but it typically requires working in high-demand areas like travel nursing, specialized fields (ICU, OR), specific high-cost-of-living locations (California, NYC), advanced roles (Nurse Practitioner, C-suite), or leveraging significant overtime/unique opportunities. Standard staff nursing rarely hits $200k without extreme hours, but with experience and strategic choices, it's achievable, especially for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) or those in management/advanced practice.
Can a lawyer make $1 million a year?
Yes, lawyers can make $1 million a year, but it's not typical for most; it's usually achieved by partners in large corporate firms, elite trial lawyers handling high-stakes cases (often on contingency), or entrepreneurial lawyers who own successful firms in lucrative fields like intellectual property, with specialization and business acumen being key. While average salaries are much lower, top earners in specific high-value niches or those leveraging firm growth strategies can reach or exceed this income level.
Do any lawyers make 7 figures?
Yes, corporate lawyers can indeed make seven figures, especially those who are partners in large law firms. In California, the stakes are high, particularly in cities like San Francisco, where the cost of living and the concentration of corporate clients drive salaries upwards.
Is it harder to get into NYU or Columbia law?
Both Columbia Law School and NYU School of Law are extremely selective, but typically Columbia Law is considered slightly harder to get into, with lower acceptance rates (around 11-12%) and higher median scores for admitted students compared to NYU (around 16-17% acceptance rate), though both require top-tier numbers, making them nearly comparable in difficulty for elite applicants.
How much do first-year big law associates make in NYC?
Big Law firms pay first-year associates a base salary of $225,000, with senior associates earning over $435,000 before bonuses. This standardized compensation model is called the Cravath scale, adopted by many top-tier firms in major U.S. cities.
How prestigious is NYU Law?
New York University 2025 Law & Specialties Rankings
8 (tie) out of 195 in Best Law Schools. Schools were assessed on their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.
Is NYU or UCLA harder to get into?
UCLA is generally considered harder to get into than NYU based on raw acceptance rates (around 9% for UCLA vs. around 8% for NYU recently), but both are extremely competitive, with UCLA receiving more applications and NYU often having slightly lower rates recently, making them tough "super reach" schools; however, factors like major (e.g., NYU Stern vs. UCLA Engineering), applicant pool quality, and even early decision (ED) for NYU can significantly shift difficulty.
Is NYU an Ivy League school?
No, New York University (NYU) is not an Ivy League school; the Ivy League is a specific NCAA athletic conference of eight elite universities (Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, UPenn, Princeton, Yale), though NYU is a prestigious, world-class university often grouped with "New Ivies" or other top schools due to its strong academics, extensive programs, and Manhattan location.
Did Taylor Swift go to NYU?
No, Taylor Swift did not attend NYU for a degree, but she received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts (DFA) degree from New York University (NYU) in 2022, delivering the commencement speech for the graduating class. She never had a traditional college experience, completing high school through homeschooling to focus on her music career, making the honorary doctorate a significant moment where she addressed graduates about life, mistakes, and resilience.
What is the #1 Law School in the USA?
There isn't one single #1 law school, as rankings vary, but Yale University, Stanford University, and Harvard University consistently dominate the top spots, often tying for first place in major rankings like U.S. News & World Report. For the 2025 rankings, U.S. News lists Yale and Stanford tied for #1, while others like TestMax place Harvard at #1.
What is the average salary after NYU Law?
Nationally, most law school grad will make, say, $80K, but the mean average will be $150K because there will be a few people who make $300K. That all depends on type of law and type of employer. In 2020, NYU Law graduates had a mean average of $180,000.
How many times did Kim Kardashian fail her law exam?
Before she could apprentice, instead of attending a traditional law school, Kardashian said she failed the required “baby bar” exam three times. The argument goes that this demonstrates she is not temperamentally or intellectually suited to be a lawyer. (She did pass it on her fourth attempt.)
Does passing the baby bar make you a lawyer?
No, passing the "Baby Bar" (First-Year Law Students' Examination or FYLSE) in California does not make you a lawyer, but it's a crucial step for non-traditional students to continue their legal education and qualify to take the full California Bar Exam, which, along with character & fitness, is required for licensure. The Baby Bar tests first-year law subjects (Contracts, Criminal Law, Torts), while the main Bar Exam tests a much broader range of law, and passing it is the final hurdle before becoming a licensed attorney.
How can Kim be a lawyer without going to law school?
Kim Kardashian is becoming a lawyer through California's Law Office Study Program — a legal loophole that lets you skip traditional law school by studying under a practicing attorney for 4 years 👩⚖️📚. To qualify, you have to pass the Baby Bar first 🧠✍️, and then the California Bar Exam — but it's 100% legit ✅.