KU Law ranks 23rd for improving employment outcomes

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Law ranks 23rd in the nation for improving employment outcomes for graduates over the past five years, according to National Jurist magazine.

KU Law averaged an upward trend of 3.4 percent annually in the employment rates achieved by its graduates from 2011 to 2015, the publication reported. Overall employment exceeded 91 percent for the KU Law classes of 2015 and 2014, confirming a return to pre-recession success. Moreover, "best jobs" — full-time, long-term positions that require bar passage or where a law degree provides an advantage —  have risen for five consecutive years, topping 81 percent for the 2015 class.

"We're proud of our students and the continuing success they've had in the job market," said Stephen Mazza, dean and professor of law. "This ranking reiterates what we've always known — that a degree from KU Law opens doors for our students both here in our region and nationally."

National Jurist ran a linear regression analysis on five years worth of employment data to find an overall trend for average annual change. KU Law is among 34 law schools with five-year trends above 3 percent. Fifty-two schools saw less than a 1 percent increase over the same time period, and 41 schools saw a drop in their employment rate.

View the National Jurist rankings | View KU Law employment statistics