Following up on my previous posts this week:
- Preview Of The 2026-27 U.S. News Law School Rankings: First-Time Bar Passage
- Preview Of The 2026-27 U.S. News Law School Rankings: Ultimate Bar Passage
Today, following up on last week’s post, Law School Rankings By 10-Month Employment Rate (2024), this post projects next year’s 2026-27 U.S. News employment ranking using the current methodology:
Outcomes 10 months after graduation (weighted 33%): This measures the extent to which graduates obtain the most in-demand jobs – namely those that are long term, full time and requiring (or taking advantage of) bar passage. Maximum credit was assigned for graduates with school-funded fellowships – as long as those fellowships were otherwise full-time, long-term jobs in which bar passage was required or the J.D. degree was an advantage. Maximum credit was assigned to law school graduates pursuing additional graduate studies.
This indicator was derived from the average of the 2022 and 2023 graduating class outcomes 10 months after graduation. Specifically, U.S. News took a nonweighted average by aggregating the score it previously computed from the 2022 graduating class with the newly calculated 2023 class score, then divided it by two.
For information purposes, U.S. News published in the rankings section of profiles a 10-months-after-graduation employment percentage outcome that equals the proportion of 2023 graduates in all the job types that U.S. News weighs 100% for the purpose of calculating a weighted average in the 10-month employment ranking indicator. However, the actual value used in the rankings is an index that also awards partial credit for other outcomes values, and is described below. As previously stated, U.S. News used data for two graduating classes only in the ranking calculations.
These partially weighted jobs that were some combination of particular factors, namely short term and part time, in many cases were funded by the law school and/or not utilizing bar passage received less credit by varying amounts, determined by an allocation of some or all of these factors.
Law schools are required to report these highly differentiated outcome measures each year to the ABA. For a more detailed explanation, see Notes on Employment Rates below.
Below is next year’s projected 2026-27 U.S. News ranking of the 10-month “maximum employment” of the classes of 2023 and 2024. For comparison, the current 2025-26 U.S. News ranking of the 10-month “maximum employment” of the classes of 2022 and 2023 are also included.
| Rank | School | 2026-2027 Employment | 2025-2026 Employment | 2025-2026 Employment Rank |
| 1 | Texas A&M | 100.00% | 99.71% | 1 |
| 2 | Washington Univ. | 99.82% | 98.90% | 4 |
| 3 | Virginia | 98.98% | 99.19% | 2 |
| 4 | Penn | 98.98% | 99.03% | 3 |
| 5 | North Carolina | 98.97% | 98.15% | 9 |
| 6 | Wake Forest | 98.79% | 98.20% | 7 |
| 7 | SMU | 98.70% | 98.20% | 6 |
| 8 | Chicago | 98.56% | 97.91% | 10 |
| 9 | George Washington | 98.45% | 93.83% | 38 |
| 10 | Duke | 98.41% | 98.48% | 5 |
| 11 | Vanderbilt | 98.10% | 96.19% | 22 |
| 12 | Northwestern | 97.99% | 98.17% | 8 |
| 13 | Michigan | 97.78% | 97.48% | 12 |
| 14 | Baylor | 97.65% | 94.77% | 35 |
| 15 | Washington & Lee | 97.65% | 96.53% | 20 |
| 16 | NYU | 97.59% | 97.37% | 13 |
| 17 | George Mason | 97.38% | 96.68% | 18 |
| 18 | Iowa | 97.37% | 97.26% | 14 |
| 19 | UCLA | 97.11% | 97.11% | 15 |
| 20 | Cornell | 97.00% | 95.31% | 33 |
| 21 | Boston Univ. | 96.99% | 96.38% | 21 |
| 22 | Columbia | 96.93% | 97.51% | 11 |
| 23 | Pepperdine | 96.92% | 92.86% | 50 |
| 24 | Florida State | 96.84% | 96.59% | 19 |
| 25 | Stanford | 96.81% | 95.43% | 31 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | 96.70% | 95.14% | 34 |
| 27 | Boston College | 96.65% | 95.65% | 30 |
| 28 | Kentucky | 96.62% | 95.74% | 27 |
| 29 | Texas | 96.62% | 95.77% | 26 |
| 30 | Florida | 96.22% | 95.43% | 32 |
| 31 | San Diego | 96.09% | 93.22% | 47 |
| 32 | UC-Berkeley | 96.02% | 94.37% | 37 |
| 33 | Notre Dame | 95.97% | 95.91% | 24 |
| 34 | Minnesota | 95.71% | 96.83% | 17 |
| 35 | Wayne State | 95.55% | 93.34% | 45 |
| 36 | Montana | 95.51% | 90.12% | 81 |
| 37 | Harvard | 95.50% | 95.70% | 28 |
| 38 | Missouri-Columbia | 95.28% | 92.22% | 60 |
| 39 | Georgetown | 95.24% | 95.78% | 25 |
| 40 | Yale | 95.21% | 97.06% | 16 |
| 41 | Georgia | 94.75% | 96.10% | 23 |
| 42 | UC-Irvine | 94.72% | 93.15% | 48 |
| 43 | Alabama | 94.64% | 95.67% | 29 |
| 44 | Emory | 94.56% | 92.35% | 56 |
| 45 | Kansas | 94.42% | 93.08% | 49 |
| 46 | SUNY-Buffalo | 94.31% | 89.35% | 88 |
| 47 | South Dakota | 94.08% | 88.98% | 93 |
| 48 | BYU | 93.97% | 91.59% | 66 |
| 49 | Fordham | 93.85% | 93.35% | 44 |
| 50 | St. John’s | 93.82% | 93.78% | 39 |
| Rank | School | 2026-2027 Employment | 2025-2026 Employment | 2025-2026 Employment Rank |
| 51 | Temple | 93.79% | 92.49% | 54 |
| 52 | Illinois | 93.75% | 91.64% | 65 |
| 53 | USC | 93.51% | 93.38% | 43 |
| 54 | South Carolina | 93.50% | 92.44% | 55 |
| 55 | Villanova | 93.18% | 92.64% | 53 |
| 56 | Penn State | 93.17% | 93.62% | 40 |
| 57 | Nebraska | 93.15% | 92.86% | 51 |
| 58 | Marquette | 93.04% | 91.99% | 63 |
| 59 | Utah | 92.79% | 94.57% | 36 |
| 60 | Catholic | 92.76% | 92.24% | 58 |
| 61 | Houston | 92.74% | 88.80% | 97 |
| 62 | Stetson | 92.64% | 91.12% | 70 |
| 63 | Arizona State | 92.60% | 91.52% | 67 |
| 64 | Loyola-Chicago | 92.49% | 87.81% | 103 |
| 65 | Drexel | 92.38% | 93.52% | 41 |
| 66 | Ohio State | 92.24% | 93.23% | 46 |
| 67 | Duquesne | 92.16% | 90.17% | 80 |
| 68 | UC-Davis | 92.16% | 92.83% | 52 |
| 69 | William & Mary | 92.16% | 91.39% | 68 |
| 70 | Tulsa | 92.13% | 88.28% | 101 |
| 71 | Washburn | 91.95% | 86.18% | 117 |
| 72 | Oklahoma | 91.95% | 92.24% | 59 |
| 73 | Mercer | 91.72% | 88.83% | 95 |
| 74 | Regent | 91.59% | 90.01% | 82 |
| 75 | Albany | 91.37% | 89.05% | 92 |
| 76 | St. Thomas (MN) | 91.20% | 91.02% | 73 |
| 77 | Indiana (Maurer) | 91.19% | 91.11% | 71 |
| 78 | Colorado | 91.15% | 92.31% | 57 |
| 79 | Cardozo | 90.96% | 90.50% | 76 |
| 80 | Louisiana State | 90.96% | 89.23% | 90 |
| 81 | Texas Tech | 90.91% | 90.27% | 78 |
| 82 | Connecticut | 90.83% | 91.86% | 64 |
| 83 | Pittsburgh | 90.66% | 89.43% | 87 |
| 84 | Hofstra | 90.62% | 88.80% | 96 |
| 85 | Florida Int’l | 90.55% | 86.86% | 112 |
| 86 | New York Law School | 90.54% | 88.41% | 99 |
| 87 | Missouri-Kansas City | 90.46% | 90.25% | 79 |
| 88 | Loyola-L.A. | 90.40% | 88.88% | 94 |
| 89 | St. Louis | 90.38% | 89.24% | 89 |
| 90 | Georgia State | 90.26% | 89.54% | 86 |
| 91 | University of Arizona | 90.24% | 91.32% | 69 |
| 92 | Tulane | 90.02% | 89.95% | 83 |
| 93 | Drake | 89.73% | 90.56% | 75 |
| 94 | Dayton | 89.64% | 90.67% | 74 |
| 95 | Chapman | 89.61% | 92.19% | 61 |
| 96 | Tennessee | 89.58% | 89.67% | 85 |
| 97 | Northeastern | 89.54% | 89.18% | 91 |
| 98 | Richmond | 89.36% | 87.11% | 111 |
| 99 | Belmont | 89.35% | 88.26% | 102 |
| 100 | Miami | 88.96% | 84.55% | 127 |
| 101 | Wyoming | 88.68% | 87.80% | 104 |
| 102 | Univ. of Washington | 88.63% | 88.37% | 100 |
| 103 | Rutgers | 88.46% | 87.66% | 105 |
| 104 | Samford | 88.44% | 90.41% | 77 |
| 105 | UNLV | 88.30% | 92.06% | 62 |
| 106 | Brooklyn | 88.24% | 86.22% | 116 |
| 107 | South Texas | 88.21% | 83.08% | 131 |
| 108 | Seton Hall | 88.11% | 87.52% | 106 |
| 109 | Detroit Mercy | 88.06% | 87.29% | 109 |
| 110 | Akron | 88.01% | 86.64% | 113 |
| 111 | Howard | 87.89% | 86.26% | 114 |
| 112 | Pace | 87.78% | 85.89% | 118 |
| 113 | Maryland | 87.73% | 87.35% | 107 |
| 114 | Cincinnati | 87.57% | 91.04% | 72 |
| 115 | Northern Kentucky | 87.47% | 83.15% | 129 |
| 116 | West Virginia | 87.15% | 88.50% | 98 |
| 117 | Elon | 86.91% | 81.10% | 138 |
| 118 | Loyola-New Orleans | 86.80% | 84.48% | 128 |
| 119 | Maine | 86.78% | 89.91% | 84 |
| 120 | Case Western | 86.57% | 81.94% | 133 |
| 121 | Mississippi | 86.35% | 87.35% | 108 |
| 122 | Northern Illinois | 85.89% | 85.64% | 120 |
| 123 | Oregon | 85.86% | 84.70% | 126 |
| 124 | Indiana (McKinney) | 85.81% | 85.80% | 119 |
| 125 | Chicago-Kent | 85.73% | 85.13% | 125 |
| 126 | UC-San Francisco | 85.70% | 85.55% | 122 |
| 127 | Denver | 85.49% | 87.23% | 110 |
| 128 | Suffolk | 85.42% | 85.30% | 124 |
| 129 | American | 84.90% | 85.52% | 123 |
| 130 | Cleveland State | 84.87% | 86.25% | 115 |
| 131 | Arkansas-Fayetteville | 84.69% | 78.31% | 150 |
| 132 | Syracuse | 84.43% | 79.91% | 145 |
| 133 | Michigan State | 84.33% | 82.09% | 132 |
| 134 | Hawaii | 83.51% | 81.85% | 134 |
| 135 | Quinnipiac | 83.45% | 77.99% | 153 |
| 136 | New Mexico | 83.23% | 81.20% | 136 |
| 137 | Toledo | 83.10% | 80.75% | 140 |
| 138 | Arkansas-Little Rock | 82.92% | 80.57% | 141 |
| 139 | Louisville | 82.89% | 78.28% | 152 |
| 140 | Baltimore | 82.56% | 79.54% | 146 |
| 141 | Campbell | 82.35% | 81.65% | 135 |
| 142 | Idaho | 82.35% | 80.98% | 139 |
| 143 | Creighton | 82.32% | 77.56% | 155 |
| 144 | Memphis | 81.85% | 75.84% | 161 |
| 145 | Widener (DE) | 81.64% | 73.10% | 175 |
| 146 | Vermont | 81.62% | 75.98% | 160 |
| 147 | Lewis & Clark | 81.52% | 85.61% | 121 |
| 148 | Gonzaga | 81.34% | 80.56% | 142 |
| 149 | North Dakota | 81.33% | 73.14% | 174 |
| 150 | St. Mary’s | 81.26% | 78.29% | 151 |
| 151 | Touro | 81.08% | 77.28% | 156 |
| 152 | Ave Maria | 81.05% | 83.12% | 130 |
| 153 | Oklahoma City | 80.84% | 77.89% | 154 |
| 154 | Seattle | 80.73% | 80.43% | 144 |
| 155 | DePaul | 80.51% | 79.36% | 148 |
| 156 | Western State | 80.21% | 74.46% | 169 |
| 157 | Faulkner | 80.14% | 73.28% | 173 |
| 158 | New Hampshire | 79.94% | 80.54% | 143 |
| 159 | Pacific | 79.12% | 71.36% | 178 |
| 160 | Massachusetts | 79.11% | 81.14% | 137 |
| 161 | St. Thomas (FL) | 79.07% | 76.33% | 159 |
| 162 | Charleston | 78.65% | 74.22% | 170 |
| 163 | Mississippi College | 78.61% | 79.39% | 147 |
| 164 | Liberty | 78.06% | 76.34% | 158 |
| 165 | Roger Williams | 77.43% | 76.52% | 157 |
| 166 | Illinois-Chicago | 77.25% | 74.86% | 167 |
| 167 | Willamette | 75.82% | 78.81% | 149 |
| 168 | Western New England | 75.78% | 75.12% | 165 |
| 169 | Santa Clara | 75.64% | 71.24% | 179 |
| 170 | North Texas | 75.39% | 72.31% | 176 |
| 171 | Widener (PA) | 75.35% | 74.97% | 166 |
| 172 | Southern Illinois | 75.09% | 75.64% | 163 |
| 173 | Southwestern | 74.60% | 75.64% | 164 |
| 174 | Ohio Northern | 74.58% | 73.54% | 172 |
| 175 | Cal-Western | 74.49% | 71.47% | 177 |
| 176 | Appalachian | 74.22% | 75.79% | 162 |
| 177 | San Francisco | 74.17% | 68.84% | 183 |
| 178 | New England | 74.04% | 74.01% | 171 |
| 179 | Capital | 73.71% | 68.57% | 184 |
| 180 | District of Columbia | 72.47% | 69.30% | 182 |
| 181 | Mitchell | Hamline | 72.21% | 70.18% | 181 |
| 182 | Nova | 71.01% | 67.90% | 185 |
| 183 | Barry | 70.99% | 65.86% | 188 |
| 184 | Florida A&M | 70.69% | 66.84% | 187 |
| 185 | CUNY | 70.38% | 70.90% | 180 |
| 186 | Lincoln Memorial | 70.34% | 74.57% | 168 |
| 187 | North Carolina Central | 67.42% | 65.25% | 189 |
| 188 | Cooley | 64.89% | 62.97% | 191 |
| 189 | Texas Southern | 61.90% | 66.98% | 186 |
| 190 | John Marshall (GA) | 59.75% | 64.16% | 190 |
| 191 | Puerto Rico | 54.89% | 52.15% | 193 |
| 192 | Southern | 54.21% | 56.52% | 192 |
| 193 | Inter-American (PR) | 50.22% | 46.36% | 194 |
| 194 | Pontifical Catholic (PR) | 32.32% | 23.97% | 195 |
Due to enhanced ABA reporting rules, law schools must provide more information about the many types of employment that law graduates gain. Each year, schools are required to report to the ABA how many of their most recent graduates had various types of jobs lined up after graduation.
As in previous years, the ABA mandated that schools report law school and university positions separately from all other nonuniversity-funded positions to make the difference between the two types of jobs very clear. U.S. News continued to use this standard for data collection for the classes of 2022 and 2023 for 10 months after graduation, which is the ABA-required time frame. The ABA chose that 10-month time frame to provide enough time for J.D. graduates to take the bar exam in the state of their choosing, get results and look for a job.
These ABA standards require law schools to go into great detail by reporting 45 different job types, as well as employment status and duration. That includes, for example, whether each graduate’s employment was long term – defined as lasting at least a year – or short term, whether it was full or part time, and whether it required passage of a bar exam.
U.S. News collected these same statistics when schools were surveyed for the annual rankings and gathered the same data on members of the class who were employed 10 months after graduation. U.S. News also collected data on students’ jobs when the law school was unable to determine length of employment or full- or part-time status, as well as when employment status was unknown.
U.S. News incorporated this rich 10-months-after-graduation data into its computation of the employment measure for the classes of 2022 and 2023 at 10 months after graduation. Placement success was calculated by assigning various weights to the number of graduates employed in 45 of these different types of post-J.D. jobs, employment statuses and durations.
Full weight was given for graduates who had these 45 types of jobs. The 100% weighted jobs were those who had a full-time job that lasted at least a year and for which bar passage was required, or a full-time job that lasted at least a year where a J.D. degree was an advantage.
Plus, we give full weight to school-funded full-time, long-term fellowships where bar passage is required or where the J.D. degree is an advantage. We also give full weight to those enrolled in graduate studies in the ABA employment outcomes grid.
Less weight went to full-time, long-term jobs that were professional or nonprofessional and did not require bar passage, and to positions whose start dates were deferred. The lowest weight applied to jobs categorized as both part time and short term, and those jobs for which a law school was unable to determine length of employment or whether they were full time.
In terms of all law school and university positions, U.S. News continues to apply a discount for some law school-funded jobs which aren’t fully weighted in our rankings calculations.
These weighted employment figures were divided by the number of graduates, then used to produce a weighted employment value for the 2022 and 2023 graduating J.D. classes, and then averaged. They were used in the ranking formula only and are not published.
To reduce the year-to-year volatility in this indicator given the small sizes of some graduating J.D. classes, this 10-months-after-graduation indicator, for the second year in a row, was based on the average of the 2022 and 2023 graduating classes’ outcomes 10 months after graduation.
Actual rates for the other types of positions of each school’s latest graduating class of 2023 appear in the profiles.
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