Racial Disparities in Bar Admission Required Employment Narrow Slightly for the Class of 2023

NALP Bulletin+, November 2024

NALP has documented long-standing disparities in employment outcomes for graduates of color as compared to White graduates. The latest data from NALP's Class of 2023 Employment Report and Salary Survey show modest progress in narrowing these gaps in bar admission employment across nearly all racial groups, except for Latinx graduates. However, progress was more limited for overall employment rates — where improvements this year were only observed for Native American, Alaska Native, and multiracial graduates.

Chart 1 displays differences in employment rates by race/ethnicity (in percentage points) as compared to all graduates for the classes of 2015-2023. A negative number indicates a lower percentage of employed graduates compared to graduates overall and a positive number indicates a higher percentage of employed graduates compared to the class as a whole. While these employment differentials have narrowed by about two percentage points each for Asian, Black, and Latinx graduates since 2015, that improvement stalled for the Class of 2023. The employment gap widened this year by 0.1 percentage points for Asian graduates, by 0.8 percentage points for Latinx graduates, and by 0.9 percentage points for Black graduates. Notably, this is the second year in a row in which the gap has increased for Asian graduates.

The number of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander graduates in each class year is relatively small as seen in Table 1; therefore, their employment rates may be more subject to fluctuation from year to year. For these racial groups, differences in employment rates have varied and include years of both positive and negative differentials as compared to all graduates (although more often negative for Native American graduates). For the Class of 2023, the employment rate gap for Native American and Alaska Native graduates narrowed by 0.7 percentage points; however, it remains the largest among all groups at nearly five percentage points. For Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander graduates, there was a modest gap of 0.9 percentage points this year compared to no gap in 2022.

The differential for multiracial graduates narrowed by 0.8 percentage points this year, but at 1.5 points, it remains larger than it was from 2018 to 2021. In contrast, employment rate differentials for White graduates have been relatively stable, ranging from 1-2 percentage points above the overall class figure.

Due to the higher overall employment rate for White graduates, disparities in employment rates are further magnified when using White graduates as the comparator but follow the same general patterns. Gaps between Black or African American and White graduates have narrowed from about eight percentage points in 2015 to approximately five points in 2023. For the Class of 2023, the widest gap — six percentage points — was between Native American/Alaska Native graduates and White graduates.

Chart 2 depicts differences by race/ethnicity in the percentage of graduates employed in bar admission required jobs as compared to all graduates for the classes of 2015-2023. Unlike the trend this year in overall employment rates, gaps in bar admission employment rates narrowed for most racial groups in 2023, with the exception of Latinx graduates. However, disparities in bar admission employment remain exceptionally large for Black, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander graduates.

For the Class of 2023, the bar admission employment rate gap for Black graduates saw a slight decrease of 0.1 percentage points, but it remains over nine percentage points. Asian graduates experienced an improvement of 0.6 points, while multiracial graduates saw a 1.8-point reduction. The gap for Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander graduates narrowed by nearly four points, and for Native American and Alaska Native graduates, it shrank by almost six points. Despite these gains, the gaps for these two groups remain amongst the largest, at approximately 15 and 9 points, respectively.

Latinx graduates were the only racial group for which the bar admission employment gap widened this year. It more than doubled from 0.9 points for the Class of 2022 to 1.9 points for the Class of 2023. However, despite this year's gain, the differential remains smaller than it was from 2015 to 2019, when it exceeded three percentage points.

As with employment rates, the higher level of employment in bar admission required jobs for White graduates means that these disparities are further exacerbated when using White graduates as the comparator, although the same overall trends remain. From 2015-2022, employment rate differentials for White graduates ranged from 3-4 percentage points above the overall class figure, although that figure was closer to two percentage points for the Class of 2023.

Gaps between Black graduates and White graduates narrowed from about 21 percentage points in 2015 to 11.5 percentage points in 2023. The largest differential for the Class of 2023 existed between Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander graduates and White graduates, at nearly 18 points. Differences in the percentage of employed graduates in bar admission required jobs for other racial groups as compared to White graduates ranged from approximately 3.5 to 11.5 percentage points. (See Table 2.)

While White graduates have consistently had the highest overall bar admission employment rates, employed Asian graduates consistently obtain the highest percentage of private practice jobs — with rates about 5-8 points higher compared to the class overall since 2015. Similarly, Latinx graduates have had higher levels of private practice employment, but to a lesser extent, with rates of about 1-2 points above the class. For Black graduates, the private practice employment gap has narrowed by about nine points, dropping from approximately 15 to 6 points, however, they continue to work in law firms at a lower rate compared to most other racial/ethnic groups, except for Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander graduates. The gap for these graduates was by far the largest for the Class of 2023, at more than 17 percentage points. (See Chart 3 and Table 3.)

While there has been some positive progress in reducing disparities in employment outcomes, significant gaps persist, especially for Black, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander graduates. The increasing disparities in overall employment rates for most groups in 2023 is also a cause for concern and NALP plans to closely monitor these data moving forward.

Additional data on disparities in employment outcomes are available in Jobs & JDs: Employment and Salaries of New Graduates, Class of 2023 — available now in the NALP Bookstore.

Table 1. Employment Rates by Race/Ethnicity and Gender, Classes of 2015-2023

  2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Employment Rate (%) # of Graduates* Employment Rate (%) # of Graduates* Employment Rate (%) # of Graduates* Employment Rate (%) # of Graduates* Employment Rate (%) # of Graduates* Employment Rate (%) # of Graduates* Employment Rate (%) # of Graduates* Employment Rate (%) # of Graduates* Employment Rate (%) # of Graduates*
All Graduates 86.7% 38,627 87.5% 35,815 88.6% 33,966 89.4% 33,510 90.3% 33,007 88.4% 33,235 91.9% 34,562 92.1% 35,078 92.6% 34,392
All Men 87.2% 19,835 87.6% 17,944 88.6% 16,666 89.9% 16,279 90.3% 15,339 87.6% 14,875 91.7% 15,093 92.1% 14,710 92.6% 13,923
All Women 86.2% 18,385 87.6% 17,092 88.8% 16,413 89.3% 16,199 90.6% 16,447 89.4% 16,569 92.4% 17,289 92.7% 18,003 92.9% 17,287
White/Caucasian Graduates 88.4% 25,219 89.4% 23,088 90.7% 21,544 91.3% 20,776 92.1% 20,060 90.1% 19,870 93.1% 21,028 93.4% 21,402 94.0% 20,331
White/Caucasian Men 88.5% 13,946 88.9% 12,570 90.4% 11,516 91.0% 11,053 91.8% 10,201 89.0% 9,870 93.8% 10,264 93.1% 9,753 93.6% 9,280
White/Caucasian Women 88.4% 11,200 90.0% 10,378 91.3% 9,859 91.6% 9,486 92.5% 9,493 91.4% 9,715 92.6% 10,091 93.9% 10,712 94.7% 10,168
Asian Graduates 82.3% 2,970 82.8% 2,815 85.5% 2,821 86.3% 2,709 86.4% 2,545 85.7% 2,473 90.3% 2,674 90.1% 2,767 90.5% 2,598
Asian Men 81.7% 1,271 81.8% 1,206 85.7% 1,211 86.5% 1,119 84.6% 1,016 85.2% 1,006 90.6% 1,007 89.7% 1,022 90.8% 909
Asian Women 82.7% 1,681 83.5% 1,588 85.4% 1,583 86.0% 1,561 87.9% 1,478 86.2% 1,421 90.6% 1,588 90.7% 1,615 90.1% 1,576
Black or African American Graduates 80.6% 2,808 82.1% 2,694 82.5% 2,601 84.2% 2,652 85.4% 2,552 83.8% 2,447 88.6% 2,303 89.2% 2,553 88.8% 2,396
Black or African American Men 81.2% 1,012 83.0% 996 80.8% 950 85.7% 929 86.5% 882 83.9% 838 87.9% 816 89.0% 830 89.1% 768
Black or African American Women 80.2% 1,777 81.5% 1,678 83.5% 1,627 83.4% 1,676 84.7% 1,632 83.9% 1,574 88.9% 1,420 89.7% 1,637 88.4% 1,557
Latinx Graduates 83.7% 2,461 84.6% 3,063 85.5% 2,998 87.7% 3,423 88.1% 3,547 87.0% 3,297 90.7% 3,325 91.6% 3,521 91.3% 3,616
Latinx Men 85.0% 1,089 85.5% 1,317 86.3% 1,304 88.6% 1,543 88.3% 1,523 85.4% 1,393 89.4% 1,322 91.3% 1,385 91.5% 1,414
Latinx Women 82.6% 1,364 83.9% 1,725 85.2% 1,646 87.3% 1,782 87.9% 1,972 88.3% 1,846 91.6% 1,908 91.9% 1,986 91.3% 2,086
Native American and Alaska Native Graduates 84.8% 164 83.8% 136 91.7% 121 89.3% 112 85.5% 117 84.1% 113 88.6% 114 86.5% 126 87.7% 122
Native American or Alaska Native Men 86.0% 86 78.0% 59 90.4% 52 93.8% 48 83.3% 48 87.5% 48 89.6% 48 88.7% 53 91.1% 45
Native American or Alaska Native Women 83.3% 78 88.2% 76 94.0% 67 85.2% 61 85.9% 64 83.6% 61 87.3% 63 85.5% 69 84.7% 72
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander Graduates 86.2% 65 89.1% 55 90.0% 40 89.7% 39 92.9% 42 81.5% 88 81.1% 53 92.2% 51 91.7% 48
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander Men 88.5% 26 91.3% 23 87.5% 24 100.0% 15 90.0% 20 81.3% 32 79.2% 24 95.2% 21 82.4% 17
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander Women 84.6% 39 87.1% 31 93.8% 16 86.4% 22 95.5% 22 81.3% 48 84.6% 26 92.3% 26 96.0% 25
Multiracial Graduates 85.4% 1,675 85.9% 970 86.7% 976 89.2% 1,024 89.7% 929 88.3% 1,048 92.7% 1,175 89.8% 1,220 91.1% 1,268
Multiracial Men 85.3% 791 85.8% 487 83.8% 470 89.8% 462 87.0% 377 87.4% 437 91.4% 477 89.6% 479 91.0% 498
Multiracial Women 85.5% 880 85.9% 476 89.2% 499 88.8% 554 91.5% 540 89.4% 583 93.4% 655 90.4% 685 91.0% 712

Source: NALP Employment Report and Salary Survey, 2015-2023
*For whom employment status and the appropriate demographic information was reported.
Note: Data are not reported out separately by race/ethnicity for gender non-binary graduates and graduates who chose to self-identify their gender due to the small number of graduates.


Table 2. Employment Rates in Bar Admission Required Jobs By Race/Ethnicity and Gender, Classes of 2015-2023

  2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
All Graduates 66.6% 67.7% 71.8% 72.8% 76.2% 74.6% 78.2% 79.9% 82.1%
All Men 67.0% 67.5% 71.2% 72.8% 75.5% 73.2% 77.5% 79.8% 81.7%
All Women 66.4% 68.1% 72.8% 73.7% 77.2% 76.7% 79.6% 81.2% 83.1%
White/Caucasian Graduates 69.7% 70.9% 75.2% 76.6% 79.8% 78.0% 81.0% 82.7% 84.4%
White/Caucasian Men 69.3% 70.3% 73.9% 75.6% 78.4% 75.9% 79.4% 82.1% 83.4%
White/Caucasian Women 70.2% 71.7% 77.0% 78.1% 81.1% 80.3% 82.8% 83.9% 85.9%
Asian Graduates 62.7% 64.3% 68.6% 69.6% 70.6% 71.9% 75.8% 78.0% 80.8%
Asian Men 60.6% 61.1% 66.4% 68.3% 66.2% 68.5% 73.9% 76.0% 78.7%
Asian Women 64.5% 66.4% 70.4% 70.7% 73.7% 74.2% 77.9% 80.1% 81.9%
Black or African American Graduates 49.1% 51.2% 57.2% 57.5% 62.4% 62.5% 65.9% 70.6% 72.9%
Black or African American Men 49.7% 51.7% 54.9% 58.3% 61.7% 62.3% 64.8% 70.8% 72.8%
Black or African American Women 48.8% 51.0% 58.8% 57.2% 62.6% 62.6% 66.3% 71.0% 72.8%
Latinx Graduates 63.3% 64.1% 68.2% 71.2% 73.1% 73.1% 77.2% 79.0% 80.3%
Latinx Men 63.9% 63.5% 68.3% 70.0% 73.2% 69.6% 75.9% 77.6% 79.8%
Latinx Women 62.7% 64.6% 68.5% 73.1% 73.1% 75.6% 78.2% 80.4% 81.2%
Native American or Alaska Native Graduates 65.2% 63.2% 70.2% 72.3% 63.2% 65.5% 69.3% 65.1% 73.0%
Native American or Alaska Native Men 67.4% 57.6% 69.2% 72.9% 58.3% 62.5% 70.8% 64.2% 77.8%
Native American or Alaska Native Women 62.8% 67.1% 71.6% 70.5% 65.6% 68.9% 69.8% 66.7% 70.8%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander Graduates 53.8% 65.5% 60.0% 59.0% 73.8% 56.8% 58.5% 60.8% 66.7%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander Men 53.8% 69.6% 41.7% 80.0% 75.0% 50.0% 50.0% 47.6% 64.7%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander Women 53.8% 61.3% 87.5% 45.5% 72.7% 60.4% 65.4% 73.1% 76.0%
Multiracial Graduates 63.5% 63.0% 67.4% 72.9% 77.2% 73.5% 78.6% 76.8% 80.8%
Multiracial Men 62.6% 61.8% 63.4% 74.9% 74.8% 72.1% 78.8% 77.7% 80.9%
Multiracial Women 64.5% 64.3% 70.9% 71.3% 78.7% 75.6% 78.5% 77.1% 80.6%

Source: NALP Employment Report and Salary Survey, 2015-2023
Note: Data are not reported out separately by race/ethnicity for gender non-binary graduates and graduates who chose to self-identify their gender due to the small number of graduates.


Table 3. Percentage of Employed Graduates Working in Private Practice by Race/Ethnicity and Gender, Classes of 2015-2023

  2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
All Graduates 51.3% 52.9% 54.4% 54.8% 55.2% 56.8% 57.0% 58.0% 58.2%
All Men 53.0% 54.5% 55.6% 56.2% 57.1% 58.4% 58.2% 59.8% 59.1%
All Women 49.7% 51.4% 53.4% 53.6% 53.7% 55.7% 56.4% 57.5% 57.7%
White/Caucasian Graduates 52.3% 53.7% 55.2% 55.5% 55.8% 56.6% 56.6% 57.8% 57.4%
White/Caucasian Men 53.9% 55.0% 55.9% 56.7% 57.9% 58.3% 58.0% 59.5% 58.8%
White/Caucasian Women 50.3% 52.1% 54.3% 54.2% 54.0% 55.4% 55.7% 56.7% 56.5%
Asian Graduates 57.8% 58.0% 59.4% 62.1% 62.1% 65.0% 63.6% 65.7% 65.7%
Asian Men 56.6% 58.9% 57.4% 64.5% 59.8% 62.3% 61.8% 65.2% 64.5%
Asian Women 58.8% 57.4% 61.3% 60.6% 63.7% 67.1% 65.1% 67.1% 66.5%
Black or African American Graduates 35.9% 38.9% 40.4% 41.9% 43.6% 45.9% 45.9% 51.8% 52.0%
Black or African American Men 38.8% 42.0% 41.3% 44.1% 46.5% 46.3% 48.1% 53.7% 54.4%
Black or African American Women 34.2% 37.3% 40.0% 40.5% 42.1% 45.7% 45.0% 51.6% 50.9%
Latinx Graduates 53.2% 54.9% 56.3% 55.5% 55.9% 57.9% 57.9% 58.9% 59.3%
Latinx Men 53.9% 55.7% 59.3% 55.2% 57.5% 60.7% 59.8% 60.2% 59.0%
Latinx Women 52.7% 54.4% 54.2% 55.7% 54.3% 56.7% 57.2% 58.5% 59.9%
Native American or Alaska Native Graduates 51.8% 41.2% 49.5% 44.0% 46.0% 50.5% 43.6% 42.2% 52.3%
Native American or Alaska Native Men 56.8% 50.0% 66.0% 44.4% 45.0% 42.9% 46.5% 51.1% 56.1%
Native American or Alaska Native Women 46.2% 35.8% 36.5% 42.3% 49.1% 58.8% 41.8% 37.3% 50.8%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander Graduates 39.3% 36.7% 41.7% 37.1% 41.0% 51.5% 48.8% 44.7% 40.9%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander Men 43.5% 33.3% 38.1% 33.3% 44.4% 53.9% 47.4% 25.0% 42.9%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander Women 36.4% 40.7% 46.7% 36.8% 38.1% 48.7% 45.5% 62.5% 45.8%
Multiracial Graduates 49.0% 50.2% 49.6% 56.7% 55.1% 57.6% 57.4% 56.5% 58.3%
Multiracial Men 48.9% 52.6% 50.5% 60.5% 60.4% 59.7% 60.1% 59.0% 58.9%
Multiracial Women 49.3% 47.7% 49.2% 53.9% 52.4% 56.5% 55.9% 56.1% 57.9%

Source: NALP Employment Report and Salary Survey, 2015-2023
Note: Data are not reported out separately by race/ethnicity for gender non-binary graduates and graduates who chose to self-identify their gender due to the small number of graduates.


Chart 1. Differences in Employment Rates by Race/Ethnicity as Compared to All Graduates, Classes of 2015-2023 (in percentage points)



Chart 2. Differences in Graduates Employed in Bar Admission Required Jobs by Race/Ethnicity as Compared to All Graduates, 2015-2023 (in percentage points)



Chart 3. Differences in Rates of Employment in Private Practice by Race/Ethnicity as Compared to All Graduates, 2015-2023 (in percentage points)



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