NALP Bulletin, November 2009
During this past summer, NALP conducted its biennial Law School Career Services Survey, continuing a practice of benchmarking law school career services staffing and facilities that dates back almost as long as NALP has existed.
A total of 129 law schools responded to the survey, but not all answered all questions, particularly with respect to salaries. Table 1 highlights some key findings from the 2009 survey. For example, the median salary for the primary career services professional (typically an assistant dean and/or director of career services) is $81,000, and the average number of years in the field is 12.
Table 2 provides some trends on items that this survey has measured over the years. Not surprisingly, career services office staff sizes have grown, as have experience levels of the primary professional. Since 2005, about 80% of primary career services professionals have had a JD degree. The median salary has increased only modestly in the past two years.
The full report will be available later this fall and posted on NALP's website as a member benefit.
| MEDIAN FULL-TIME SALARIES | Average Number of Years in the Field |
||||||
| Overall | Public Schools | Private Schools | JD Enrollment Less Than 550 |
JD Enrollment 550-750 | JD Enrollment 751 or More |
||
| Primary Professional | $81,000 | $78,000 | $85,000 | $70,000 | $85,000 | $95,000 | 12 |
| Second Professional | 61,680 | 60,000 | 64,000 | 49,500 | 60,000 | 65,000 | 8 |
| Third Professional | 55,000 | 60,000 | 55,000 | — | 46,300 | 60,000 | 6 |
| STAFFING (Median # of Full-time Professional Staff) | |||||||
| 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 5.0 | ||
| 1975 | 1986 | 1997 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | |
| % of offices with only one professional full-time staff member | 75% | 68% | 36% | 25% | 17% | 17% |
| % of offices with two or fewer full-time professional staff members | 100% | 94% | 72% | 54% | 44% | 43% |
| % of primary professionals with JD/LLB | 37% | 40% | 59% | 78% | 81% | 79% |
| % of primary professionals in current job less than two years | 61% | 17% | 30% | 24% | 25% | 20% |
| % of primary professionals in current job five or more years | 13% | 32% | 33% | 46% | 43% | 49% |
| % of primary professionals in field three years or less | NC | NC | 32% | 18% | 16% | 9% |
| % of primary professionals in field more than 11 years | NC | NC | 28% | 39% | 40% | 47% |
| Median salary for primary professional | $12,000* | $29,000* | $47,800 | $70,000 | $79,600 | $81,000 |
| Number of schools responding to survey** | 56 | 101 | 133 | 159 | 137 | 129 |
Note: The 1974-75 survey did not distinguish between "primary" and "second"
professionals when tabulating education, experience levels, and salaries.
Since a number of these second individuals were described as secretaries
or administrative assistants, the figures may be somewhat deflated. However,
the vast majority of individuals covered by the survey, about 80%, were
the primary, and only, individual in the office.
* Salary median is estimated
because salary information was reported in ranges.
** Number shown is number
of surveys received. The number of responses to specific questions may
be less.
