Northeastern Law Top Ranked for Most Improved Post-Grad Employment

08.20.26 – In recognition of its sustained gains in graduate employment outcomes, Northeastern Law has been ranked No. 28 on The National Jurist’s 2026 list of the 50 Most Improved Law Schools for Employment. The ranking, based on American Bar Association data, compares graduate employment outcomes from the classes of 2012 through 2014 to the Classes of 2023 through 2025 using a quality-adjusted, three-year average employment rate. Northeastern’s rate climbed from 61.9% to 88.3% — a gain of 26.4 percentage points, or 42.6% growth — placing the law school among a group of institutions that The National Jurist describes as having moved from “turn around stories to consistent performers.”

Northeastern Law’s rise reflects the strength of its signature Cooperative Legal Education Program, which places students with employers across the legal, government, nonprofit and business sectors well before graduation. With more than 1,000 employer partners worldwide, the co-op model gives students sustained, practical experience and professional networks that translate directly into post-graduate employment.

“This success reflects what happens when talent meets preparation,” said Assistant Dean for Co-op and Career Development Quaime Lee ’02. “Our students are eager to be challenged through our academic program, Cooperative Legal Education Program and other experiential opportunities that equip them to meet the rapidly changing demands of practice across a broadening spectrum of settings. Our talented faculty and staff, notably the student-centered professionals in our co-op and career center team, provide the foundations for our students to rise and achieve their life goals, with an ethical core shaped by our values and community.”

The National Jurist’s analysis found that legal employment nationally has moved beyond a post-recession recovery into what the publication calls a more stable, structural phase of market strength. Schools featured on the list, including Northeastern, were noted for combining data-driven career services, strong alumni/ae engagement and robust experiential learning to improve outcomes over the past decade.

The recognition adds to a string of recent rankings honoring Northeastern Law, including a No. 1 ranking for practical training and No. 2 ranking for public interest law from prelaw magazine.

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