Following up on my microranking of elite public interest legal employment, here is a microranking of federal judicial clerkship placement of law school graduates. This ranking is based upon the American Bar Association data, self-reported by schools. "Federal clerkships" is an admittedly broad category, but it's still a useful one for comparison of schools.

As usual, part of this microranking (i.e., ranking on a single, narrow metric) is a "score," which scores the school on a 20-80 scale based upon its relative performance. The top school, on a percentage basis, will score an 80; the schools who placed none will score a 20; and others will fall on a spectrum based upon their relative performance. Like many rankings, this will illustrate that there is a "pyramid" of placement: the farther down the ranking one goes, the more compressed the schools are among the scores.

I thought a three-year average for clerkships (over 3600 clerks) would be a useful metric. It does not include clerkships obtained by students after graduation; it only includes clerkships obtained by each year's graduating class.

The "placement" is the three-year total placement; the "percentage" is the three-year placement divided by the three-year graduating class total. Thoughts posted below the table.

 
 
 
 
 
  Three-Year Average Federal Clerkship Graduate Placement 

    from excessofdemocracy.com
 

  Score
  School Name
  Placement
  Percentage
 

  80
  YALE UNIVERSITY
  207
  32.6%
 

  73*
  CALIFORNIA-IRVINE, UNIVERSITY OF
  16
  28.6%
 

  69
  STANFORD UNIVERSITY
  147
  26.9%
 

  51
  HARVARD UNIVERSITY
  296
  16.8%
 

  43
  DUKE UNIVERSITY
  79
  12.2%
 

  42
  CHICAGO, UNIVERSITY OF
  74
  12.1%
 

  40
  VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
  65
  10.9%
 

  VIRGINIA, UNIVERSITY OF
  122
  10.9%
 

  38
  PENNSYLVANIA, UNIVERSITY OF
  81
  9.9%
 

  36
  COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
  116
  8.6%
 

  MICHIGAN, UNIVERSITY OF
  101
  8.9%
 

  NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
  129
  8.9%
 

  TEXAS AT AUSTIN,
  UNIVERSITY OF
  99
  8.6%
 

  35
  ALABAMA, UNIVERSITY OF
  41
  8.1%
 

  GEORGIA, UNIVERSITY OF
  56
  8.3%
 

  34
  CALIFORNIA-BERKELEY, UNIVERSITY OF
  71
  7.7%
 

  NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
  65
  7.5%
 

  WASHINGTON AND LEE
  UNIVERSITY
  30
  7.9%
 

  32
  CORNELL UNIVERSITY
  37
  6.3%
 

  EMORY UNIVERSITY
  49
  6.6%
 

  NOTRE DAME, UNIVERSITY OF
  35
  6.3%
 

  WILLIAM AND MARY LAW
  SCHOOL
  40
  6.4%
 

  31
  KENTUCKY, UNIVERSITY OF
  25
  6.2%
 

  30
  MONTANA, UNIVERSITY OF
  13
  5.3%
 

  NORTH CAROLINA,
  UNIVERSITY OF
  41
  5.5%
 

  SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
  UNIVERSITY OF
  34
  5.5%
 

  29
  RICHMOND, UNIVERSITY OF
  22
  4.7%
 

  28
  CALIFORNIA-LOS ANGELES, UNIVERSITY OF
  47
  4.6%
 

  GEORGE WASHINGTON
  UNIVERSITY
  73
  4.5%
 

  MINNESOTA, UNIVERSITY OF
  35
  4.5%
 

  27
  BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
  16
  3.6%
 

  GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
  77
  4.0%
 

  IOWA, UNIVERSITY OF
  22
  3.8%
 

  TULANE UNIVERSITY
  30
  3.9%
 

  WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY
  18
  3.8%
 

  WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
  14
  3.6%
 

  26
  ARKANSAS, FAYETTEVILLE, UNIVERSITY OF
  12
  3.1%
 

  BOSTON COLLEGE
  28
  3.5%
 

  FLORIDA, UNIVERSITY OF
  34
  3.0%
 

  FORDHAM UNIVERSITY
  43
  3.1%
 

  ILLINOIS, UNIVERSITY OF
  20
  3.3%
 

  MARYLAND, UNIVERSITY OF
  29
  3.2%
 

  MISSISSIPPI, UNIVERSITY
  OF
  16
  3.3%
 

  OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
  22
  3.4%
 

  RUTGERS UNIVERSITY-CAMDEN
  24
  3.0%
 

  SOUTH CAROLINA,
  UNIVERSITY OF
  22
  3.3%
 

  TEMPLE UNIVERSITY
  31
  3.5%
 

  WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
  29
  3.3%
 

  25
  AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
  37
  2.7%
 

  ARIZONA, UNIVERSITY OF
  12
  2.6%
 

  BOSTON UNIVERSITY
  21
  2.6%
 

  CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY
  12
  2.6%
 

  GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
  16
  2.6%
 

  LOUISIANA STATE
  UNIVERSITY
  16
  2.8%
 

  PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY
  16
  2.5%
 

  WASHINGTON, UNIVERSITY OF
  15
  2.8%
 

  24
  BROOKLYN LAW SCHOOL
  32
  2.3%
 

  CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW
  YORK
  8
  2.1%
 

  COLORADO, UNIVERSITY OF
  13
  2.4%
 

  GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY
  14
  2.4%
 

  HOUSTON, UNIVERSITY OF
  16
  1.9%
 

  HOWARD UNIVERSITY
  9
  2.0%
 

  LOUISVILLE, UNIVERSITY OF
  9
  2.2%
 

  MEMPHIS, UNIVERSITY OF
  9
  2.4%
 

  MERCER UNIVERSITY
  10
  2.4%
 

  NEVADA - LAS VEGAS,
  UNIVERSITY OF 
  10
  2.3%
 

  OKLAHOMA, UNIVERSITY OF
  11
  2.1%
 

  OREGON, UNIVERSITY OF
  10
  1.9%
 

  SAMFORD UNIVERSITY
  10
  2.1%
 

  SAN DIEGO, UNIVERSITY OF
  21
  2.2%
 

  SOUTHERN METHODIST
  UNIVERSITY
  20
  2.4%
 

  TENNESSEE, UNIVERSITY OF
  9
  1.9%
 

  UTAH, UNIVERSITY OF
  8
  2.0%
 

  VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY
  17
  2.3%
 

  23
  ARKANSAS, LITTLE ROCK, UNIVERSITY OF
  6
  1.5%
 

  BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
  9
  1.9%
 

  CALIFORNIA-DAVIS,
  UNIVERSITY OF
  9
  1.5%
 

  CALIFORNIA-HASTINGS,
  UNIVERSITY OF
  19
  1.5%
 

  CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY
  6
  1.6%
 

  CARDOZO SCHOOL OF LAW
  20
  1.7%
 

  CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF
  AMERICA
  12
  1.5%
 

  CINCINNATI, UNIVERSITY OF
  6
  1.5%
 

  CONNECTICUT, UNIVERSITY
  OF
  9
  1.5%
 

  FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
  15
  1.9%
 

  HAWAII, UNIVERSITY OF
  5
  1.7%
 

  INDIANA UNIVERSITY -
  BLOOMINGTON
  10
  1.5%
 

  INDIANA UNIVERSITY -
  INDIANAPOLIS
  14
  1.8%
 

  LEWIS AND CLARK COLLEGE
  9
  1.4%
 

  LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
  UNIVERSITY-LOS ANGELES
  22
  1.8%
 

  LOYOLA UNIVERSITY-CHICAGO
  13
  1.6%
 

  LOYOLA UNIVERSITY-NEW
  ORLEANS
  14
  1.8%
 

  MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE
  7
  1.4%
 

  NEBRASKA, UNIVERSITY OF
  6
  1.6%
 

  SETON HALL UNIVERSITY
  16
  1.7%
 

  WYOMING, UNIVERSITY OF
  4
  1.9%
 

  22
  ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
  6
  1.0%
 

  CASE WESTERN RESERVE
  UNIVERSITY
  6
  1.0%
 

  CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY
  5
  1.0%
 

  DAYTON, UNIVERSITY OF
  4
  0.8%
 

  DETROIT MERCY, UNIVERSITY
  OF
  6
  1.0%
 

  DRAKE UNIVERSITY
  4
  0.9%
 

  DREXEL UNIVERSITY
  5
  1.3%
 

  IDAHO, UNIVERSITY OF
  3
  1.0%
 

  JOHN MARSHALL LAW SCHOOL
  13
  1.1%
 

  KANSAS, UNIVERSITY OF
  4
  0.8%
 

  MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY
  6
  0.9%
 

  MIAMI, UNIVERSITY OF
  11
  0.8%
 

  MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
  11
  1.2%
 

  MISSOURI, UNIVERSITY OF
  5
  1.2%
 

  NEW MEXICO, UNIVERSITY OF
  3
  1.0%
 

  NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
  5
  0.8%
 

  NORTHERN KENTUCKY
  UNIVERSITY
  5
  1.0%
 

  PITTSBURGH, UNIVERSITY OF
  9
  1.3%
 

  REGENT UNIVERSITY
  4
  1.1%
 

  SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY
  8
  0.9%
 

  SEATTLE UNIVERSITY
  8
  0.8%
 

  ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY
  11
  1.3%
 

  ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY
  7
  0.9%
 

  STETSON UNIVERSITY
  10
  1.0%
 

  SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
  6
  1.1%
 

  TOLEDO, UNIVERSITY OF
  4
  0.9%
 

  VERMONT LAW SCHOOL
  5
  0.9%
 

  WASHBURN UNIVERSITY
  4
  0.9%
 

  WISCONSIN, UNIVERSITY OF
  9
  1.1%
 

  21
  ALBANY LAW SCHOOL OF UNION UNIVERSITY
  5
  0.7%
 

  AVE MARIA SCHOOL OF LAW
  1
  0.3%
 

  BALTIMORE, UNIVERSITY OF
  5
  0.5%
 

  BUFFALO-SUNY, UNIVERSITY
  OF 
  3
  0.4%
 

  CALIFORNIA WESTERN SCHOOL
  OF LAW
  3
  0.4%
 

  CHARLESTON SCHOOL OF LAW
  4
  0.7%
 

  CHICAGO-KENT COLLEGE OF
  LAW-IIT
  4
  0.5%
 

  CLEVELAND STATE
  UNIVERSITY
  4
  0.7%
 

  DENVER, UNIVERSITY OF
  5
  0.5%
 

  DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
  4
  0.4%
 

  DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY
  2
  0.3%
 

  FAULKNER UNIVERSITY
  2
  0.7%
 

  FLORIDA COASTAL SCHOOL OF
  LAW
  8
  0.6%
 

  FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
  UNIVERSITY
  3
  0.6%
 

  GOLDEN GATE UNIVERSITY
  2
  0.4%
 

  HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY
  6
  0.6%
 

  LA VERNE, UNIVERSITY
  OF 
  1
  0.3%
 

  MAINE, UNIVERSITY OF
  2
  0.8%
 

  MCGEORGE SCHOOL OF LAW
  7
  0.8%
 

  NEW ENGLAND LAW | BOSTON
  4
  0.4%
 

  NEW YORK LAW SCHOOL
  9
  0.6%
 

  NORTH DAKOTA, UNIVERSITY
  OF
  1
  0.4%
 

  NORTHERN ILLINOIS
  UNIVERSITY
  1
  0.3%
 

  OHIO NORTHERN UNIVERSITY
  1
  0.3%
 

  PACE UNIVERSITY
  2
  0.3%
 

  PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
  2
  0.4%
 

  ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY
  2
  0.4%
 

  RUTGERS UNIVERSITY-NEWARK
  5
  0.7%
 

  SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY
  5
  0.6%
 

  SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF
  LAW
  4
  0.3%
 

  SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
  UNIVERSITY-CARBONDALE
  2
  0.5%
 

  ST. THOMAS, UNIVERSITY OF
  (MINNESOTA)
  3
  0.7%
 

  TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
  2
  0.4%
 

  TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
  5
  0.8%
 

  VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY
  4
  0.8%
 

  WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
  4
  0.8%
 

  WESTERN NEW ENGLAND
  UNIVERSITY
  2
  0.4%
 

  WHITTIER LAW SCHOOL
  2
  0.5%
 

  WIDENER
  UNIVERSITY-DELAWARE
  5
  0.6%
 

  WIDENER
  UNIVERSITY-HARRISBURG
  2
  0.5%
 

  20
  AKRON, UNIVERSITY OF
  1
  0.3%
 

  APPALACHIAN SCHOOL OF LAW
  0
  0.0%
 

  ARIZONA SUMMIT LAW SCHOOL
  1
  0.3%
 

  ATLANTA'S JOHN MARSHALL
  LAW SHOOL
  0
  0.0%
 

  BARRY UNIVERSITY
  1
  0.2%
 

  CAPITAL UNIVERSITY
  1
  0.2%
 

  CHARLOTTE SCHOOL OF LAW
  1
  0.2%
 

  DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
  0
  0.0%
 

  ELON UNIVERSITY
  0
  0.0%
 

  FLORIDA A&M
  UNIVERSITY
  1
  0.2%
 

  GONZAGA UNIVERSITY
  1
  0.2%
 

  HAMLINE UNIVERSITY
  1
  0.2%
 

  LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
  0
  0.0%
 

  MASSACHUSETTS DARTMOUTH,
  UNIVERSITY OF 
  0
  0.0%
 

  MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY,
  UNIVERSITY OF
  1
  0.2%
 

  NEW HAMPSHIRE UNIVERSITY
  OF
  1
  0.2%
 

  NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL
  UNIVERSITY
  0
  0.0%
 

  NOVA SOUTHEASTERN
  UNIVERSITY
  1
  0.1%
 

  OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY
  1
  0.2%
 

  QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY
  1
  0.3%
 

  SAN FRANCISCO, UNIVERSITY
  OF
  0
  0.0%
 

  SOUTH DAKOTA, UNIVERSITY
  OF
  0
  0.0%
 

  SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
  1
  0.2%
 

  SOUTHWESTERN LAW SCHOOL
  1
  0.1%
 

  ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY
  (FLORIDA)
  0
  0.0%
 

  SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY
  4
  0.3%
 

  TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
  0
  0.0%
 

  THOMAS JEFFERSON SCHOOL
  OF LAW
  0
  0.0%
 

  THOMAS M. COOLEY LAW
  SCHOOL
  2
  0.1%
 

  TOURO COLLEGE
  1
  0.2%
 

  TULSA, UNIVERSITY OF
  1
  0.3%
 

  WESTERN STATE COLLEGE OF
  LAW
  0
  0.0%
 

  WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY
  0
  0.0%
 

  WILLIAM MITCHELL COLLEGE
  OF LAW
  2
  0.2%
 

  
  *denotes only one year's data
  
  
 

  
  
  
  
 

Note: due to rounding, some schools may appear to have similar percentages but have different ranks, or vice versa.

Yale's placement, as expected, dwarfs all others. Irvine placed its first class well, but it is, of course, deceptive given that it is a single year's data. The "score" also reflects that beyond the first six or eight schools, it is highly compressed among institutions on the way down. Finally, 14 schools did not place a federal clerk in the last three graduating classes.

Law school microranking: federal judicial clerkship placement

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