Jobs for the Major
How this major affects a job search
Lawyer. There, done.
You want more? Well, the ease of entry in this field will depend largely upon the quality of education you receive and the internships you work afterwards. There are a lot of out-of-work law students who never made connections while getting educated, so make sure to use that lawyer-iffic wit and charisma while you can.
There are also other options for pre-law majors, but it does seem kind of silly to do this and not be a lawyer. Are you just messing with people at this point? It's cool if you are, but there are better ways to do that than with four years of pretty difficult schooling.
Alright, let's say you don't want to be a lawyer, but you're really into the law. You sound like an interesting person. We should hang out more. Anyway, there are options on the table, and they might not be immediately obvious. Fortunately for you, we're here. We have you covered.
Common Career Fields
Lawyer. Come on, you knew this was coming. This is the most common job for pre-law majors, but it should be stressed that not all lawyers were pre-law majors. If you want to be the lawyer's lawyer, you probably did, though. There are tons of different kinds of lawyers, too, so you have a crazy amount of options.
Probation Officer. Not everyone who is convicted of a crime goes to prison. Sometimes a judge decides that a convicted person really isn't the criminal type (like it's their first brush with the law) or if they're too rich and famous to go to the lock-up. In that case, they're given probation. Probation officers make sure that those people aren't taking this as a license to re-enact all the best parts of Grand Theft Auto 5.
Paralegal. These are the ghosts of lawyers, who haunt the courtrooms. No, not really. They're the assistants of lawyers. If lawyers are doctors, then paralegals are the nurses. They do a lot of the grunt work for lawyers with trials, motions, emotions, and anything else they need. If you like the law but have crippling social anxiety, go for it.
Social Worker. Maybe you would rather try to help people before they need a lawyer. Social workers have all kinds of duties, but the simplest way to put it is this: you're the level-headed one. You'll be assigned people in serious need of help, like neglected children or domestic violence survivors. You're the one who's trying to make the system work for the people that need it most.
Education. Lawyers have to come from somewhere, and don't say "the swamp." That's needlessly mean and you're thinking of alligators anyway. Maybe you have a strong opinion on the law and know that the best way to have your ideas implemented is to get to the younger generation. Maybe courtrooms wig you out. Either way, teaching is always a good option.
FBI. (Requires the FBI Academy) That's right, the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Some agents for the FBI have pre-law degrees. Makes sense, right? You're going to be enforcing the law, and unlike local authorities, you are expected to know both federal and state statutes and how they interact. Unfortunately, you probably won't be investigating any aliens. Probably.
Investigator. (Requires Private Investigator's license) You like police work and investigation, but you're not about the straight-laced FBI look. That's fine. As it turns out, a lot of law firms employ investigators to help with their cases. All cases are fundamentally disagreements, and the side with the facts has the advantage. So clearly, someone has to go out and get the facts. Chances are they're not just lying around.
Current unemployment of the major
9.0%Percentage of majors who get a higher degree after college
36%Stats obtained from this source.