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Taxguy is incorrect about graduates of the very best schools. (I don't think thinkingoutloud ever mentioned top programs.)
If you attend a Top 10, or Top 15 program, and place anywhere in the top half of your class, you'll have little trouble getting a job paying over $100,000. Even if you're closer to the bottom of your class, you shouldn't have that much trouble getting a good job. (I know people from top schools that got good jobs without even putting their GPA on their resume.) The vast majority of graduates from top schools, in other words, won't have much trouble finding well-paying work.
However, thinkingoutloud's points are certainly valid for most schools, including many other "Top Tier" schools in the 15-50 range. At most of these schools, you'll probably need to be in the top 20% to get a 100,000 + job, and below that level, you'll probably need to be in the top 5%-10%. (At some schools, no grads will get those jobs.)
The bottom line is that most law schools exaggerate their students' placement and salaries. Most grads at most schools probably don't get private-sector jobs, and most make far less than six figures. ($50,000 is probably closer to the mark, with many, if not most, making far less.)
And, of course, just because grads from the top schools can get high-paying work doesn't mean they'll like it, or be able to do it for very long.
In terms of academia, you're best off going to a top-10 program if you want to do this, or perhaps doing extremely well at a strong local program (combined with clerkships, etc.)
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