Lawyer salary in the U.S.
Lawyers in the U.S. earn a median of $159,670 a year ($76.76 an hour), based on BLS data for 754,500 workers.
Pay ranges from $78,360 for the lowest-paid 10% to $351,600 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $185,840, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for lawyers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $78,360 | $37.67 |
| 25th percentile | $102,990 | $49.51 |
| Median | $159,670 | $76.76 |
| 75th percentile | $221,370 | $106.43 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $351,600 | $169.04 |
| Average (mean) | $185,840 | $89.35 |
Half of lawyers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $13,305.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $6,652.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $6,141.15 |
| Weekly | $3,070.58 |
| Hourly | $76.76 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Lawyer salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $207,860 | 91,870 |
| District of Columbia | $195,190 | 33,070 |
| California | $195,080 | 95,770 |
| Massachusetts | $176,680 | 23,560 |
| Delaware | $173,510 | 2,920 |
| Colorado | $168,520 | 16,720 |
| Virginia | $167,210 | 18,580 |
| Connecticut | $163,600 | 8,420 |
| New Jersey | $161,430 | 23,160 |
| Illinois | $160,800 | 33,590 |
| Pennsylvania | $157,180 | 27,170 |
| Minnesota | $155,140 | 12,380 |
| Texas | $154,200 | 56,580 |
| Washington | $154,130 | 12,770 |
| Nevada | $150,510 | 6,490 |
| Alaska | $149,940 | 1,120 |
| Maryland | $139,110 | 13,810 |
| Rhode Island | $138,960 | 1,840 |
| Oregon | $138,210 | 7,150 |
| Tennessee | $136,180 | 9,010 |
| Georgia | $134,830 | 23,930 |
| Arizona | $134,260 | 11,640 |
| Missouri | $133,450 | 11,560 |
| Florida | $133,180 | 55,210 |
| Utah | $132,830 | 7,020 |
| Alabama | $131,970 | 6,730 |
| Ohio | $131,020 | 19,950 |
| Michigan | $130,520 | 16,620 |
| North Carolina | $127,710 | 17,000 |
| Vermont | $127,310 | 1,330 |
| Indiana | $126,860 | 8,970 |
| Wisconsin | $126,760 | 9,160 |
| Hawaii | $124,990 | 2,270 |
| Iowa | $123,550 | 3,550 |
| Guam | $122,930 | 180 |
| New Hampshire | $120,810 | 2,250 |
| South Carolina | $120,310 | 7,890 |
| New Mexico | $119,680 | 3,380 |
| Virgin Islands | $118,440 | 150 |
| Maine | $113,120 | 2,280 |
| Nebraska | $109,170 | 3,490 |
| North Dakota | $106,880 | 1,050 |
| Kansas | $106,650 | 4,190 |
| Louisiana | $104,100 | 10,200 |
| Montana | $103,720 | 2,380 |
| Idaho | $103,400 | 2,490 |
| Oklahoma | $103,060 | 6,980 |
| West Virginia | $102,420 | 2,440 |
| South Dakota | $102,040 | 1,360 |
| Kentucky | $101,550 | 5,770 |
| Wyoming | $100,130 | 900 |
| Arkansas | $98,880 | 3,430 |
| Mississippi | $91,690 | 3,100 |
Best-paying metro areas for lawyers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $301,320 | 6,040 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $212,500 | 18,470 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $208,880 | 94,610 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $195,190 | 46,840 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $194,410 | 41,580 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $185,520 | 1,220 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $183,350 | 20,080 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $181,560 | 590 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $180,610 | 2,100 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $178,540 | 7,620 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $178,220 | 8,020 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $177,380 | 11,860 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $175,780 | 290 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $174,880 | 490 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $170,970 | 700 |
Metro areas with the most lawyers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 94,610 | $208,880 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 46,840 | $195,190 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 41,580 | $194,410 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 28,320 | $165,660 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 23,270 | $160,320 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 20,080 | $183,350 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 19,040 | $170,660 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 18,760 | $138,210 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 18,470 | $212,500 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 17,110 | $168,510 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 16,810 | $157,980 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 11,860 | $177,380 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 10,160 | $159,620 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 10,110 | $134,980 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 9,210 | $164,980 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $153,990 | $74.03 |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | $117,860 | $56.67 |
| Judicial Law Clerk | $64,920 | $31.21 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $75,530 | $36.31 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $62,890 | $30.24 |
| Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | $58,650 | $28.20 |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $72,110 | $34.67 |
More: Legal Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 23-1011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a lawyer make in the U.S.?
The median salary for lawyers in the U.S. is $159,670 a year, or $76.76 an hour. Pay ranges from $78,360 for the lowest-paid 10% to $351,600 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid lawyers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of lawyers in the U.S. earn at least $351,600 a year. The top 25% earn $221,370 or more.
What is the starting pay for lawyers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $78,360 a year, and a quarter of lawyers earn $102,990 or less.
How many lawyers work in the U.S.?
About 754,500 lawyers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.