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How much does an Attorney VI make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Attorney VI in the United States is $293,450 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $141.

However, an Attorney VI's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $332,368
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $274,802 to $313,821
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $257,824

Key Factors That Influence Attorney VI Salaries

An Attorney VI's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Attorney VI Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Attorney VI's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Attorney IV (7+ years): $213,667
  • Attorney V (7-10 years): $253,602
  • Attorney VI (10-12 years): $293,450
  • Managing Attorney (12+ years): $194,542
  • Senior Managing Attorney (12+ years): $217,863
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Attorney IV7+ years$213,667
Attorney V7-10 years$253,602
Attorney VI10-12 years$293,450
Managing Attorney12+ years$194,542
Senior Managing Attorney12+ years$217,863

Top Paying Cities for Attorney VI

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $370,128
  • San Francisco: $366,076
  • Oakland: $358,361

What Skills Can Increase an Attorney VI's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 4.05% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Estate Planning (Mentioned in 2.78% Job Postings): Estate planning is the process of anticipating and arranging, during a person's life, for the management and disposal of that person's estate during the person's life and at and after death, while minimizing gift, estate, generation skipping transfer, and income tax. Estate planning includes planning for incapacity as well as a process of reducing or eliminating uncertainties over the administration of a probate and maximizing the value of the estate by reducing taxes and other expenses. The ultimate goal of estate planning can be determined by the specific goals of the client, and may be as simple or complex as the client's needs dictate. Guardians are often designated for minor children and beneficiaries in incapacity. The law of estate planning overlaps to some degree with elder law, which additionally includes other provisions such as long-term care.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.97% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 4.05%
Estate Planning 2.78%
Microsoft Office 1.97%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Attorney VI's salary.

  • Legal Writing: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Mediation: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Written Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Legal Writing $328,664
12%
Mediation $316,926
8%
Written Communication $313,992
7%

Attorney VI Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Attorney VI salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $328,500. While startup companies pay approximate $277,904.

Attorney VI Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $277,904
Growth Stage 51~500 $293,916
Established 501~5000 $317,225
Enterprise 5000+ $328,500

Attorney VI Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Attorney VI roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Attorney positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Attorney VI as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Attorney VI

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$366,812$176.025%
Financial Services$352,140$169.020%
Software & Networking$352,140$169.020%
Energy & Utilities$322,795$155.010%
Internet$322,795$155.010%

Attorney VI Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Attorney VI's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$274,802
Average $293,450/year
$313,821
$22,900
Average $24,454/month
$26,152
$5,285
Average $5,643/week
$6,035
$132
Average $141/hour
$151
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $313,821 $26,152 $6,035 $151
Average $293,450 $24,454 $5,643 $141
25th Percentile $274,802 $22,900 $5,285 $132

Attorney VI Salary Growth & Career Path

For an Attorney VI, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Managing Attorney role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $194,542 - a projected growth of -34% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Attorney VI

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Attorney VI

Here are companies hiring for Attorney VI and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Attorney VI

1. Where can an Attorney VI earn the most?

An Attorney VI's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, an Attorney VI earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of an Attorney VI is $370,128.

2. What is the highest pay for Attorney VI?

The highest pay for Attorney VI is $332,368.

3. What is the lowest pay for Attorney VI?

The lowest pay for Attorney VI is $257,824.

4. What are the responsibilities of Attorney VI?

Responsible for using specialized knowledge of national, state, and/or local laws to advise and represent clients and organizations in criminal or civil proceedings and other legal matters. Provides legal advice and counsel in support of business activities and transactions. Researches and interprets existing laws and regulations and anticipated changes to laws to guide informed decisions and reduce risk. Prepares and reviews various agreements, contracts, and other legal documents. Represents the organization in litigation, negotiations, and other matters where legal counsel is required. May have a billable hours requirement. Requires a JD. Requires State Bar membership. Typically reports to a manager. Typically requires 12+ years of related experience. Achievement and depth of knowledge of specialization or field is the main differentiator. Advisory role on complex and challenging projects and initiatives. Recognized for deep technical and industry knowledge and innovative thinking. Provides thought leadership and guidance to a functional area and the organization.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Attorney VI?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Attorney VI roles, with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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