The salary of a General Counsel in the United States varies depending on several factors, including experience, location, education level, marketing trend and company sizes.
As of February 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a General Counsel in the United States is $322,741. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $286,211 to $371,597, with most professionals earning between $252,952 and $416,078.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $371,597 | $30,966 | $7,146 | $179 |
| Average | $322,741 | $26,895 | $6,207 | $155 |
| 25th Percentile | $286,211 | $23,851 | $5,504 | $138 |
An entry-level General Counsel with less than 1 year of experience earns about $297,336. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $300,575. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $304,893. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $310,290, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $315,688.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level General Counsel | $297,336 |
| Intermediate Level General Counsel | $300,575 |
| Senior Level General Counsel | $304,893 |
| Specialist Level General Counsel | $310,290 |
| Expert Level General Counsel | $315,688 |
| Entry Level | 8% |
| Mid Level | 7% |
| Senior Level | 6% |
| Top Level | 4% |
| Experienced | 2% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of February 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in General Counsel compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $256,398 in 2023 to approximately $259,162 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of General Counsel salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of General Counsel information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see General Counsel job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for General Counsel and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $322,741 | 59.3% | ||
| Bonus | $110,718 | 20.3% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $16,738 | 3.1% | ||
| 401K/403B | $10,500 | 1.9% | ||
| Disability | $8,669 | 1.6% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 1.5% | ||
| Pension | $13,500 | 2.5% | ||
| Time Off | $53,349 | 9.8% | ||
| Total Compensation | $544,567 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| Masters | 3.4% |
| Doctorate | 96.6% |
What Am I Worth?
The average annual salary of General Counsel is $322,741. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of General Counsel is $155; the average weekly pay of General Counsel is $6,207; the average monthly pay of General Counsel is $26,895.
A General Counsel'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, a General Counsel earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a General Counsel is $405,039.
The highest pay for General Counsel is $416,078.
The lowest pay for General Counsel is $252,952.
General Counsel plans and directs all aspects of a division's legal affairs. Ensures all division policies and activities are managed correctly and in compliance with current laws. Being a General Counsel provides strategic guidance on legal issues, manages compliance and risk mitigation, reviews contracts, and handles other legal duties to protect the organization's interests. Uses a broad range of legal expertise and current knowledge to advise leadership on any regulatory changes or actions that may impact the business. Additionally, General Counsel requires a JD. Requires State Bar. Typically reports to top management. The General Counsel manages a business unit, division, or corporate function with major organizational impact. Establishes/implements overall direction and strategic initiatives for the given major function or line of business. To be a General Counsel typically requires 10+ years of progressive leadership experience. Has extensive knowledge of the overall departmental function.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Problem Solving: Analyzing and identifying the root cause of problems and applying critical thinking skills to solve problems.
Legal Advice: Giving a professional or formal opinion regarding the substance or procedure of the law about a particular factual situation.
Intellectual Property: Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind. It can be an invention (patent / utility model), a design (industrial design), a brand name (trademark, or a literary and artistic work (copyright).
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.
