As of March 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Head of Legal Operations in the United States is $364,256. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $323,961 to $400,489, with most professionals earning between $287,275 and $433,477.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $400,489 | $33,374 | $7,702 | $193 |
| Average | $364,256 | $30,355 | $7,005 | $175 |
| 25th Percentile | $323,961 | $26,997 | $6,230 | $156 |
An entry-level Head of Legal Operations with less than 1 year of experience earns about $339,588. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $343,196. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $348,008. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $355,225, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $364,246.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Head of Legal Operations | $339,588 |
| Intermediate Level Head of Legal Operations | $343,196 |
| Senior Level Head of Legal Operations | $348,008 |
| Specialist Level Head of Legal Operations | $355,225 |
| Expert Level Head of Legal Operations | $364,246 |
| Entry Level | 7% |
| Mid Level | 6% |
| Senior Level | 4% |
| Top Level | 2% |
| Experienced | 0% |
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 March 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Head of Legal Operations compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $296,670 in 2023 to approximately $292,658 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Head of Legal Operations 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 Head of Legal Operations information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Head of Legal Operations job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Head of Legal Operations and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $364,256 | 78.4% | ||
| Bonus | $0 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $15,735 | 3.4% | ||
| 401K/403B | $10,500 | 2.3% | ||
| Disability | $7,285 | 1.6% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 1.8% | ||
| Pension | $13,500 | 2.9% | ||
| Time Off | $44,832 | 9.7% | ||
| Total Compensation | $464,460 | 100% | ||
The average annual salary of Head of Legal Operations is $364,256. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Head of Legal Operations is $175; the average weekly pay of Head of Legal Operations is $7,005; the average monthly pay of Head of Legal Operations is $30,355.
A Head of Legal Operations'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 Head of Legal Operations earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Head of Legal Operations is $457,144.
The highest pay for Head of Legal Operations is $433,477.
The lowest pay for Head of Legal Operations is $287,275.
The Head of Legal Operations ensures all business policies and activities are managed correctly and in compliance with current laws. Plans and directs all aspects of an organization's legal affairs. Being a Head of Legal Operations uses a broad range of legal expertise and current knowledge to advise leadership on any regulatory changes or actions that may impact the business. Provides strategic guidance on legal issues, manages compliance and risk mitigation, reviews contracts, and handles other legal duties to protect the organization's interests. In addition, Head of Legal Operations assists or represents the organization in business negotiations. May assist in the defense of the organization in lawsuits and the prosecution of lawsuits on behalf of the organization. Requires a JD. Requires State Bar. Typically reports to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). C-Suite level management. Develops functional or business unit strategy for an organization. Executes multiple high impact initiatives to achieve organizational goals. Defines vision, strategy, and focus for a major functional or business unit. Substantial experience with setting key metrics like KPIs or OKRs and shaping plans to meet objectives. Working as a Head of Legal Operations typically requires progressive leadership experience in senior management roles. Has expert level knowledge of the overall departmental function. Demonstrated experience in developing and executing long term business strategies.
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.
Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Regulatory Compliance: Monitoring strict adherence of all organizational processes and procedures to applicable laws and regulations.
Financial Services: A services provided by the finance industry, which encompasses a broad range of businesses that manage money. These services involve banking, brokerage, mortgages, credit cards, payment services, real estate, investment funds, taxes and accounting.
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.
