How much does a Lawyer make?

As of March 26, 2024, the average annual pay of Lawyer in the United States is $135,925. While Salary.com is seeing that Lawyer salary in the US can go up to $176,285 or down to $95,002, but most earn between $114,504 and $157,051. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, and your experience levels. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

View Lawyer Salary by Hour, Week, Month, Year

Salary.com provides you with accurate and diversified Lawyer salary data based on specialized databases to help you get a fairer salary. Click the switch button below to see more details about Lawyer hourly pay, weekly pay, monthly pay and so on.

Lawyer Salaries by Percentile
Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $157,051 $13,088 $3,020 $76
Average $135,925 $11,327 $2,614 $65
25th Percentile $114,504 $9,542 $2,202 $55
25% $114,504 10% $95,002 90% $176,285 75% $157,051 $135,925 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Check out Lawyer jobs in Columbus, Ohio

Employment Lawyer

Medical Mutual - Brooklyn, OH

Trust & Estate Attorney

Bricker Graydon - Cincinnati, OH

Associate Attorney

Stafford Law Company - Cleveland, OH

View Lawyer Salary by Experience Levels

An entry-level Lawyer with no related experience makes about $128,891. With less than 2 years of experience, a mid-level Lawyer makes around $129,531. After 2-4 years, the Lawyer pay rises to about $135,925. Those senior Lawyer with 5-8 years of experience earn roughly $143,808, and those Lawyer having 8 years or more experience are expected to earn about $146,961 on average.

Levels Salary
Entry Level Lawyer $128,891
Intermediate Level Lawyer $129,531
Senior Level Lawyer $135,925
Specialist Level Lawyer $143,808
Expert Level Lawyer $146,961
$128,891 0 yr
$129,531 < 2 yrs
$135,925 2-4 yrs
$143,808 5-8 yrs
$146,961 > 8 yrs
Entry Level 5%
Mid Level 5%
Senior Level 0%
Top Level 6%
Experienced 8%
View as Graph

Best Paying States for Lawyer

The states and districts that pay Lawyer the highest salary are District of Columbia (around $151,285) , California (around $149,926) , New Jersey (around $148,974) , Alaska (around $148,023) , Massachusetts (around $147,887), Washington (around $146,527), Connecticut (around $145,984).

States Salary
District of Columbia $151,285
California $149,926
New Jersey $148,974
Alaska $148,023
Massachusetts $147,887
Washington $146,527
Connecticut $145,984

Highest Paying Cities for Lawyer

The metropolitan areas that pay the highest salary in the Lawyer profession are San Jose,CA, San Francisco,CA, Oakland,CA, New York,NY, Queens Village,NY, Paramus,NJ, Passaic,NJ, Bergenfield,NJ, Stamford,CT, and Huntington,NY.

Best-Paid Skills and Qualifications for Lawyer

What skills does a Lawyer need?

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.

1.

Planning: 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.

2.

Life Insurance: Life Insurance can be defined as a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurance company, where the insurer promises to pay a sum of money in exchange for a premium, upon the death of an insured person or after a set period

3.

Health Insurance: Health insurance is a type of insurance coverage that pays for health and medical expenses. Health insurance covers some or all of the costs of routine care, emergency care, and treatment for chronic illnesses.

Planning 4.61%
Life Insurance 1.92%
Health Insurance 1.56%
Others 91.91%
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View Lawyer Salary Trends

For those exploring the changing dynamics of Lawyer salaries, Salary.com offers detailed insights through our Job Trending in CA Labor Market analysis. Our research highlights a notable shift in Lawyer compensation over the past six years. For instance, the median salary has moved from $151,354 in 2023 to about $149,681 in 2024 (for a comprehensive analysis of Lawyer salary trends, click here). It's crucial to consider several elements, including geographical location, experience level, industry demand, and economic development, as they play a significant role in influencing salary variations.

Average Annual Salary of Lawyer Over Time

2020
$???
2021
$???
2022
$???
2023
$151,354
2024
$149,681
2025
$145,023

Lawyer Salary by Year

Year Average Annual Salary
2020 $???
2021 $???
2022 $???
2023 $151,354
2024 $149,681
2025 $145,023

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FAQs Regarding Lawyer

1. What is the average salary of a Lawyer?

The average annual salary of Lawyer is $135,925. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Lawyer is $65; the average weekly pay of Lawyer is $2,614; the average monthly pay of Lawyer is $11,327.

2. What does a Lawyer do?

Lawyer is 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. Being a Lawyer 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. Additionally, Lawyer 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. The Lawyer occasionally directed in several aspects of the work. Gaining exposure to some of the complex tasks within the job function. To be a Lawyer typically requires 2-4 years of related experience.

3. What’s typical Career Path for Lawyer?

A career path is a sequence of jobs that leads to your short- and long-term career goals. Some follow a linear career path within one field, while others change fields periodically to achieve career or personal goals.

For Lawyer, the upper level is Attorney III and then progresses to Attorney IV.

4. Where can a Lawyer earn the most?

A Lawyer'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 Lawyer earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Lawyer is $170,586.

5. What is the highest pay for Lawyer?

The highest pay for Lawyer is $176,285.

6. What is the lowest pay for Lawyer?

The lowest pay for Lawyer is $95,002.