Lawyer Salary
Updated
The median lawyer in the U.S. earns $159,670 a year ($76.76 an hour). Half earn between $102,990 and $221,370. Among the 50 largest metro areas, pay is highest in San Jose, CA ($301,320) and lowest in Oklahoma City, OK ($103,490).
Median $159,670
10th: $78,36090th: $351,600
| Annual pay | U.S. |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $78,360 |
| 25th percentile | $102,990 |
| Median | $159,670 |
| 75th percentile | $221,370 |
| 90th percentile | $351,600 |
| Average | $185,840 |
| Jobs | 754,500 |
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Check my payLawyer pay by city
| City | Median | vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $301,320 | +89% |
| San Francisco, CA | $212,500 | +33% |
| New York, NY | $208,880 | +31% |
| Washington, DC | $195,190 | +22% |
| Los Angeles, CA | $194,410 | +22% |
| Boston, MA | $183,350 | +15% |
| Sacramento, CA | $178,540 | +12% |
| San Diego, CA | $178,220 | +12% |
| Denver, CO | $177,380 | +11% |
| Philadelphia, PA | $170,660 | +7% |
| Birmingham, AL | $170,230 | +7% |
| Dallas, TX | $168,510 | +6% |
| Chicago, IL | $165,660 | +4% |
| Seattle, WA | $164,980 | +3% |
| Miami, FL | $160,320 | same |
| Minneapolis, MN | $159,620 | same |
| Houston, TX | $157,980 | −1% |
| Hartford, CT | $157,200 | −2% |
| Charlotte, NC | $157,180 | −2% |
| Portland, OR | $155,330 | −3% |
| Austin, TX | $153,330 | −4% |
| Las Vegas, NV | $150,510 | −6% |
| Richmond, VA | $144,910 | −9% |
| St. Louis, MO | $142,690 | −11% |
| Nashville, TN | $142,540 | −11% |
| Atlanta, GA | $138,210 | −13% |
| Columbus, OH | $137,810 | −14% |
| San Antonio, TX | $137,690 | −14% |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $136,990 | −14% |
| Orlando, FL | $136,970 | −14% |
| Phoenix, AZ | $135,670 | −15% |
| Detroit, MI | $134,980 | −15% |
| Cleveland, OH | $134,680 | −16% |
| Kansas City, MO | $134,640 | −16% |
| Memphis, TN | $134,440 | −16% |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $133,380 | −16% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $133,040 | −17% |
| Providence, RI | $133,000 | −17% |
| Baltimore, MD | $132,400 | −17% |
| Raleigh, NC | $131,920 | −17% |
| Milwaukee, WI | $131,100 | −18% |
| Cincinnati, OH | $130,980 | −18% |
| Buffalo, NY | $130,800 | −18% |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $129,360 | −19% |
| Jacksonville, FL | $127,920 | −20% |
| Tampa, FL | $127,490 | −20% |
| Louisville, KY | $124,530 | −22% |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $103,490 | −35% |
Similar jobs
- Paralegal: $62,890
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, published May 15, 2026
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, www.bls.gov/oes. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.