How much do lawyers make?

Lawyer salary 2026 · BLS occupation: Lawyers (SOC 23-1011) · Updated October 28, 2026

Answer

Lawyers in the US earned a median of $159,670 a year ($76.76 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned $102,990 to $221,370.

Median annual pay: $159,670; Mean $185,840
Median hourly pay: $76.76; Mean $89.35
Typical range (10th–90th): $78.4K–$352K; $78,360 to $351,600
US jobs: 754,500; +4.7% projected, 2025–35

BLS OEWS, May 2025, released April 30, 2026. Wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses but not overtime premiums, shift differentials, other bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers are not included. Methodology

How to become a lawyer: steps, years and cost · Best-paying state after cost of living: New York

Lawyer pay range

Annual wages, May 2025

10th percentile$78,360
25th percentile$102,990
Median$159,670
75th percentile$221,370
90th percentile$351,600

Half of all lawyers earned more than $159,670 and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% made under $78,360; the top 10% made over $351,600. The middle 50%, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, ran from $102,990 to $221,370.

These percentiles describe everyone in the occupation at one time. They are not pay steps by years of experience: they mix new and senior workers, different states, employers and hours. Pay generally rises with experience, credentials and specialization, but BLS does not publish pay by experience.

Percentile	Annual	Hourly	Monthly
10th	$78,360	$37.67	$6,530
25th	$102,990	$49.51	$8,583
Median (50th)	$159,670	$76.76	$13,306
75th	$221,370	$106.43	$18,448
90th	$351,600	$169.04	$29,300
Mean (average)	$185,840	$89.35	$15,487

Lawyer salary by state

Median annual pay; cost of living from BEA regional price parities 2024

Median annual pay for lawyers by state. Darker tiles pay more.

Highest-paying states

1. New York $207,860
2. District of Columbia $195,190
3. California $195,080
4. Massachusetts $176,680
5. Delaware $173,510

Lowest-paying states

51. Mississippi $91,690
50. Arkansas $98,880
49. Wyoming $100,130
48. Kentucky $101,550
47. South Dakota $102,040

Best after cost of living: New York. Its median of $207,860 is worth about $192,604 at national-average prices.


Alabama	$131,970	26	$148,576	14	$63.45	6,730	3.18
Alaska	$149,940	16	$146,484	18	$72.09	1,120	3.43
Arizona	$134,260	22	$133,357	30	$64.55	11,640	3.59
Arkansas	$98,880	50	$113,738	45	$47.54	3,430	2.63
California	$195,080	3	$176,192	3	$93.79	95,770	5.26
Colorado	$168,520	6	$163,529	7	$81.02	16,720	5.82
Connecticut	$163,600	8	$157,900	11	$78.66	8,420	4.96
Delaware	$173,510	5	$173,844	4	$83.42	2,920	6.02
District of Columbia	$195,190	2	$177,605	2	$93.84	33,070	47.11
Florida	$133,180	24	$128,783	34	$64.03	55,210	5.56
Georgia	$134,830	21	$140,021	22	$64.82	23,930	4.89
Hawaii	$124,990	33	$113,678	46	$60.09	2,270	3.63
Idaho	$103,400	44	$108,279	49	$49.71	2,490	2.90
Illinois	$160,800	10	$160,868	9	$77.31	33,590	5.51
Indiana	$126,860	31	$135,928	23	$60.99	8,970	2.80
Iowa	$123,550	34	$140,778	21	$59.40	3,550	2.28
Kansas	$106,650	41	$118,411	38	$51.28	4,190	2.92
Kentucky	$101,550	48	$112,634	47	$48.82	5,770	2.88
Louisiana	$104,100	42	$118,018	39	$50.05	10,200	5.27
Maine	$113,120	38	$116,558	41	$54.39	2,280	3.55
Maryland	$139,110	17	$132,537	31	$66.88	13,810	5.00
Massachusetts	$176,680	4	$167,062	5	$84.94	23,560	6.48
Michigan	$130,520	28	$135,652	25	$62.75	16,620	3.77
Minnesota	$155,140	12	$157,309	12	$74.59	12,380	4.20
Mississippi	$91,690	51	$105,448	51	$44.08	3,100	2.67
Missouri	$133,450	23	$146,944	17	$64.16	11,560	3.94
Montana	$103,720	43	$109,588	48	$49.87	2,380	4.65
Nebraska	$109,170	39	$121,161	36	$52.49	3,490	3.41
Nevada	$150,510	15	$150,542	13	$72.36	6,490	4.18
New Hampshire	$120,810	35	$115,979	42	$58.08	2,250	3.29
New Jersey	$161,430	9	$148,366	15	$77.61	23,160	5.40
New Mexico	$119,680	37	$129,788	33	$57.54	3,380	3.88
New York	$207,860	1	$192,604	1	$99.93	91,870	9.48
North Carolina	$127,710	29	$135,392	26	$61.40	17,000	3.44
North Dakota	$106,880	40	$120,145	37	$51.39	1,050	2.44
Ohio	$131,020	27	$141,225	20	$62.99	19,950	3.60
Oklahoma	$103,060	45	$117,323	40	$49.55	6,980	4.09
Oregon	$138,210	19	$133,716	29	$66.45	7,150	3.63
Pennsylvania	$157,180	11	$161,091	8	$75.57	27,170	4.48
Rhode Island	$138,960	18	$135,862	24	$66.81	1,840	3.68
South Carolina	$120,310	36	$128,332	35	$57.84	7,890	3.42
South Dakota	$102,040	47	$115,188	43	$49.06	1,360	2.98
Tennessee	$136,180	20	$148,231	16	$65.47	9,010	2.75
Texas	$154,200	13	$158,876	10	$74.13	56,580	4.02
Utah	$132,830	25	$134,356	28	$63.86	7,020	4.04
Vermont	$127,310	30	$129,964	32	$61.21	1,330	4.38
Virginia	$167,210	7	$165,384	6	$80.39	18,580	4.52
Washington	$154,130	14	$144,029	19	$74.10	12,770	3.60
West Virginia	$102,420	46	$114,440	44	$49.24	2,440	3.48
Wisconsin	$126,760	32	$134,715	27	$60.94	9,160	3.11
Wyoming	$100,130	49	$108,026	50	$48.14	900	3.19

BLS OEWS, May 2025, state estimates. Adjusted pay = median ÷ (state price level ÷ 100), using BEA regional price parities for 2024; it ignores taxes. Figures for states with few workers in the occupation have larger survey errors and can change sharply from one year to the next. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure. State names link to each state’s highest-paying jobs.

Best-paying metro areas for lawyers

376 metro areas with published pay

Highest median pay
Metro area	Median	Adjusted	Jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$301,320	$272,878	6,040
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$212,500	$183,803	18,470
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$208,880	$185,567	94,610
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$195,190	$179,264	46,840
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$194,410	$171,187	41,580
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$185,520	$167,840	1,220
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$183,350	$169,351	20,080
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$181,560	$168,448	590
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	$180,610	$169,009	2,100
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$178,540	$167,376	7,620

Most jobs
Metro area	Jobs	Median	Adjusted
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	94,610	$208,880	$185,567
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	46,840	$195,190	$179,264
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	41,580	$194,410	$171,187
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	28,320	$165,660	$159,911
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	23,270	$160,320	$140,441
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	20,080	$183,350	$169,351
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	19,040	$170,660	$166,410
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	18,760	$138,210	$138,130
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	18,470	$212,500	$183,803
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	17,110	$168,510	$163,459

BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan statistical areas; adjusted with BEA metro price parities (2024).

What moves lawyer pay: employers and settings

The type of employer is the biggest dividing line in lawyer pay. Corporate legal departments, counted under management of companies, have the highest median at $223,560 and insurance carriers pay $168,620. Law firms and other legal services pay a median of $157,870. That figure hides a wide gap between large corporate firms and small local practices. Government lawyers earn less: $131,350 in local government and $115,330 in state government. Federal agencies pay a median of $178,380.

Location matters as well. New York has the highest state median, $207,860, followed by the District of Columbia at $195,190, and California at $195,080, nearly tied. At the low end are Arkansas at $98,880, and Mississippi at $91,690. After adjusting for living costs, New York still comes out ahead at $192,604.

The spread within the occupation is unusually wide: from $78,360, the 10th percentile, to $351,600, the 90th. Practice area, firm size, whether you become a partner and whether you bring in clients all drive that range, not just years since law school.

Where lawyers work
Industry	Share of jobs	Median pay
Legal Services	59.4%	$157,870
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals	8.9%	$131,350
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals	7%	$115,330
Federal Executive Branch	5.3%	$178,380
Management of Companies and Enterprises	3.3%	$223,560
Insurance Carriers	1.6%	$168,620

Private employers and government
Employer type	Jobs	Median pay
Private employers	591,070	$166,280
Federal government (incl. Postal Service)	40,500	$178,380
State government (incl. schools and hospitals)	54,710	$116,450
Local government (incl. schools and hospitals)	68,230	$131,590

BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific and ownership estimates (4-digit NAICS).

Lawyer pay over time

Median annual pay, 2015–2025

$160K $116K

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Nominal median (dollars of each year)In May 2025 dollars (adjusted with CPI-U)

The median rose from $115,820 in 2015 to $159,670 in 2025, up 38% in nominal dollars. After inflation, the 2015 median is worth $156,566 in May 2025 dollars, so real pay grew 2% over the period.

BLS OEWS, May 2025 and earlier May releases; inflation from the CPI-U, US city average, May of each year.

What lawyers do

A lawyer, or attorney, gives legal advice and represents clients in disputes and deals. Some spend their days in court arguing motions and trying cases. Many never see a courtroom and instead draft contracts, review regulations, negotiate settlements or close real estate and business transactions.

Most lawyers, 59.4% in our data, work in legal services: law firms from solo practices to firms with hundreds of attorneys. Governments employ many more. Local governments employ prosecutors, public defenders and city attorneys, while state and federal agencies employ lawyers to write and enforce regulations. Corporate lawyers working in-house advise a single company on contracts, employment issues, compliance and litigation risk. About 11.3% of lawyers are self-employed.

The work is mostly reading, writing and talking: researching statutes and case law, writing briefs and memos, interviewing clients and witnesses, and supervising paralegals. Lawyers also travel to courthouses, client offices or jails. Deadlines and trials make it stressful, and some lawyers regularly work more than 40 hours a week.

A typical day

Meet with clients to learn the facts and explain their options and risks
Research statutes, regulations and court decisions that apply to a case or deal
Draft and revise contracts, wills, pleadings, motions and briefs
Negotiate with opposing counsel over settlements, plea deals or contract terms
Take depositions, prepare witnesses and argue in hearings or trials
Track billable hours and court deadlines, and assign research and document work to paralegals

Also called: attorney, lawyers, attorneys, corporate lawyer, attorney at law, attorney general, counsel, county attorney.

How to become a lawyer

Full guide

To become a lawyer, you earn a bachelor's degree, take the LSAT, complete a 3-year Juris Doctor (JD) at an ABA-approved law school, pass your state's bar exam and the MPRE ethics exam, and clear a character and fitness review. That usually takes about 7 years after high school.

Typical time: 7 to 8 years; Fastest: About 7 years
Minimum education: Juris Doctor (JD) from a law school approved by the American Bar Association (most states)
License: Required in all 50 states and DC (admission to the bar)
Typical training cost: $108K–$254K; See the guide for what it includes

Read the step-by-step guide to becoming a lawyer: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.

Is it worth it? Training cost against pay

Compare careers

Training time: 7 to 8 years; Typical path in our guide
Training cost: $108K–$254K; Tuition and exam fees, before aid
Median pay: $159,670; $108,690 above the all-jobs median ($50,980)
Cost vs. one year's pay: 67–159%; Training cost as a share of a year at the median

Once qualified, the pay difference over the typical US job at the median ($108,690 a year before tax) would repay the training cost in less than a year to 2.3 years after training ends (7 to 8 years in our guide). This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.

Job outlook for lawyers

BLS Employment Projections 2025–35

Projected growth: +4.7%; All occupations +3.5%
Jobs in 2025: 863,700; 904,300 projected for 2035
Openings each year: 28,700; New jobs plus replacements
Self-employed: 11.3%; Not in the pay figures above

BLS projects lawyer employment to grow from 863,700 in 2025 to 904,300 in 2035, an increase of 4.7%. The average for all occupations is 3.5%. About 28,700 openings are expected each year, mostly to replace lawyers who retire or leave the profession.

Businesses, individuals and every level of government keep needing legal help, so demand should rise with the economy. Software is taking over some routine legal tasks, but BLS expects that to shift lawyers' time toward meeting clients and planning strategy rather than cut overall demand.

Related careers and their pay

Judge$153,990
Claims Adjuster$78,000
Paralegal$62,890
Private Investigator$51,220
Court Reporter$72,420
Detective$93,790

Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Lawyer salary FAQ

How much do lawyers make an hour?

The median hourly wage for lawyers was $76.76 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37.67 an hour and the highest-paid 10% more than $169.04. Hourly figures are BLS estimates for all workers in the occupation, full-time and part-time.

Which state pays lawyers the most?

New York has the highest median pay for lawyers, $207,860 a year, followed by District of Columbia ($195,190) and California ($195,080). After adjusting for each state's price level, New York comes out ahead at about $192,604 in national-average dollars.

Do lawyers make $200,000 a year?

Some do: based on the BLS percentiles, between 25% and 50% of lawyers earn more than $200,000 a year. The median is $159,670, and the top 10% earn more than $351,600. Pay generally rises with experience, specialization and location.

Is there a difference between a lawyer and an attorney?

In everyday US usage, no. Both words describe someone who has a law degree and is licensed to practice law, and job titles use them interchangeably. Strictly speaking, "attorney" stresses acting on behalf of a client, while "lawyer" refers to anyone trained in law. Someone who graduated from law school but has not been admitted to the bar cannot represent clients under either title.

What kind of lawyer makes the most money?

In our data, in-house lawyers in corporate headquarters, counted under management of companies, have the highest median at $223,560. Federal government lawyers follow at $178,380 and insurance carriers at $168,620. Law firms overall pay a median of $157,870. Partners and associates at large corporate firms can earn far more than lawyers at small practices. Practice area matters too, though BLS does not publish pay by specialty.

Do lawyers work long hours?

Many do. Most lawyers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours a week, especially before trials, filing deadlines and deal closings. Associates at large firms often face billable-hour targets that require long days and some weekends. Government lawyers and in-house counsel tend to have more predictable hours. Self-employed lawyers can set their own schedules, but they also handle billing and finding clients.

Sources

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 23-1011
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
O*NET 31.0 Database (23-1011.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
Lawyers, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
Lawyers (23-1011.00), O*NET OnLine · checked October 28, 2026
LSAT & CAS Fees, Law School Admission Council · checked October 28, 2026
Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), National Conference of Bar Examiners · checked October 28, 2026
Uniform Bar Examination, National Conference of Bar Examiners · checked October 28, 2026
NextGen Bar Exam, National Conference of Bar Examiners · checked October 28, 2026
JD's Entering Fall 2026: Tuition and Fees, University of Houston Law Center · checked October 28, 2026
Cost of Attendance, Harvard Law School · checked October 28, 2026
License Finder, CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor · checked October 28, 2026
J.D. Enrollment Options: Blended Learning, Mitchell Hamline School of Law · checked October 28, 2026

Careers and Salaries is not affiliated with the Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Found an error? Tell us; corrections are listed on the editorial policy page.