Lawyers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $78,360 | $37.67 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $159,670 | $76.76 |
| Mean (average) | $185,840 | $89.35 |
| 90th percentile | $351,600 | $169.04 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Lawyers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $131,970 | $62,310 | $249,090 | 6,730 | 0.66 |
| Alaska | $149,940 | $86,230 | $281,780 | 1,120 | 0.71 |
| Arizona | $134,260 | $85,990 | $268,170 | 11,640 | 0.74 |
| Arkansas | $98,880 | $49,900 | $220,660 | 3,430 | 0.54 |
| California | $195,080 | $97,950 | $369,180 | 95,770 | 1.08 |
| Colorado | $168,520 | $83,350 | $336,970 | 16,720 | 1.2 |
| Connecticut | $163,600 | $91,180 | $342,970 | 8,420 | 1.02 |
| Delaware | $173,510 | $101,200 | $354,910 | 2,920 | 1.24 |
| District of Columbia | $195,190 | $120,580 | $392,750 | 33,070 | 9.71 |
| Florida | $133,180 | $75,530 | $301,050 | 55,210 | 1.15 |
| Georgia | $134,830 | $58,750 | $317,820 | 23,930 | 1.01 |
| Guam | $122,930 | $63,020 | $186,840 | 180 | 0.54 |
| Hawaii | $124,990 | $73,890 | $179,010 | 2,270 | 0.75 |
| Idaho | $103,400 | $50,730 | $216,660 | 2,490 | 0.6 |
| Illinois | $160,800 | $82,160 | $330,200 | 33,590 | 1.14 |
| Indiana | $126,860 | $65,750 | $327,960 | 8,970 | 0.58 |
| Iowa | $123,550 | $63,790 | $268,460 | 3,550 | 0.47 |
| Kansas | $106,650 | $76,300 | $213,360 | 4,190 | 0.6 |
| Kentucky | $101,550 | $63,010 | $187,180 | 5,770 | 0.59 |
| Louisiana | $104,100 | $50,140 | $227,230 | 10,200 | 1.09 |
| Maine | $113,120 | $76,820 | $215,610 | 2,280 | 0.73 |
| Maryland | $139,110 | $81,730 | $269,020 | 13,810 | 1.03 |
| Massachusetts | $176,680 | $82,100 | $374,410 | 23,560 | 1.33 |
| Michigan | $130,520 | $77,180 | $238,370 | 16,620 | 0.78 |
| Minnesota | $155,140 | $79,820 | $341,170 | 12,380 | 0.86 |
| Mississippi | $91,690 | $47,670 | $176,750 | 3,100 | 0.55 |
| Missouri | $133,450 | $67,020 | $299,990 | 11,560 | 0.81 |
| Montana | $103,720 | $62,090 | $179,620 | 2,380 | 0.96 |
| Nebraska | $109,170 | $65,030 | $217,700 | 3,490 | 0.7 |
| Nevada | $150,510 | $96,010 | $414,290 | 6,490 | 0.86 |
| New Hampshire | $120,810 | $65,670 | $358,300 | 2,250 | 0.68 |
| New Jersey | $161,430 | $93,810 | $328,270 | 23,160 | 1.11 |
| New Mexico | $119,680 | $76,100 | $232,890 | 3,380 | 0.8 |
| New York | $207,860 | $85,200 | $391,420 | 91,870 | 1.95 |
| North Carolina | $127,710 | $61,610 | $323,720 | 17,000 | 0.71 |
| North Dakota | $106,880 | $70,500 | $194,840 | 1,050 | 0.5 |
| Ohio | $131,020 | $69,790 | $269,530 | 19,950 | 0.74 |
| Oklahoma | $103,060 | $57,950 | $207,340 | 6,980 | 0.84 |
| Oregon | $138,210 | $73,610 | $263,790 | 7,150 | 0.75 |
| Pennsylvania | $157,180 | $77,100 | $323,370 | 27,170 | 0.92 |
| Puerto Rico | Data unavailable | 4,020 | 0.88 | ||
| Rhode Island | $138,960 | $80,710 | $268,270 | 1,840 | 0.76 |
| South Carolina | $120,310 | $63,140 | $301,140 | 7,890 | 0.71 |
| South Dakota | $102,040 | $76,920 | $234,690 | 1,360 | 0.61 |
| Tennessee | $136,180 | $76,510 | $324,880 | 9,010 | 0.57 |
| Texas | $154,200 | $79,340 | $349,490 | 56,580 | 0.83 |
| Utah | $132,830 | $59,990 | $347,090 | 7,020 | 0.83 |
| Vermont | $127,310 | $85,510 | $336,450 | 1,330 | 0.9 |
| Virgin Islands | $118,440 | $99,750 | $165,490 | 150 | 0.97 |
| Virginia | $167,210 | $79,330 | $320,220 | 18,580 | 0.93 |
| Washington | $154,130 | $94,260 | $298,210 | 12,770 | 0.74 |
| West Virginia | $102,420 | $64,950 | $206,370 | 2,440 | 0.72 |
| Wisconsin | $126,760 | $76,010 | $362,040 | 9,160 | 0.64 |
| Wyoming | $100,130 | $61,170 | $233,950 | 900 | 0.66 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for lawyers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 28,700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 11.3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for lawyers
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Law CIP 22.0101
- Advanced Legal Research/Studies, General CIP 22.0201
- Programs for Foreign Lawyers CIP 22.0202
- American/U.S. Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence CIP 22.0203
- Canadian Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence CIP 22.0204
- Banking, Corporate, Finance, and Securities Law CIP 22.0205
- Comparative Law CIP 22.0206
- Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Law CIP 22.0207
- Health Law CIP 22.0208
- International Law and Legal Studies CIP 22.0209
- International Business, Trade, and Tax Law CIP 22.0210
- Tax Law/Taxation CIP 22.0211
- Intellectual Property Law CIP 22.0212
- Patent Law CIP 22.0213
- Agriculture Law CIP 22.0214
- Arts and Entertainment Law CIP 22.0215
- Compliance Law CIP 22.0216
- Criminal Law and Procedure CIP 22.0217
- Entrepreneurship Law CIP 22.0218
- Family/Child/Elder Law CIP 22.0219
- Human Resources Law CIP 22.0220
- Insurance Law CIP 22.0221
- Real Estate and Land Development Law CIP 22.0222
- Transportation Law CIP 22.0223
- Tribal/Indigenous Law CIP 22.0224
- Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies, Other CIP 22.0299
Licenses and certifications
Attorney Admission by Examination (Connecticut)
Connecticut Bar Examining Committee (Connecticut Judicial Branch)
Bar Exam: Uniform Bar Examination, NextGen UBE, and MPRE
National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
Requirements for regulated professions are set by each state. Always confirm with the state regulator.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
- Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
- Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.
- Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
- Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
- Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
- Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit.
- Prepare, draft, and review legal documents, such as wills, deeds, patent applications, mortgages, leases, and contracts.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Google Analytics (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- ADC Legal Systems Perfect Practice
- ADERANT Expert Matter Center
- Abacus Data Systems AbacusLaw
- AbacusNext HotDocs
- Advanced Technologies Class Act
- AdvantageLaw WinVantage
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Persuasion, Negotiation, Social Perceptiveness, Time Management.
Common job titles: Attorney, Attorney at Law, Attorney General, Counsel, County Attorney, District Attorney, General Counsel, Lawyer, Prosecuting Attorney, Prosecutor.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do lawyers make?
The national median annual wage for lawyers was $159,670 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $78,360 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $351,600. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do lawyers need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is lawyers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of lawyers to change +4.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 28,700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay lawyers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New York ($207,860), District of Columbia ($195,190), California ($195,080). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.