The median lawyer salary in the United States was $159,670 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half of salaried lawyers earned between $102,990 and $221,370, and the top 10% earned more than $351,600. Pay swings widely by city, employer type and practice area, from about $109,000 on average in Mississippi to over $280,000 in Silicon Valley.
This guide breaks those numbers down. It covers the full BLS pay range, the states and metro areas that pay best, how Big Law compares with small firms, government and in-house roles, and what solicitors earn in London. Every figure below is dated and sourced.
What is the average lawyer salary in 2026?
The most reliable public benchmark is the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data from May 2025. That release is the current one in 2026. Two numbers matter:
- Median annual wage: $159,670. Half of salaried lawyers earned more, half earned less.
- Mean (average) annual wage: $185,840. The average sits well above the median because a minority of very high earners pull it up.
BLS counted 754,500 salaried lawyers in its May 2025 OEWS survey. Its broader 2025 jobs figure, which includes the self-employed, was 863,700. Note that OEWS wage data does not cover self-employed lawyers or partners who own their firms, so equity partner profits are not in these numbers.
How is lawyer pay distributed?
The percentile spread shows how wide the profession is. A first-year public defender and a senior Big Law associate are both “lawyers” in this data.
| BLS percentile (May 2025) | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $78,360 | 90% of lawyers earn more than this |
| 25th percentile | $102,990 | Lower quarter of the profession |
| 50th percentile (median) | $159,670 | The typical salaried lawyer |
| 75th percentile | $221,370 | Top quarter starts here |
| 90th percentile | $351,600 | Top 10% earn more than this |
For context, the median wage across all legal occupations was $102,500, and across all U.S. occupations it was $50,980, both in May 2025. Paralegals sit inside that legal-occupations figure, and you can see their numbers in our paralegal salary guide.
Which states pay lawyers the most?
We pulled the May 2025 OEWS annual mean wage for lawyers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia through the BLS OEWS public data service. These are the seven highest.
| Rank | State | Annual mean wage, lawyers (May 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $242,800 |
| 2 | California | $230,040 |
| 3 | New York | $220,180 |
| 4 | Colorado | $206,440 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $205,980 |
| 6 | Nevada | $205,630 |
| 7 | Delaware | $199,970 |
Other large legal markets came in lower. Georgia averaged $191,190, Connecticut $186,170, New Jersey $184,090, Illinois $181,240, Texas $180,370 and Florida $162,060. At the bottom, Mississippi averaged $108,930 and Kentucky $120,730.
A higher average does not always mean more money in your pocket. The highest-paying markets also tend to have high living costs. Check living costs before you compare offers across state lines.
Which cities pay lawyers the most?
Metro data is where the gaps get large. These are BLS May 2025 annual mean wages for lawyers in ten major U.S. legal markets we checked. They are not a full ranking of every metro area, but San Jose also led the ABA’s review of 2023 BLS metro data, so its top position is not new.
| Metro area | Annual mean wage, lawyers (May 2025) |
|---|---|
| San Jose, CA (Silicon Valley) | $288,980 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $241,500 |
| San Francisco-Oakland, CA | $237,060 |
| Washington, DC metro | $226,780 |
| New York City metro | $224,840 |
| Boston, MA | $215,680 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $207,920 |
| Denver, CO | $203,690 |
| Houston, TX | $193,390 |
| Chicago, IL | $187,420 |
San Jose’s lead most likely reflects its technology economy, where large in-house legal teams and the firms that advise them compete for IP, privacy and transactional lawyers.
How does pay differ by firm size and employer?
Who you work for matters more than almost anything else. Here is how the main employer types compare, using the latest dated figures.
| Employer type | Typical pay figure | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Big Law, first-year associate | $235,000 base | Milbank scale, June 2026 |
| Big Law, eighth-year associate | $455,000 base | Milbank scale, June 2026 |
| Law firms, all sizes (new grads) | $160,000 median | NALP, Class of 2024 |
| Small firms, 1 to 10 lawyers (new grads) | $80,000 median | NALP, Class of 2024 |
| Federal government | $178,380 median | BLS, May 2025 |
| Local government | $131,390 median | BLS, May 2025 |
| State government | $115,330 median | BLS, May 2025 |
| In-house senior counsel / counsel | $220,000 median base | Major, Lindsey & Africa, 2026 report |
Big Law
On 2 June 2026 Milbank raised its associate scale to $235,000 for first-years and $455,000 for eighth-years, before bonuses. McDermott Will & Schulte matched the same day, and other firms followed. Our corporate lawyer salary guide lists the full class-by-class scale.
Small and mid-size firms
The gap at entry level is stark. NALP’s Class of 2024 data shows a $80,000 median starting salary at firms of 1 to 10 lawyers, against $225,000 at firms of more than 500 lawyers. Outside the major markets, NALP’s January 2025 associate survey put first-year medians at $181,900 in the West, $170,000 in the Northeast and $160,000 in the South and Midwest.
Government
Federal lawyers are among the better-paid salaried lawyers, with a BLS median of $178,380 in May 2025. That is higher than the $157,870 median in private legal services firms. State and local government pay is lower.
In-house
Major, Lindsey & Africa’s 2026 In-House Counsel Compensation Report, based on 641 U.S. placements in 2024 and 2025, put the median base salary for senior counsel and counsel at $220,000. General counsel at public companies had a median base of $450,000.
Which practice areas pay the most?
Practice area shapes pay at every level, but the clearest data is at partner level. Major, Lindsey & Africa’s 2024 Partner Compensation Survey (1,718 partners at the 200 largest U.S. firms, 2023 compensation) found these averages:
- Corporate: $1.92 million
- Tax and ERISA: $1.66 million
- Litigation: $1.37 million
- Real estate: $1.32 million
- IP: $1.22 million
- Labor and employment: $930,000
For a full ranking of 12 practice areas, including personal injury, patent and family law, read what type of lawyer makes the most money.
How do UK solicitor salaries compare?
London is the only legal market outside the U.S. that comes close at the top end. Pay is set firm by firm, and the figures below are base salaries reported in mid-2026.
| London role | Base pay | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Magic Circle NQ solicitor (A&O Shearman, Clifford Chance, Freshfields, Linklaters, Slaughter and May) | £150,000 | Legal Cheek, July 2026 |
| Milbank London NQ | $235,000 (about £175,000) | Legal Cheek, June 2026 |
| Quinn Emanuel London NQ | £189,000 | Legal Cheek, July 2026 |
| Macfarlanes trainee, year 1 / year 2 | £60,000 / £65,000 | Legal Cheek, July 2026 |
| Milbank trainee, year 1 / year 2 | £70,000 / £75,000 | Legal Cheek, June 2026 |
These are the top of the UK market, not the norm. Solicitors in high street and regional firms earn far less. To qualify, you now pass the SQE and complete two years of qualifying work experience, as set out by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Our guide to becoming a solicitor in the UK covers the routes.
Is lawyer pay still growing?
Yes, at the top. The 2026 Am Law 100 showed average profits per equity partner up 14.0% to $3.59 million for 2025. Wachtell Lipton led at about $12.15 million and Kirkland & Ellis followed at about $11.12 million. Big Law associate scales also rose again in June 2026.
Demand looks steady further down the market. BLS projects lawyer employment to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, with about 28,700 openings a year. Billing rates are up too: Clio put the U.S. average lawyer hourly rate at $349 for 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the starting salary for a lawyer?
NALP reported a $95,000 median starting salary for the Class of 2024 across all full-time jobs. Law firm jobs had a $160,000 median, but that hides a split: $80,000 at firms of 1 to 10 lawyers and $225,000 at firms of over 500. Our guide on how much a lawyer makes covers pay at each career stage.
Do lawyers make $200,000 a year?
Many do, but most do not. BLS data for May 2025 puts the 75th percentile at $221,370, so roughly the top quarter of salaried lawyers earn above that level. Big Law associates start at $235,000 base, while most lawyers at smaller firms and in government earn less.
Where do lawyers earn the most in the U.S.?
Among states, the District of Columbia had the highest BLS mean lawyer wage in May 2025 at $242,800, followed by California and New York. Among the major metros we checked, San Jose led at $288,980. These are averages for salaried lawyers only.
Do BLS figures include law firm partners?
No. OEWS wage data excludes self-employed workers and owners or partners of unincorporated firms. Equity partner earnings come from surveys like Major, Lindsey & Africa’s, which put the 2023 average for equity partners at about $1.94 million at the largest firms.
How much do newly qualified solicitors earn in London?
Magic Circle firms paid London NQs a base salary of £150,000 as of July 2026. Some U.S. firms in London pay more, with Quinn Emanuel at £189,000. Most solicitors outside the City elite earn much less.
Bottom line
The typical U.S. lawyer earns about $160,000, but the range runs from under $80,000 to well over $350,000. Location, employer type and practice area drive most of that gap. If pay is your main goal, Big Law in a top market or a senior in-house role pays most. If it is not, government and public interest work offer other rewards. Browse current openings on the Legal Desire jobs board.
This article is general information, not legal or career advice. Pay figures are drawn from the sources listed and vary by employer, location and experience.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Lawyers (May 2025 wage data): bls.gov
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates for lawyers (SOC 23-1011), national, state and metro series retrieved via the BLS Public Data API (October 2026): bls.gov
- American Bar Association, Profile of the Legal Profession: Wages (2024): americanbar.org
- NALP, Jobs & JDs: Employment and Salaries of New Law Graduates, Class of 2024 Selected Findings (2025): nalp.org
- NALP, 2025 Associate Salary Survey press release (28 May 2025): nalp.org
- Above the Law, The Salary Wars Have Begun: First Firm Matches New Biglaw Pay Scale (June 2026): abovethelaw.com
- Major, Lindsey & Africa, 2024 Partner Compensation Survey (2024): mlaglobal.com
- Major, Lindsey & Africa, 2026 In-House Counsel Compensation Report (2026): mlaglobal.com
- National Law Review, 2026 Am Law 100: Kirkland Hits $10B, Wachtell Tops $12M Partner Pay (4 May 2026): natlawreview.com
- Legal Cheek, Milbank pushes NQ lawyer pay to $235k (3 June 2026): legalcheek.com
- Legal Cheek, Baker McKenzie boosts NQ lawyer pay to £150k, matching Magic Circle (21 July 2026): legalcheek.com
- Legal Cheek, Macfarlanes matches Magic Circle with £150k NQ lawyer salary (July 2026): legalcheek.com
- Solicitors Regulation Authority, Become a solicitor (accessed October 2026): sra.org.uk
- Clio, Compare Lawyer Rates by State (updated March 2026): clio.com
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