Lawyer Salary

Bureau of Labor Statistics title: Lawyers

The median lawyer salary in the United States is $159,670 per year ($76.76/hour). Salaries range from $78,360 at the entry level to $351,600+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 754,500 lawyer jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 4.1% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Also known asAttorneyLegal CounselEsq.Corporate LawyerGeneral CounselProsecutorPublic Defender
Median Salary
$159,670
per year
Hourly Rate
$76.76
per hour
Employment
754,500
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

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

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+4.1%
As fast as average

Annual Openings

31,500
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Lawyer Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for lawyers.

Lawyers work across three main tracks with wildly different compensation: (1) BigLaw (top firms, $200k+ starting salary, brutal hours, exit within 5-7 years typical), (2) mid-law and boutiques ($90-160k, sustainable hours, longer track to partner), (3) public interest, government, and solo practice (lower base, wider variance). The T14 law school effect is massive β€” BigLaw hires 60-90% from top-15 schools, essentially closed to lower-ranked schools without stellar grades or law review. Employers screen for: analytical writing, legal research fluency, professional demeanor, and (for practice groups) subject-matter fit. Bar passage is a hard prerequisite; state-specific.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Legal research (Westlaw, Lexis)
Finding controlling authority, distinguishing cases, tracking legislative history, understanding when to escalate research to a librarian.
Legal writing
Memos, briefs, contracts, motions. Concise, structured, cited correctly. Firms grade first-year associates almost entirely on writing quality.
Client-facing communication
Ability to explain legal exposure to a non-lawyer client without jargon. Weighted heavily at senior associate + partner track.
Attention to detail
A typo in a settlement agreement can cost seven figures. Reviewing your own work systematically before submission is non-negotiable.
Substantive expertise in your practice group
Corp/M&A, litigation, tax, IP, real estate, employment, bankruptcy β€” each has its own doctrine, procedures, and market. Specialization compounds after year 3.
Time management + billable hours
Contemporaneously recording your 8-10 billable hours daily. Late time entries are the fastest way to look bad at review time.
Business development (partner track)
For partner path: originating new business. Weighted increasingly senior β€” non-originators plateau at senior associate.

How to Become a Lawyer

  1. 1
    Get a bachelor's degree
    Any major. High GPA matters more than major for law school admissions.
  2. 2
    Take the LSAT
    175+ opens T14. 165+ opens T50. Retake if under 165 β€” the 4-6 month prep investment is worth it.
  3. 3
    Attend law school (JD)
    3 years, ~$150-350k in tuition depending on school. T14 with high grades and law review is the BigLaw ticket.
  4. 4
    Get the summer associate offer
    Summer between 2L and 3L is the on-ramp. Offer rates at BigLaw summers are 95%+ if you show up and don't embarrass yourself.
  5. 5
    Pass the bar
    State-specific. UBE (Uniform Bar Exam) used in 40+ states. Pass rate varies 65-90%. Bar prep courses (Barbri, Themis) are essentially required.
  6. 6
    Choose your practice group carefully
    Corp (M&A, capital markets, PE) β€” deal-driven, high pay, high hours. Litigation β€” slower pace, more writing, longer trajectory. Tax/IP β€” technical, high pay, more sustainable hours. Your choice here shapes 20 years.

Career Progression

First-Year Associate (BigLaw)
0-1 yrs$225k base + $20k bonus at Cravath scale Β· Mid-law $90-140k
  • β€’Research memos, document review, first drafts of contracts/briefs
  • β€’Every deliverable reviewed by 2+ senior lawyers
  • β€’1,900-2,100 billable hour target typical
Next: Mid-level associate.
Mid-Level Associate (Years 3-5)
3-5 yrsBigLaw $290-390k + bonus Β· Mid-law $130-200k
  • β€’Own workstreams on deals or cases
  • β€’Draft primary documents (contracts, motions)
  • β€’Interface with clients on discrete issues
Next: Senior associate.
Senior Associate (Years 5-8)
5-8 yrsBigLaw $420-500k+ base Β· Mid-law $180-280k
  • β€’Lead deals or cases day-to-day under partner oversight
  • β€’Own significant client relationships
  • β€’Mentor junior and mid-level associates
Next: Partner track evaluation.
Partner (Equity or Non-Equity)
8-12 yrsNon-equity $400-700k Β· Equity $700k-$5M+ (top firms $2M-$10M+)
  • β€’Own client relationships, originate business
  • β€’Manage practice group P&L (equity partners)
  • β€’Firm governance
In-House / Government (Common Exit)
4+ from associate yrsGC/Deputy GC $180-500k+ Β· Assoc GC $150-280k Β· Government $80-180k
  • β€’Own legal work for one company or agency
  • β€’Sustainable hours (typical 45-55/week vs 60-80 in BigLaw)
  • β€’Business partner, not billable-hour widget

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 13 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through a legal issue you researched recently.technical
STAR. Pick a substantive research task from a class, journal note, clinic, or internship. Structure: (Situation) legal question posed. (Task) find controlling authority in [jurisdiction]. (Action) started with primary sources, secondary sources for framing, then key cases (traced citations forward/backward with KeyCite/Shepard's), then statutes if applicable. (Result) memo or draft with clear conclusion + authority. Screening for: methodical research process, not just 'I found the answer.'
Q2. Why do you want to practice at our firm specifically?behavioral
Research required. Know their practice groups, recent deals/cases, and firm culture (partner promotion rate, hours expectations, DEI reputation). Concrete: 'Your PE practice worked on [X deal] last year and that's the type of transaction I want to build experience on,' or 'Your litigation practice's focus on complex commercial disputes matches what I did at [X clinic].' Not: 'I want to be at a top firm.'
Q3. Tell me about a time you disagreed with a superior.behavioral
STAR. Ideal: substantive disagreement (research finding, contract term, motion strategy) where you raised it professionally with your reasoning. Never bad-mouth the superior. Never say 'I've never disagreed' β€” signals you don't bring judgment. Screening for: professional courage.
Q4. What's the difference between an assignment and a novation in contract law?technical
Assignment transfers rights (usually) β€” the assignor's counterparty still deals with the original assignor for most purposes unless a delegation is also involved. Novation substitutes a new party for one of the original parties entirely β€” extinguishes the old contract and creates a new one. Novation requires consent of all three parties (original two + new party). Assignment often does not require counterparty consent unless the contract restricts it.
Q5. What are your practice group preferences and why?behavioral
Have a specific answer. Concrete: 'I did an M&A clinic and want deals work β€” I'm drawn to the discrete transactional nature vs open-ended litigation.' Or: 'I want to litigate β€” I loved moot court and want to be in court, so I'm targeting firms with commercial litigation practices.' Vague ('open to anything') signals no thought and can hurt you at firms that expect commitment.

Resume Template β€” Summer Associate / First-Year Associate (0-1 yr)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Summer Associate / First-Year Associate (0-1 yr)
  • β–ΈDrafted research memos for 6 M&A transactions ranging $200M-$1.4B including due diligence summaries and closing checklist items.
  • β–ΈSecond-chaired contract negotiation on [transaction] where partner and client praised the substantive research quality in written feedback.
  • β–ΈPassed [state] bar exam on first attempt within 8 weeks of graduation.
  • β–ΈManaged billable time in Aderant with 96% same-day time entry compliance across 2,050-hour first year.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Typos in your resume or cover letter. Immediate DQ at most firms.
  • βœ—Vague answer on your class rank / GPA at target firms.
  • βœ—Bad-mouthing law professors, previous firms, or clients.
  • βœ—No specific practice group interest β€” signals lack of thought.
  • βœ—Poor writing sample. Writing sample is the single most-weighted first-year screen at BigLaw.
  • βœ—Not knowing recent significant deals or cases in the firm's practice.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“T14 law school + high grades + journal β€” biggest lever for BigLaw entry.
  • βœ“Federal clerkship (especially COA or SCOTUS) β€” worth $100k+ clerkship bonus at BigLaw.
  • βœ“Bar admission in multiple states β€” for firms with multi-office practices.
  • βœ“Language skills (Mandarin, Japanese, French) for firms with international deals.
  • βœ“Prior industry experience (engineering, finance, medicine) for IP, tax, or specialty work.
  • βœ“Alternative offers β€” the primary lever for lateral moves.
  • βœ“Bonus structure β€” often more negotiable than base at partnership level.

Lawyer Resume Review β€” $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired lawyers. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

  • βœ“ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
  • βœ“ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
  • βœ“ Missing skills / keywords flagged
  • βœ“ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
  • βœ“ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Lawyer Career Kit β€” $19

  • βœ“ All 13 interview questions with expert answers
  • βœ“ 12 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
  • βœ“ Interview format intel for 8 top employers
  • βœ“ 4 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
  • βœ“ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
  • βœ“ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
  • βœ“ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
  • βœ“ Detailed salary negotiation script
  • βœ“ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
  • βœ“ Downloadable PDF for offline access
  • βœ“ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
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Lawyer Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$92K
$208Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

New York
$208K
+30%
District of Columbia
$195K
+22%
California
$195K
+22%
Massachusetts
$177K
+11%
Delaware
$174K
+9%
Colorado
$169K
+6%
Virginia
$167K
+5%
Connecticut
$164K
+2%
New Jersey
$161K
+1%
Illinois
$161K
+1%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
New York$207,860+30.2%
District of Columbia$195,190+22.2%
California$195,080+22.2%
Massachusetts$176,680+10.7%
Delaware$173,510+8.7%
Colorado$168,520+5.5%
Virginia$167,210+4.7%
Connecticut$163,600+2.5%
New Jersey$161,430+1.1%
Illinois$160,800+0.7%
1–10 of 51

Lawyer Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$301,320+88.7%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$212,500+33.1%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$208,880+30.8%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$195,190+22.2%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$194,410+21.8%
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$185,520+16.2%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$183,350+14.8%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$181,560+13.7%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$180,610+13.1%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$178,540+11.8%
1–10 of 380
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A lawyer earning $159,670/year would need 373 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 401 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how lawyer salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Lawyer salary trend (2011–2024) β†’