Lawyers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for lawyerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $185,840 ≈ $89/hr
National median salary $159,670
Total employment 754,500 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +4.1%
Faster than average
Annual openings 31,500 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 864,800 → 900,700 (+35,900)
Typical entry education Doctoral or professional degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$242,800
- California$230,040
- New York$220,180
- Colorado$206,440
- Massachusetts$205,980
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$108,930
- Montana$115,830
- Kentucky$120,730
- Oklahoma$122,750
- West Virginia$123,210
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $242,800 | $195,190 | $117 | +30.7% | 33,070 |
| 2 | California | $230,040 | $195,080 | $111 | +23.8% | 95,770 |
| 3 | New York | $220,180 | $207,860 | $106 | +18.5% | 91,870 |
| 4 | Colorado | $206,440 | $168,520 | $99 | +11.1% | 16,720 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $205,980 | $176,680 | $99 | +10.8% | 23,560 |
| 6 | Nevada | $205,630 | $150,510 | $99 | +10.6% | 6,490 |
| 7 | Delaware | $199,970 | $173,510 | $96 | +7.6% | 2,920 |
| 8 | Georgia | $191,190 | $134,830 | $92 | +2.9% | 23,930 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $186,170 | $163,600 | $90 | +0.2% | 8,420 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $184,090 | $161,430 | $89 | -0.9% | 23,160 |
| 11 | Illinois | $181,240 | $160,800 | $87 | -2.5% | 33,590 |
| 12 | Texas | $180,370 | $154,200 | $87 | -2.9% | 56,580 |
| 13 | Vermont | $179,630 | $127,310 | $86 | -3.3% | 1,330 |
| 14 | Virginia | $179,240 | $167,210 | $86 | -3.6% | 18,580 |
| 15 | Indiana | $175,850 | $126,860 | $85 | -5.4% | 8,970 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $174,300 | $155,140 | $84 | -6.2% | 12,380 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $172,990 | $120,810 | $83 | -6.9% | 2,250 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $171,200 | $126,760 | $82 | -7.9% | 9,160 |
| 19 | Washington | $169,940 | $154,130 | $82 | -8.6% | 12,770 |
| 20 | Utah | $169,480 | $132,830 | $81 | -8.8% | 7,020 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $169,170 | $157,180 | $81 | -9% | 27,170 |
| 22 | Alaska | $167,890 | $149,940 | $81 | -9.7% | 1,120 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $163,870 | $136,180 | $79 | -11.8% | 9,010 |
| 24 | Missouri | $162,820 | $133,450 | $78 | -12.4% | 11,560 |
| 25 | Florida | $162,060 | $133,180 | $78 | -12.8% | 55,210 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $160,340 | $127,710 | $77 | -13.7% | 17,000 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $159,690 | $138,960 | $77 | -14.1% | 1,840 |
| 28 | Maryland | $157,370 | $139,110 | $76 | -15.3% | 13,810 |
| 29 | Arizona | $157,190 | $134,260 | $76 | -15.4% | 11,640 |
| 30 | Oregon | $156,620 | $138,210 | $75 | -15.7% | 7,150 |
| 31 | Ohio | $151,140 | $131,020 | $73 | -18.7% | 19,950 |
| 32 | Michigan | $148,820 | $130,520 | $72 | -19.9% | 16,620 |
| 33 | Alabama | $146,630 | $131,970 | $71 | -21.1% | 6,730 |
| 34 | Iowa | $144,760 | $123,550 | $70 | -22.1% | 3,550 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $144,700 | $120,310 | $70 | -22.1% | 7,890 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $138,250 | $119,680 | $66 | -25.6% | 3,380 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $133,490 | $109,170 | $64 | -28.2% | 3,490 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $132,270 | $102,040 | $64 | -28.8% | 1,360 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $131,680 | $98,880 | $63 | -29.1% | 3,430 |
| 40 | Kansas | $130,530 | $106,650 | $63 | -29.8% | 4,190 |
| 41 | Maine | $129,600 | $113,120 | $62 | -30.3% | 2,280 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $128,680 | $106,880 | $62 | -30.8% | 1,050 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $127,520 | $104,100 | $61 | -31.4% | 10,200 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $127,280 | $124,990 | $61 | -31.5% | 2,270 |
| 45 | Idaho | $125,070 | $103,400 | $60 | -32.7% | 2,490 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $125,050 | $100,130 | $60 | -32.7% | 900 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $123,210 | $102,420 | $59 | -33.7% | 2,440 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $122,750 | $103,060 | $59 | -33.9% | 6,980 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $120,730 | $101,550 | $58 | -35% | 5,770 |
| 50 | Montana | $115,830 | $103,720 | $56 | -37.7% | 2,380 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $108,930 | $91,690 | $52 | -41.4% | 3,100 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 520 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $301,320 | $288,980 | 6,040 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $212,500 | $237,060 | 18,470 |
| 3 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $208,880 | $224,840 | 94,610 |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $195,190 | $226,780 | 46,840 |
| 5 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $194,410 | $241,500 | 41,580 |
| 6 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $185,520 | $191,100 | 1,220 |
| 7 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $183,350 | $215,680 | 20,080 |
| 8 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $181,560 | $248,950 | 590 |
| 9 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $180,610 | $231,710 | 2,100 |
| 10 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $178,540 | $187,020 | 7,620 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing lawyerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automobile Dealers | $365,360 | $321,740 | 140 |
| 2 | Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers | $359,040 | $295,240 | 180 |
| 3 | Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, & Other Media Networks & Content Providers | $328,890 | $303,870 | 1,260 |
| 4 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $323,680 | $282,240 | 1,310 |
| 5 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $323,680 | $282,240 | 1,310 |
| 6 | Broadcasting and Content Providers | $319,910 | $295,720 | 1,390 |
| 7 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $307,610 | $283,850 | 4,150 |
| 8 | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | $306,270 | $285,090 | 40 |
| 9 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $296,550 | $277,820 | 400 |
| 10 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $295,350 | $276,810 | 4,370 |
| 11 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $290,640 | $281,730 | 530 |
| 12 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $290,640 | $281,730 | 530 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do lawyers make in the U.S.?
The median lawyers salary in the United States is $159,670 per year (mean $185,840), and about 80% earn between $78,360 and $351,600.
How much do lawyers make per hour?
Roughly $89 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $185,840 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays lawyers the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for lawyers at $242,800 per year (median $195,190).
What is the job outlook for lawyers?
Employment is projected to change +4.1% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 31,500 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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