Lawyer earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level lawyer earnings begin at:

$80.93 per hour

$168,330 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level lawyer earnings begin at:

$63.28 per hour

$131,630 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level lawyer earnings begin at:

$47.53 per hour

$98,870 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level lawyer earnings begin at:

$30.30 per hour

$63,020 per year

10th percentile

Starting level lawyer earnings begin at:

$22.96 per hour

$47,750 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Lawyer salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Hawaii $99,880
Louisiana $99,490
Iowa $98,870
Nebraska $98,870
West Virginia $98,870
New Hampshire $98,820
North Dakota $95,840
South Carolina $95,400
Oklahoma $94,250
Kansas $91,090
New Mexico $90,000
Kentucky $82,150
South Dakota $81,240
Idaho $80,860
Arkansas $80,750
Montana $80,750
Mississippi $80,650
Maine $80,450
Vermont $78,480
Wyoming $77,010
Puerto Rico $58,660
District of Columbia $172,490
New York $164,180
California $162,700
Massachusetts $153,570
Rhode Island $151,300
Delaware $137,890
New Jersey $132,660
Connecticut $132,300
Virginia $131,520
Texas $131,150
Illinois $129,090
Nevada $128,370
Oregon $128,000
Washington $127,660
Colorado $126,990
Maryland $126,360
Minnesota $124,560
Pennsylvania $121,060
Virgin Islands, U.S. $116,840
Wisconsin $115,340
Alabama $110,730
North Carolina $105,140
Utah $104,100
Georgia $103,750
Missouri $103,750
Alaska $103,680
Guam $103,010
Arizona $102,390
Ohio $102,290
Tennessee $101,270
Michigan $101,190
Indiana $101,110
Florida $100,420

How do lawyer salaries compare to similar careers?

Lawyers earn 17% more than similar careers in West Virginia. On average, they make more than special agents.

Career Median Salary
Lawyer salary $99K
Judge salary $64K
Customs inspector salary $78K
Detective salary $78K
Special agent salary $78K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)