Lawyers
Lawyers (SOC 23-1011) earn a median $159,670 a year ($76.76 an hour) in the United States, with 754,500 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New York.
What lawyers do
Lawyers advise and represent people, businesses, and government bodies in legal matters. Some practice broadly, while others specialize. Typical tasks include interpreting laws, rulings, and regulations for clients, analyzing the likely outcomes of cases by applying legal precedents, gathering evidence by such means as interviewing clients, and representing clients in court or before government agencies. Lawyers also prepare, draft, and review legal documents such as wills, deeds, patent applications, and mortgages, and they advise clients on business transactions and on whether to prosecute or defend a lawsuit. Preparing a case also means evaluating the findings and developing strategies and arguments for presenting it. Lawyers differ from paralegals and legal assistants, who support lawyers, from judges and hearing officers, who decide cases rather than represent a side, and from judicial law clerks, who assist judges.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a doctoral degree.
Also called: Attorney, Attorney at Law, Admiralty Lawyer, Agency Legal Counsel, Attorney General.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $37.67 | $49.51 | $76.76 | $106.43 | $169.04 | $89.35 | 754,500 |
| Annual | $78,360 | $102,990 | $159,670 | $221,370 | $351,600 | $185,840 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where lawyers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $40.96 | $61.34 | $99.93 | $154.87 | $188.19 | $105.86 | 91,870 | 9.48 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $85,200 | $127,580 | $207,860 | $322,120 | $391,420 | $220,180 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $57.97 | $82.72 | $93.84 | $173.23 | $188.82 | $116.73 | 33,070 | 47.11 | 9.71 |
| Annual | $120,580 | $172,060 | $195,190 | $360,310 | $392,750 | $242,800 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $47.09 | $63.04 | $93.79 | $133.24 | $177.49 | $110.59 | 95,770 | 5.26 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $97,950 | $131,120 | $195,080 | $277,140 | $369,180 | $230,040 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $39.47 | $57.67 | $84.94 | $135.62 | $180.00 | $99.03 | 23,560 | 6.48 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $82,100 | $119,960 | $176,680 | $282,080 | $374,410 | $205,980 | ||||
| Delaware | Hourly | $48.65 | $62.80 | $83.42 | $108.74 | $170.63 | $96.14 | 2,920 | 6.02 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $101,200 | $130,630 | $173,510 | $226,190 | $354,910 | $199,970 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $47.09 | $63.04 | $93.79 | $133.24 | $177.49 | $110.59 | 95,770 | 5.26 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $97,950 | $131,120 | $195,080 | $277,140 | $369,180 | $230,040 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $40.96 | $61.34 | $99.93 | $154.87 | $188.19 | $105.86 | 91,870 | 9.48 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $85,200 | $127,580 | $207,860 | $322,120 | $391,420 | $220,180 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $38.15 | $49.43 | $74.13 | $107.40 | $168.02 | $86.72 | 56,580 | 4.02 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $79,340 | $102,810 | $154,200 | $223,390 | $349,490 | $180,370 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $36.31 | $47.94 | $64.03 | $94.28 | $144.74 | $77.91 | 55,210 | 5.56 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $75,530 | $99,720 | $133,180 | $196,100 | $301,050 | $162,060 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $39.50 | $49.53 | $77.31 | $107.91 | $158.75 | $87.14 | 33,590 | 5.51 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $82,160 | $103,020 | $160,800 | $224,450 | $330,200 | $181,240 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $62.19 | $85.02 | $144.87 | $180.48 | $202.40 | $138.94 | 6,040 | 5.32 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $129,350 | $176,840 | $301,320 | $375,400 | $421,000 | $288,980 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $47.25 | $66.05 | $102.17 | $154.09 | $180.57 | $113.97 | 18,470 | 7.78 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $98,280 | $137,380 | $212,500 | $320,510 | $375,580 | $237,060 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $45.23 | $63.10 | $100.42 | $155.92 | $188.28 | $108.10 | 94,610 | 9.97 | 2.05 |
| Annual | $94,070 | $131,240 | $208,880 | $324,310 | $391,620 | $224,840 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $51.21 | $77.63 | $93.84 | $148.62 | $184.08 | $109.03 | 46,840 | 14.94 | 3.08 |
| Annual | $106,520 | $161,470 | $195,190 | $309,140 | $382,890 | $226,780 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $45.18 | $61.84 | $93.47 | $130.67 | $180.50 | $116.10 | 41,580 | 6.63 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $93,980 | $128,630 | $194,410 | $271,790 | $375,440 | $241,500 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $45.23 | $63.10 | $100.42 | $155.92 | $188.28 | $108.10 | 94,610 | 9.97 | 2.05 |
| Annual | $94,070 | $131,240 | $208,880 | $324,310 | $391,620 | $224,840 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $51.21 | $77.63 | $93.84 | $148.62 | $184.08 | $109.03 | 46,840 | 14.94 | 3.08 |
| Annual | $106,520 | $161,470 | $195,190 | $309,140 | $382,890 | $226,780 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $45.18 | $61.84 | $93.47 | $130.67 | $180.50 | $116.10 | 41,580 | 6.63 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $93,980 | $128,630 | $194,410 | $271,790 | $375,440 | $241,500 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $41.86 | $51.43 | $79.64 | $111.67 | $159.20 | $90.11 | 28,320 | 6.27 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $87,070 | $106,980 | $165,660 | $232,270 | $331,140 | $187,420 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $37.26 | $49.34 | $77.08 | $101.96 | $160.02 | $83.64 | 23,270 | 8.25 | 1.70 |
| Annual | $77,510 | $102,630 | $160,320 | $212,070 | $332,850 | $173,960 | ||||
Top industries employing lawyers
Legal Services employ 59.4% of lawyers nationally (448,040 jobs) at a median $157,870 a year ($75.90 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (8.9%) and State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (7.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Services NAICS 541100 | 448,040 | 59.4% | $157,870 | $75.90 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 67,050 | 8.9% | $131,350 | $63.15 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 52,910 | 7.0% | $115,330 | $55.45 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 40,220 | 5.3% | $178,380 | $85.76 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 24,980 | 3.3% | $223,560 | $107.48 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (754,500). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $127,990 for lawyers in May 2021 and $159,670 in May 2025, with employment of 681,010 and 754,500.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $127,990 | $61.54 | 681,010 |
| May 2022 | $135,740 | $65.26 | 707,160 |
| May 2023 | $145,760 | $70.08 | 731,340 |
| May 2024 | $151,160 | $72.67 | 747,750 |
| May 2025 | $159,670 | $76.76 | 754,500 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York profile | $99.93 | $207,860 | $85,200 | $391,420 | 91,870 | 9.48 | 1.95 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $93.84 | $195,190 | $120,580 | $392,750 | 33,070 | 47.11 | 9.71 |
| 3 | California profile | $93.79 | $195,080 | $97,950 | $369,180 | 95,770 | 5.26 | 1.08 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $84.94 | $176,680 | $82,100 | $374,410 | 23,560 | 6.48 | 1.33 |
| 5 | Delaware profile | $83.42 | $173,510 | $101,200 | $354,910 | 2,920 | 6.02 | 1.24 |
| 6 | Colorado profile | $81.02 | $168,520 | $83,350 | $336,970 | 16,720 | 5.82 | 1.20 |
| 7 | Virginia profile | $80.39 | $167,210 | $79,330 | $320,220 | 18,580 | 4.52 | 0.93 |
| 8 | Connecticut profile | $78.66 | $163,600 | $91,180 | $342,970 | 8,420 | 4.97 | 1.02 |
| 9 | New Jersey profile | $77.61 | $161,430 | $93,810 | $328,270 | 23,160 | 5.40 | 1.11 |
| 10 | Illinois profile | $77.31 | $160,800 | $82,160 | $330,200 | 33,590 | 5.51 | 1.14 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania profile | $75.57 | $157,180 | $77,100 | $323,370 | 27,170 | 4.48 | 0.92 |
| 12 | Minnesota profile | $74.59 | $155,140 | $79,820 | $341,170 | 12,380 | 4.20 | 0.86 |
| 13 | Texas profile | $74.13 | $154,200 | $79,340 | $349,490 | 56,580 | 4.02 | 0.83 |
| 14 | Washington profile | $74.10 | $154,130 | $94,260 | $298,210 | 12,770 | 3.60 | 0.74 |
| 15 | Nevada profile | $72.36 | $150,510 | $96,010 | $414,290 | 6,490 | 4.18 | 0.86 |
| 16 | Alaska profile | $72.09 | $149,940 | $86,230 | $281,780 | 1,120 | 3.43 | 0.71 |
| 17 | Maryland profile | $66.88 | $139,110 | $81,730 | $269,020 | 13,810 | 5.00 | 1.03 |
| 18 | Rhode Island profile | $66.81 | $138,960 | $80,710 | $268,270 | 1,840 | 3.68 | 0.76 |
| 19 | Oregon profile | $66.45 | $138,210 | $73,610 | $263,790 | 7,150 | 3.64 | 0.75 |
| 20 | Tennessee profile | $65.47 | $136,180 | $76,510 | $324,880 | 9,010 | 2.75 | 0.57 |
| 21 | Georgia profile | $64.82 | $134,830 | $58,750 | $317,820 | 23,930 | 4.89 | 1.01 |
| 22 | Arizona profile | $64.55 | $134,260 | $85,990 | $268,170 | 11,640 | 3.59 | 0.74 |
| 23 | Missouri profile | $64.16 | $133,450 | $67,020 | $299,990 | 11,560 | 3.94 | 0.81 |
| 24 | Florida profile | $64.03 | $133,180 | $75,530 | $301,050 | 55,210 | 5.56 | 1.15 |
| 25 | Utah profile | $63.86 | $132,830 | $59,990 | $347,090 | 7,020 | 4.05 | 0.83 |
| 26 | Alabama profile | $63.45 | $131,970 | $62,310 | $249,090 | 6,730 | 3.18 | 0.66 |
| 27 | Ohio profile | $62.99 | $131,020 | $69,790 | $269,530 | 19,950 | 3.60 | 0.74 |
| 28 | Michigan profile | $62.75 | $130,520 | $77,180 | $238,370 | 16,620 | 3.77 | 0.78 |
| 29 | North Carolina profile | $61.40 | $127,710 | $61,610 | $323,720 | 17,000 | 3.44 | 0.71 |
| 30 | Vermont profile | $61.21 | $127,310 | $85,510 | $336,450 | 1,330 | 4.38 | 0.90 |
| 31 | Indiana profile | $60.99 | $126,860 | $65,750 | $327,960 | 8,970 | 2.80 | 0.58 |
| 32 | Wisconsin profile | $60.94 | $126,760 | $76,010 | $362,040 | 9,160 | 3.11 | 0.64 |
| 33 | Hawaii profile | $60.09 | $124,990 | $73,890 | $179,010 | 2,270 | 3.63 | 0.75 |
| 34 | Iowa profile | $59.40 | $123,550 | $63,790 | $268,460 | 3,550 | 2.28 | 0.47 |
| 35 | New Hampshire profile | $58.08 | $120,810 | $65,670 | $358,300 | 2,250 | 3.29 | 0.68 |
| 36 | South Carolina profile | $57.84 | $120,310 | $63,140 | $301,140 | 7,890 | 3.42 | 0.71 |
| 37 | New Mexico profile | $57.54 | $119,680 | $76,100 | $232,890 | 3,380 | 3.88 | 0.80 |
| 38 | Maine profile | $54.39 | $113,120 | $76,820 | $215,610 | 2,280 | 3.55 | 0.73 |
| 39 | Nebraska profile | $52.49 | $109,170 | $65,030 | $217,700 | 3,490 | 3.41 | 0.70 |
| 40 | North Dakota profile | $51.39 | $106,880 | $70,500 | $194,840 | 1,050 | 2.44 | 0.50 |
| 41 | Kansas profile | $51.28 | $106,650 | $76,300 | $213,360 | 4,190 | 2.92 | 0.60 |
| 42 | Louisiana profile | $50.05 | $104,100 | $50,140 | $227,230 | 10,200 | 5.27 | 1.09 |
| 43 | Montana profile | $49.87 | $103,720 | $62,090 | $179,620 | 2,380 | 4.65 | 0.96 |
| 44 | Idaho profile | $49.71 | $103,400 | $50,730 | $216,660 | 2,490 | 2.91 | 0.60 |
| 45 | Oklahoma profile | $49.55 | $103,060 | $57,950 | $207,340 | 6,980 | 4.09 | 0.84 |
| 46 | West Virginia profile | $49.24 | $102,420 | $64,950 | $206,370 | 2,440 | 3.48 | 0.72 |
| 47 | South Dakota profile | $49.06 | $102,040 | $76,920 | $234,690 | 1,360 | 2.98 | 0.61 |
| 48 | Kentucky profile | $48.82 | $101,550 | $63,010 | $187,180 | 5,770 | 2.88 | 0.59 |
| 49 | Wyoming profile | $48.14 | $100,130 | $61,170 | $233,950 | 900 | 3.19 | 0.66 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $47.54 | $98,880 | $49,900 | $220,660 | 3,430 | 2.63 | 0.54 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $44.08 | $91,690 | $47,670 | $176,750 | 3,100 | 2.67 | 0.55 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (23-1010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Legal Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 23-1011 Lawyers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 23-1011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 23-1011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.