Lawyers Salary in Maryland
Lawyers in Maryland have a median of $139,110 a year, below the national $159,670 (−13%); the state ranks 17th of 51 states by median. Lawyers earn 2.3 times the median across all occupations in Maryland ($59,510). Among neighbouring states, District of Columbia, Delaware, Virginia and Pennsylvania pay more (up to $195,190 in District of Columbia) and West Virginia pays less (down to $102,420 in West Virginia). Maryland employs 13,810 lawyers, 5.00 per 1,000 jobs, the 16th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.03 is close to the national share.
Maryland vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $39.29 | $49.17 | $66.88 | $89.05 | $129.34 | $75.66 | 13,810 | 5.00 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $81,730 | $102,270 | $139,110 | $185,220 | $269,020 | $157,370 | ||||
| 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 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 17th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 16th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.03
- Jobs per 1,000
- 5.00
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Maryland's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Maryland
6 metropolitan areas and 1 nonmetropolitan area touching Maryland publish a row for lawyers, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $93.84 | $195,190 | $106,520 | $382,890 | 46,840 | 14.94 | 3.08 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $82.05 | $170,660 | $84,840 | $344,160 | 19,040 | 6.57 | 1.35 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $69.12 | $143,760 | $81,690 | $210,500 | 200 | 2.85 | 0.59 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $63.66 | $132,400 | $85,620 | $264,130 | 7,520 | 5.54 | 1.14 |
| Salisbury, MD | $61.28 | $127,450 | $76,920 | $262,440 | 150 | 2.71 | 0.56 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $52.18 | $108,530 | $71,950 | $189,950 | 230 | 2.19 | 0.45 |
| Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $50.36 | $104,760 | $78,660 | $208,730 | 240 | 2.14 | 0.44 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $66.88 | $139,110 | 13,810 | 1.03 |
| District of Columbia | $93.84 | $195,190 | 33,070 | 9.71 |
| Delaware | $83.42 | $173,510 | 2,920 | 1.24 |
| Pennsylvania | $75.57 | $157,180 | 27,170 | 0.92 |
| Virginia | $80.39 | $167,210 | 18,580 | 0.93 |
| West Virginia | $49.24 | $102,420 | 2,440 | 0.72 |
See the national page for Lawyers (every state ranked) and the Maryland wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Maryland estimates.
- 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.