Lawyers Salary in Minnesota
Lawyers in Minnesota have a median of $155,140 a year, below the national $159,670 (−3%); the state ranks 12th of 51 states by median. Lawyers earn 2.7 times the median across all occupations in Minnesota ($56,920). Minnesota pays more than every neighbouring state: Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota range from $102,040 in South Dakota to $126,760 in Wisconsin. Minnesota employs 12,380 lawyers, 4.20 per 1,000 jobs, the 18th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.86 is close to the national share.
Minnesota vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $38.37 | $51.55 | $74.59 | $104.06 | $164.02 | $83.80 | 12,380 | 4.20 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $79,820 | $107,220 | $155,140 | $216,440 | $341,170 | $174,300 | ||||
| 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
- 12th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 18th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.86
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.20
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Minnesota'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 Minnesota
9 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Minnesota 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $76.74 | $159,620 | $85,810 | $352,210 | 10,160 | 5.21 | 1.07 |
| Mankato, MN | $62.51 | $130,020 | $65,560 | $204,340 | 140 | 2.51 | 0.52 |
| Rochester, MN | $62.15 | $129,270 | $79,790 | $314,240 | 210 | 1.69 | 0.35 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $62.08 | $129,120 | $65,470 | $246,800 | 260 | 2.07 | 0.43 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $57.15 | $118,860 | $68,400 | $212,090 | 300 | 2.90 | 0.60 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $53.97 | $112,260 | $78,770 | $288,720 | 570 | 3.19 | 0.66 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $53.41 | $111,090 | $70,180 | $202,750 | 410 | 2.74 | 0.56 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $50.44 | $104,910 | $60,800 | $290,370 | 130 | 1.57 | 0.32 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $50.10 | $104,210 | $70,110 | $160,940 | 90 | 1.82 | 0.38 |
| Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $61.70 | $128,330 | $63,790 | $208,580 | 400 | 2.07 | 0.43 |
| Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $51.98 | $108,130 | $61,070 | $226,930 | 260 | 1.67 | 0.34 |
| Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $50.15 | $104,300 | $58,500 | $190,310 | 70 | 1.58 | 0.33 |
| Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $46.75 | $97,250 | $57,990 | $191,380 | 180 | 1.49 | 0.31 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $74.59 | $155,140 | 12,380 | 0.86 |
| Iowa | $59.40 | $123,550 | 3,550 | 0.47 |
| North Dakota | $51.39 | $106,880 | 1,050 | 0.50 |
| South Dakota | $49.06 | $102,040 | 1,360 | 0.61 |
| Wisconsin | $60.94 | $126,760 | 9,160 | 0.64 |
See the national page for Lawyers (every state ranked) and the Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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.