Lawyers Salary in New Jersey
At $161,430 a year, the median for lawyers in New Jersey is close to the national median of $159,670 (+1%); New Jersey ranks 9th of 51 states by median. Lawyers earn 2.8 times the median across all occupations in New Jersey ($58,570). Among neighbouring states, New York and Delaware pay more (up to $207,860 in New York) and Pennsylvania pays less (down to $157,180 in Pennsylvania). New Jersey employs 23,160 lawyers, 5.40 per 1,000 jobs, the 10th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.11 is close to the national share.
New Jersey vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $45.10 | $55.80 | $77.61 | $105.82 | $157.82 | $88.51 | 23,160 | 5.40 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $93,810 | $116,060 | $161,430 | $220,100 | $328,270 | $184,090 | ||||
| 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
- 9th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 10th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.11
- Jobs per 1,000
- 5.40
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of New Jersey'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 New Jersey
6 metropolitan areas touching New Jersey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $100.42 | $208,880 | $94,070 | $391,620 | 94,610 | 9.97 | 2.05 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $82.05 | $170,660 | $84,840 | $344,160 | 19,040 | 6.57 | 1.35 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $66.71 | $138,760 | $93,480 | $265,810 | 2,470 | 10.30 | 2.12 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $64.29 | $133,730 | $76,920 | $221,470 | 550 | 3.23 | 0.67 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $60.65 | $126,160 | $52,620 | $273,050 | 950 | 2.52 | 0.52 |
| Vineland, NJ | $52.36 | $108,910 | $80,650 | $181,930 | 140 | 2.30 | 0.47 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $77.61 | $161,430 | 23,160 | 1.11 |
| Delaware | $83.42 | $173,510 | 2,920 | 1.24 |
| New York | $99.93 | $207,860 | 91,870 | 1.95 |
| Pennsylvania | $75.57 | $157,180 | 27,170 | 0.92 |
See the national page for Lawyers (every state ranked) and the New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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.