Lawyers Salary in Pennsylvania
At $157,180 a year, the median for lawyers in Pennsylvania is close to the national median of $159,670 (−2%); Pennsylvania ranks 11th of 51 states by median. Lawyers earn 3.2 times the median across all occupations in Pennsylvania ($49,690). Among neighbouring states, New York, Delaware and New Jersey pay more (up to $207,860 in New York) and Maryland, Ohio and West Virginia pay less (down to $102,420 in West Virginia). Pennsylvania employs 27,170 lawyers, 4.48 per 1,000 jobs, the 7th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.92 is close to the national share.
Pennsylvania vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $37.07 | $47.46 | $75.57 | $100.13 | $155.47 | $81.33 | 27,170 | 4.48 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $77,100 | $98,720 | $157,180 | $208,260 | $323,370 | $169,170 | ||||
| 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
- 11th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 7th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.92
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.48
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Pennsylvania'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 Pennsylvania
16 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Pennsylvania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $82.05 | $170,660 | $84,840 | $344,160 | 19,040 | 6.57 | 1.35 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $63.96 | $133,040 | $65,220 | $308,000 | 5,550 | 4.98 | 1.03 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $63.19 | $131,440 | $79,010 | $218,460 | 1,930 | 5.75 | 1.19 |
| Erie, PA | $61.60 | $128,130 | $78,310 | $278,770 | 260 | 2.17 | 0.45 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $60.74 | $126,350 | $75,830 | $229,230 | 400 | 2.20 | 0.45 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $60.65 | $126,160 | $52,620 | $273,050 | 950 | 2.52 | 0.52 |
| Reading, PA | $60.49 | $125,830 | $80,510 | $224,190 | 440 | 2.53 | 0.52 |
| Lancaster, PA | $60.34 | $125,510 | $81,030 | $231,930 | 520 | 2.08 | 0.43 |
| State College, PA | $51.85 | $107,850 | $73,920 | $218,280 | 140 | 1.96 | 0.40 |
| Lebanon, PA | $49.26 | $102,460 | $62,210 | $211,020 | 80 | 1.48 | 0.30 |
| Williamsport, PA | $49.03 | $101,990 | $60,040 | $200,010 | 130 | 2.54 | 0.52 |
| Gettysburg, PA | $48.57 | $101,030 | $67,860 | $195,190 | 60 | 1.91 | 0.39 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $48.40 | $100,680 | $68,520 | $206,410 | 100 | 1.70 | 0.35 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $48.28 | $100,420 | $50,440 | $207,710 | 810 | 3.16 | 0.65 |
| Johnstown, PA | $45.05 | $93,710 | $58,520 | $195,260 | 80 | 1.59 | 0.33 |
| Altoona, PA | $40.09 | $83,390 | $62,790 | $189,110 | 90 | 1.54 | 0.32 |
| Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $52.62 | $109,450 | $57,880 | $306,870 | 260 | 1.37 | 0.28 |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $49.17 | $102,270 | $52,740 | $242,020 | 200 | 1.37 | 0.28 |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $45.84 | $95,340 | $57,950 | $201,360 | 240 | 1.89 | 0.39 |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $45.42 | $94,470 | $59,450 | $242,020 | 250 | 1.81 | 0.37 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $75.57 | $157,180 | 27,170 | 0.92 |
| Delaware | $83.42 | $173,510 | 2,920 | 1.24 |
| Maryland | $66.88 | $139,110 | 13,810 | 1.03 |
| New Jersey | $77.61 | $161,430 | 23,160 | 1.11 |
| New York | $99.93 | $207,860 | 91,870 | 1.95 |
| Ohio | $62.99 | $131,020 | 19,950 | 0.74 |
| West Virginia | $49.24 | $102,420 | 2,440 | 0.72 |
See the national page for Lawyers (every state ranked) and the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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.