Lawyers Salary in Washington
Lawyers in Washington have a median of $154,130 a year, below the national $159,670 (−3%); the state ranks 14th of 51 states by median. Lawyers earn 2.4 times the median across all occupations in Washington ($62,990). Washington pays more than every neighbouring state: Oregon and Idaho range from $103,400 in Idaho to $138,210 in Oregon. Washington employs 12,770 lawyers, 3.60 per 1,000 jobs, the 17th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.74 means it is less common in Washington than nationally.
Washington vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $45.32 | $53.40 | $74.10 | $98.62 | $143.37 | $81.70 | 12,770 | 3.60 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $94,260 | $111,080 | $154,130 | $205,130 | $298,210 | $169,940 | ||||
| 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
- 14th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 17th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.74
- Jobs per 1,000
- 3.60
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Washington'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 Washington
13 metropolitan areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas touching Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $79.32 | $164,980 | $99,910 | $314,120 | 9,210 | 4.41 | 0.91 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $74.68 | $155,330 | $75,000 | $285,800 | 5,170 | 4.27 | 0.88 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $68.05 | $141,540 | $94,030 | $198,550 | 220 | 2.33 | 0.48 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $65.86 | $136,990 | $89,990 | $190,420 | 40 | 1.41 | 0.29 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $65.19 | $135,590 | $84,190 | $250,730 | 230 | 1.78 | 0.37 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $63.90 | $132,900 | $87,760 | $170,300 | 630 | 4.86 | 1.00 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $63.59 | $132,270 | $80,350 | $226,920 | 80 | 1.48 | 0.31 |
| Yakima, WA | $63.30 | $131,660 | $82,910 | $220,120 | 230 | 2.41 | 0.50 |
| Bellingham, WA | $63.21 | $131,480 | $81,240 | $167,160 | 190 | 2.08 | 0.43 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $59.56 | $123,880 | $77,870 | $208,230 | 770 | 3.03 | 0.62 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $48.64 | $101,170 | $88,430 | $185,320 | 50 | 1.26 | 0.26 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | $46.64 | $97,020 | $68,400 | $219,820 | 50 | 1.91 | 0.39 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | * | * | * | * | 110 | 2.12 | 0.44 |
| Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $63.46 | $132,000 | $89,310 | $198,490 | 230 | 2.16 | 0.44 |
| Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $60.56 | $125,970 | $76,880 | $202,300 | 220 | 1.67 | 0.34 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Lawyers (every state ranked) and the Washington 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 Washington estimates.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- 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.