Lawyer Salary

Lawyers earn a median $159,670 a year nationally. Legal Occupations

U.S. median

$159,670

$76.76 per hour

Range

$78,360 – $239,200+

10th to 90th percentile

Employed

754,500

across the U.S.

Lawyer take-home pay calculator

Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.

Your take-home pay

$120,400

per year · effective tax rate 24.6%

$10,033Monthly

$5,017Twice a month

$4,631Every 2 weeks

$57.88Hourly

Federal income tax$27,055
Social Security (6.2%)$9,900
Medicare (1.45%)$2,315
Texas income tax$0
Take-home pay$120,400

Marginal rate: 24% federal + 0.00% state

Pay by experience

Percentile	Salary	Hourly	Take-home (no state tax)
10th percentile (entry level)	$78,360	$37.67	$63,956
25th percentile	$102,990	$49.51	$81,283
Median (50th)	$159,670	$76.76	$120,400
75th percentile	$221,370	$106.43	$164,386
90th percentile (top earners)	$351,600+	$169.04	$247,504

Best cities for lawyers (after tax & cost of living)

#	Metro area	Median	Take-home	Real value*	Jobs
1	San Jose, CA	$239,200+	$188,293	$170,520	6,040
2	Birmingham, AL	$170,230	$119,372	$130,256	2,800
3	New York, NY	$208,880	$144,183	$128,091	94,610
4	Peoria, IL	$161,150	$113,580	$124,497	560
5	Dallas, TX	$168,510	$126,443	$122,653	17,110
6	Chattanooga, TN	$147,640	$112,178	$122,647	740
7	Reno, NV	$163,380	$122,936	$121,702	630
8	Washington, DC	$195,190	$131,718	$120,971	46,840
9	San Francisco, CA	$212,500	$139,838	$120,953	18,470
10	Houston, TX	$157,980	$119,245	$120,903	16,810
11	Philadelphia, PA	$170,660	$122,673	$119,618	19,040
12	El Paso, TX	$140,550	$107,332	$119,374	780
13	Denver, CO	$177,380	$125,409	$118,554	11,860
14	Austin, TX	$153,330	$116,067	$118,356	7,540
15	Bridgeport, CT	$180,610	$126,026	$117,932	2,100
16	Boston, MA	$183,350	$127,638	$117,893	20,080
17	Charlotte, NC	$157,180	$112,936	$116,012	5,380
18	Las Vegas, NV	$150,510	$114,140	$113,895	5,480
19	Los Angeles, CA	$194,410	$128,382	$113,046	41,580
20	Nashville, TN	$142,540	$108,692	$112,824	3,990
21	Beaumont, TX	$131,680	$101,269	$112,464	500
22	Chicago, IL	$165,660	$116,439	$112,399	28,320
23	Memphis, TN	$134,440	$103,156	$111,908	1,670
24	New Haven, CT	$166,080	$116,967	$111,867	1,280
25	Waterbury, CT	$157,380	$111,542	$111,791	450

*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Highest-paying cities

San Jose, CA — $239,200+
San Francisco, CA — $212,500
New York, NY — $208,880
Washington, DC — $195,190
Los Angeles, CA — $194,410
Oxnard, CA — $185,520
Boston, MA — $183,350
Santa Rosa, CA — $181,560
Bridgeport, CT — $180,610
Sacramento, CA — $178,540
San Diego, CA — $178,220
Denver, CO — $177,380
Stockton, CA — $174,880
Santa Maria, CA — $170,970
Philadelphia, PA — $170,660

Lawyer salary by state

State	Median	Take-home	Range	Jobs
New York	$207,860	$143,492	$85,200 – $239,200+	91,870
District of Columbia	$195,190	$131,718	$120,580 – $239,200+	33,070
California	$195,080	$128,810	$97,950 – $239,200+	95,770
Massachusetts	$176,680	$123,413	$82,100 – $239,200+	23,560
Delaware	$173,510	$119,749	$101,200 – $239,200+	2,920
Colorado	$168,520	$119,743	$83,350 – $239,200+	16,720
Virginia	$167,210	$116,754	$79,330 – $239,200+	18,580
Connecticut	$163,600	$115,421	$91,180 – $239,200+	8,420
New Jersey	$161,430	$113,510	$93,810 – $239,200+	23,160
Illinois	$160,800	$113,358	$82,160 – $239,200+	33,590
Pennsylvania	$157,180	$113,873	$77,100 – $239,200+	27,170
Minnesota	$155,140	$107,959	$79,820 – $239,200+	12,380
Texas	$154,200	$116,662	$79,340 – $239,200+	56,580
Washington	$154,130	$116,614	$94,260 – $239,200+	12,770
Nevada	$150,510	$114,140	$96,010 – $239,200+	6,490
Alaska	$149,940	$113,750	$86,230 – $239,200+	1,120
Maryland	$139,110	$100,003	$81,730 – $239,200+	13,810
Rhode Island	$138,960	$101,246	$80,710 – $239,200+	1,840
Oregon	$138,210	$94,350	$73,610 – $239,200+	7,150
Tennessee	$136,180	$104,345	$76,510 – $239,200+	9,010
Georgia	$134,830	$97,047	$58,750 – $239,200+	23,930
Arizona	$134,260	$99,885	$85,990 – $239,200+	11,640
Missouri	$133,450	$97,144	$67,020 – $239,200+	11,560
Florida	$133,180	$102,295	$75,530 – $239,200+	55,210
Utah	$132,830	$97,044	$59,990 – $239,200+	7,020
Alabama	$131,970	$95,134	$62,310 – $239,200+	6,730
Ohio	$131,020	$97,997	$69,790 – $239,200+	19,950
Michigan	$130,520	$95,180	$77,180 – $238,370	16,620
North Carolina	$127,710	$93,969	$61,610 – $239,200+	17,000
Vermont	$127,310	$92,340	$85,510 – $239,200+	1,330
Indiana	$126,860	$94,262	$65,750 – $239,200+	8,970
Wisconsin	$126,760	$92,569	$76,010 – $239,200+	9,160
Hawaii	$124,990	$88,728	$73,890 – $179,010	2,270
Iowa	$123,550	$91,669	$63,790 – $239,200+	3,550
New Hampshire	$120,810	$93,820	$65,670 – $239,200+	2,250
South Carolina	$120,310	$87,407	$63,140 – $239,200+	7,890
New Mexico	$119,680	$88,491	$76,100 – $232,890	3,380
Maine	$113,120	$81,818	$76,820 – $215,610	2,280
Nebraska	$109,170	$81,543	$65,030 – $217,700	3,490
North Dakota	$106,880	$83,195	$70,500 – $194,840	1,050
Kansas	$106,650	$78,707	$76,300 – $213,360	4,190
Louisiana	$104,100	$79,328	$50,140 – $227,230	10,200
Montana	$103,720	$77,298	$62,090 – $179,620	2,380
Idaho	$103,400	$77,200	$50,730 – $216,660	2,490
Oklahoma	$103,060	$77,241	$57,950 – $207,340	6,980
West Virginia	$102,420	$76,881	$64,950 – $206,370	2,440
South Dakota	$102,040	$80,615	$76,920 – $234,690	1,360
Kentucky	$101,550	$76,834	$63,010 – $187,180	5,770
Wyoming	$100,130	$79,271	$61,170 – $233,950	900
Arkansas	$98,880	$74,748	$49,900 – $220,660	3,430
Mississippi	$91,690	$70,398	$47,670 – $176,750	3,100

Frequently asked questions

How much does a lawyer make?

The national median salary for lawyers is $159,670 a year ($76.76 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $78,360 and the top 10% earn over $239,200+. Source: BLS, May 2025.

Which state pays lawyers the most?

New York has the highest median pay at $207,860. After taxes and local prices, San Jose, CA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.

How many lawyers are there in the U.S.?

About 754,500 people work as lawyers nationwide.