Legal · 68 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Lawyer (2025)

The median Lawyer salary is $301,320 in San Jose, CA, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Birmingham, AL offers the best purchasing power at $188,308 adjusted.

The 68 cities below are ranked by median wage for Lawyer, drawn from BLS OEWS. Top-of-list cities typically combine high local labor demand with above-baseline cost-of-living, so the gross-wage ranking partly reflects COL adjustment. Reading the ranking carefully: gross median wage is the headline number, but the cost-adjusted figure (which divides by the city's cost-of-living index) tells a different story for high-COL cities. The ranking sorts on gross wage; the per-city pages surface the adjusted figure.

For workers evaluating Lawyer relocation, the top of the ranking is the obvious starting point — but the bottom of the list (low gross wage, low COL) is often where cost-adjusted real income is highest. The role-specific pages link to per-city detail.

$146,574

National Median

$301,320

Highest City

$97,870

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th-90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	San Jose, CA	$301,320	$129,350, $421,000	195.8	$153,892	6,040
2	San Francisco, CA	$212,500	$98,280, $375,580	179.6	$118,318	18,470
3	New York, NY	$208,880	$94,070, $391,620	187.2	$111,581	94,610
4	Washington, DC	$195,190	$106,520, $382,890	152.8	$127,742	46,840
5	Los Angeles, CA	$194,410	$93,980, $375,440	166	$117,114	41,580
6	Boston, MA	$183,350	$84,280, $379,350	152.1	$120,546	20,080
7	Bridgeport, CT	$180,610	$103,760, $402,750	137.5	$131,353	2,100
8	Sacramento, CA	$178,540	$80,540, $284,610	124.7	$143,176	7,620
9	San Diego, CA	$178,220	$104,140, $336,590	160.2	$111,248	8,020
10	Denver, CO	$177,380	$90,640, $337,050	112.8	$157,252	11,860
11	Philadelphia, PA	$170,660	$84,840, $344,160	118.4	$144,139	19,040
12	Birmingham, AL	$170,230	$65,650, $272,900	90.4	$188,308	2,800
13	Dallas, TX	$168,510	$81,360, $347,260	104.1	$161,873	17,110
14	Chicago, IL	$165,660	$87,070, $331,140	107.3	$154,390	28,320
15	Seattle, WA	$164,980	$99,910, $314,120	149.4	$110,428	9,210
16	Reno, NV	$163,380	$102,140, $356,180	106.5	$153,408	630
17	Fresno, CA	$162,680	$75,370, $284,670	105.5	$154,199	1,570
18	Miami, FL	$160,320	$77,510, $332,850	123.1	$130,236	23,270
19	Minneapolis, MN	$159,620	$85,810, $352,210	106.2	$150,301	10,160
20	Houston, TX	$157,980	$80,210, $363,120	96.5	$163,710	16,810
21	Hartford, CT	$157,200	$93,560, $299,840	112.6	$139,609	3,880
22	Charlotte, NC	$157,180	$61,830, $371,170	96.7	$162,544	5,380
23	Portland, OR	$155,330	$75,000, $285,800	130.1	$119,393	5,170
24	Anchorage, AK	$153,590	$89,910, $336,190	127	$120,937	780
25	Austin, TX	$153,330	$83,990, $361,090	103	$148,864	7,540
26	Bakersfield, CA	$150,900	$77,490, $245,020	100.6	$150,000	610
27	Las Vegas, NV	$150,510	$96,010, $414,290	109	$138,083	5,480
28	Rochester, NY	$148,150	$82,190, $325,280	92.9	$159,473	1,710
29	Richmond, VA	$144,910	$77,210, $342,110	102.1	$141,929	3,780
30	St. Louis, MO	$142,690	$67,600, $306,650	90	$158,544	6,100
31	Nashville, TN	$142,540	$81,890, $346,830	100.3	$142,114	3,990
32	Atlanta, GA	$138,210	$58,750, $328,900	99.2	$139,325	18,760
33	Columbus, OH	$137,810	$79,510, $235,150	93.1	$148,024	4,960
34	San Antonio, TX	$137,690	$85,140, $327,280	91.5	$150,481	4,020
35	Salt Lake City, UT	$136,990	$54,720, $362,450	101.4	$135,099	4,830
36	Orlando, FL	$136,970	$78,770, $265,810	103.1	$132,852	5,890
37	Phoenix, AZ	$135,670	$87,170, $291,750	100.7	$134,727	8,820
38	Detroit, MI	$134,980	$78,730, $246,420	95.1	$141,935	10,110
39	Kansas City, MO	$134,640	$78,310, $287,200	95.4	$141,132	5,310
40	Des Moines, IA	$134,560	$65,830, $292,020	93.3	$144,223	1,760
41	Memphis, TN	$134,440	$74,270, $322,970	84	$160,048	1,670
42	Pittsburgh, PA	$133,040	$65,220, $308,000	92.3	$144,139	5,550
43	Providence, RI	$133,000	$80,200, $268,330	119.4	$111,390	2,380
44	Baltimore, MD	$132,400	$85,620, $264,130	114.2	$115,937	7,520
45	Raleigh, NC	$131,920	$79,550, $331,770	99.8	$132,184	4,350
46	Omaha, NE	$131,730	$76,700, $230,820	91.8	$143,497	2,010
47	Albany, NY	$131,310	$82,090, $263,130	100.7	$130,397	3,180
48	Milwaukee, WI	$131,100	$78,970, $436,120	97.4	$134,600	4,040
49	Cincinnati, OH	$130,980	$72,660, $280,430	91.2	$143,618	3,870
50	Buffalo, NY	$130,800	$72,040, $225,100	92.5	$141,405	2,930
51	Jacksonville, FL	$127,920	$66,500, $225,360	95.1	$134,511	3,760
52	Tampa, FL	$127,490	$75,560, $255,310	99.6	$128,002	8,330
53	Greensboro, NC	$126,960	$70,110, $310,190	91.3	$139,058	980
54	Knoxville, TN	$126,520	$77,800, $263,220	90.3	$140,111	1,250
55	Greenville, SC	$124,970	$70,540, $341,840	90.1	$138,701	1,290
56	Louisville, KY	$124,530	$65,310, $211,880	90.2	$138,060	2,000
57	Madison, WI	$124,130	$77,040, $365,510	103.8	$119,586	1,860
58	Spokane, WA	$123,880	$77,870, $208,230	97.4	$127,187	770
59	Wichita, KS	$121,510	$76,380, $209,200	84	$144,655	690
60	New Orleans, LA	$121,290	$62,530, $290,190	95.9	$126,475	4,330
61	Albuquerque, NM	$114,610	$77,600, $232,890	94	$121,926	1,960
62	Lexington, KY	$111,040	$64,130, $213,600	91.3	$121,621	1,040
63	Boise, ID	$109,780	$75,000, $242,260	102.1	$107,522	1,250
64	Tulsa, OK	$108,220	$47,350, $217,680	86.8	$124,677	1,820
65	Tucson, AZ	$107,510	$64,300, $218,530	95.4	$112,694	1,690
66	Colorado Springs, CO	$106,320	$74,990, $230,820	104.5	$101,742	1,390
67	Oklahoma City, OK	$103,490	$59,210, $206,260	86.5	$119,642	4,310
68	Little Rock, AR	$97,870	$47,280, $184,150	88.2	$110,964	1,670

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Lawyer paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Birmingham, AL	$188,308	$170,230	90.4
2	Houston, TX	$163,710	$157,980	96.5
3	Charlotte, NC	$162,544	$157,180	96.7
4	Dallas, TX	$161,873	$168,510	104.1
5	Memphis, TN	$160,048	$134,440	84
6	Rochester, NY	$159,473	$148,150	92.9
7	St. Louis, MO	$158,544	$142,690	90
8	Denver, CO	$157,252	$177,380	112.8
9	Chicago, IL	$154,390	$165,660	107.3
10	Fresno, CA	$154,199	$162,680	105.5
11	San Jose, CA	$153,892	$301,320	195.8
12	Reno, NV	$153,408	$163,380	106.5
13	San Antonio, TX	$150,481	$137,690	91.5
14	Minneapolis, MN	$150,301	$159,620	106.2
15	Bakersfield, CA	$150,000	$150,900	100.6
16	Austin, TX	$148,864	$153,330	103
17	Columbus, OH	$148,024	$137,810	93.1
18	Wichita, KS	$144,655	$121,510	84
19	Des Moines, IA	$144,223	$134,560	93.3
20	Philadelphia, PA	$144,139	$170,660	118.4
21	Pittsburgh, PA	$144,139	$133,040	92.3
22	Cincinnati, OH	$143,618	$130,980	91.2
23	Omaha, NE	$143,497	$131,730	91.8
24	Sacramento, CA	$143,176	$178,540	124.7
25	Nashville, TN	$142,114	$142,540	100.3
26	Detroit, MI	$141,935	$134,980	95.1
27	Richmond, VA	$141,929	$144,910	102.1
28	Buffalo, NY	$141,405	$130,800	92.5
29	Kansas City, MO	$141,132	$134,640	95.4
30	Knoxville, TN	$140,111	$126,520	90.3
31	Hartford, CT	$139,609	$157,200	112.6
32	Atlanta, GA	$139,325	$138,210	99.2
33	Greensboro, NC	$139,058	$126,960	91.3
34	Greenville, SC	$138,701	$124,970	90.1
35	Las Vegas, NV	$138,083	$150,510	109
36	Louisville, KY	$138,060	$124,530	90.2
37	Salt Lake City, UT	$135,099	$136,990	101.4
38	Phoenix, AZ	$134,727	$135,670	100.7
39	Milwaukee, WI	$134,600	$131,100	97.4
40	Jacksonville, FL	$134,511	$127,920	95.1
41	Orlando, FL	$132,852	$136,970	103.1
42	Raleigh, NC	$132,184	$131,920	99.8
43	Bridgeport, CT	$131,353	$180,610	137.5
44	Albany, NY	$130,397	$131,310	100.7
45	Miami, FL	$130,236	$160,320	123.1
46	Tampa, FL	$128,002	$127,490	99.6
47	Washington, DC	$127,742	$195,190	152.8
48	Spokane, WA	$127,187	$123,880	97.4
49	New Orleans, LA	$126,475	$121,290	95.9
50	Tulsa, OK	$124,677	$108,220	86.8
51	Albuquerque, NM	$121,926	$114,610	94
52	Lexington, KY	$121,621	$111,040	91.3
53	Anchorage, AK	$120,937	$153,590	127
54	Boston, MA	$120,546	$183,350	152.1
55	Oklahoma City, OK	$119,642	$103,490	86.5
56	Madison, WI	$119,586	$124,130	103.8
57	Portland, OR	$119,393	$155,330	130.1
58	San Francisco, CA	$118,318	$212,500	179.6
59	Los Angeles, CA	$117,114	$194,410	166
60	Baltimore, MD	$115,937	$132,400	114.2
61	Tucson, AZ	$112,694	$107,510	95.4
62	New York, NY	$111,581	$208,880	187.2
63	Providence, RI	$111,390	$133,000	119.4
64	San Diego, CA	$111,248	$178,220	160.2
65	Little Rock, AR	$110,964	$97,870	88.2
66	Seattle, WA	$110,428	$164,980	149.4
67	Boise, ID	$107,522	$109,780	102.1
68	Colorado Springs, CO	$101,742	$106,320	104.5

Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose, CA pays the highest median Lawyer salary at $301,320. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Birmingham, AL offers the most purchasing power at $188,308 adjusted.

The national median Lawyer salary is $146,574 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $97,870 to $301,320 depending on city.

Not necessarily. A city with higher nominal pay may have a higher cost of living that offsets the salary difference. Compare the "COL-Adjusted" column in both tables above, cities with lower costs of living often offer better real purchasing power.