Lawyers Salary 2025: $146,574 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
- Official U.S. BLS OEWS data (May 2025)
- No login or sign-up
- Not self-reported estimates
$146,574 per year is the national median annual wage for lawyers (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $70/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $129,350 to $421,000. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 23-1011.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $146,574
- Median hourly wage
- $70/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $197,282
- Total US employment
- 572,910
- Top-paying metro
- San Jose, CA, CA ($301,320)
- BLS SOC code
- 23-1011
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
Get Lawyer's next BLS pay update
Subscribe for Lawyer pay updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
The national median wage for lawyers (BLS SOC 23-1011) is $146,574 per year — about $70/hour — across 572,910 workers in 68 U.S. metros in the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. The mean wage of $197,282 sits above the median, which means a minority of high earners pulls the average up — the median is the more honest benchmark for a typical offer.
Experience drives the range as much as anything: the 10th percentile earns $86,295 while the 90th earns $342,730 — a 4.0× gap from entry-level to the top of the field. Most lawyers land in the $120,278–$256,992 band (25th–75th percentile), which is the right anchor when you size up an offer.
Location matters too. San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median at $301,320, versus $97,870 in Little Rock, AR, AR — a 208% gap. But adjusted for cost of living, Birmingham, AL delivers the strongest real purchasing power ($188,308 in national-average dollars), which can flip the nominal ranking for anyone weighing a move.
BLS OEWS reports base wage for this Legal role; bonuses, commissions, and equity are excluded, so total compensation for many lawyers runs meaningfully above the figures shown — particularly at the senior end of the distribution.
Lawyers Salary by Experience Level (2025)
BLS OEWS doesn’t publish wages by years of experience, but its national percentile bands map cleanly to career stages. Here’s what lawyers earn from entry-level to the top of the field.
| Career stage | Typical experience | BLS percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0–2 years | 10th | $86,295 |
| Junior / early-career | 2–5 years | 25th | $120,278 |
| Mid-career | 5–10 years | 50th (median) | $171,253 |
| Senior | 10–15 years | 75th | $256,992 |
| Top earners | 15+ years | 90th | $342,730 |
Experience bands are SalaryTruth’s interpretation of BLS OEWS percentiles, not a separate BLS series. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and region.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Lawyers salaries range from $97,870 to $301,320 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Lawyers Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $129,350 | $198,138 | $301,320 | $361,160 | $421,000 | $153,892 | 6,040 |
| San Francisco, CA | $98,280 | $143,968 | $212,500 | $294,040 | $375,580 | $118,318 | 18,470 |
| New York, NY | $94,070 | $139,994 | $208,880 | $300,250 | $391,620 | $111,581 | 94,610 |
| Washington, DC | $106,520 | $141,988 | $195,190 | $289,040 | $382,890 | $127,742 | 46,840 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $93,980 | $134,152 | $194,410 | $284,925 | $375,440 | $117,114 | 41,580 |
| Boston, MA | $84,280 | $123,908 | $183,350 | $281,350 | $379,350 | $120,546 | 20,080 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $103,760 | $134,500 | $180,610 | $291,680 | $402,750 | $131,353 | 2,100 |
| Sacramento, CA | $80,540 | $119,740 | $178,540 | $231,575 | $284,610 | $143,176 | 7,620 |
| San Diego, CA | $104,140 | $133,772 | $178,220 | $257,405 | $336,590 | $111,248 | 8,020 |
| Denver, CO | $90,640 | $125,336 | $177,380 | $257,215 | $337,050 | $157,252 | 11,860 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $84,840 | $119,168 | $170,660 | $257,410 | $344,160 | $144,139 | 19,040 |
| Birmingham, AL | $65,650 | $107,482 | $170,230 | $221,565 | $272,900 | $188,308 | 2,800 |
| Dallas, TX | $81,360 | $116,220 | $168,510 | $257,885 | $347,260 | $161,873 | 17,110 |
| Chicago, IL | $87,070 | $118,506 | $165,660 | $248,400 | $331,140 | $154,390 | 28,320 |
| Seattle, WA | $99,910 | $125,938 | $164,980 | $239,550 | $314,120 | $110,428 | 9,210 |
| Reno, NV | $102,140 | $126,636 | $163,380 | $259,780 | $356,180 | $153,408 | 630 |
| Fresno, CA | $75,370 | $110,294 | $162,680 | $223,675 | $284,670 | $154,199 | 1,570 |
| Miami, FL | $77,510 | $110,634 | $160,320 | $246,585 | $332,850 | $130,236 | 23,270 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $85,810 | $115,334 | $159,620 | $255,915 | $352,210 | $150,301 | 10,160 |
| Houston, TX | $80,210 | $111,318 | $157,980 | $260,550 | $363,120 | $163,710 | 16,810 |
| Hartford, CT | $93,560 | $119,016 | $157,200 | $228,520 | $299,840 | $139,609 | 3,880 |
| Charlotte, NC | $61,830 | $99,970 | $157,180 | $264,175 | $371,170 | $162,544 | 5,380 |
| Portland, OR | $75,000 | $107,132 | $155,330 | $220,565 | $285,800 | $119,393 | 5,170 |
| Anchorage, AK | $89,910 | $115,382 | $153,590 | $244,890 | $336,190 | $120,937 | 780 |
| Austin, TX | $83,990 | $111,726 | $153,330 | $257,210 | $361,090 | $148,864 | 7,540 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $77,490 | $106,854 | $150,900 | $197,960 | $245,020 | $150,000 | 610 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $96,010 | $117,810 | $150,510 | $282,400 | $414,290 | $138,083 | 5,480 |
| Rochester, NY | $82,190 | $108,574 | $148,150 | $236,715 | $325,280 | $159,473 | 1,710 |
| Richmond, VA | $77,210 | $104,290 | $144,910 | $243,510 | $342,110 | $141,929 | 3,780 |
| St. Louis, MO | $67,600 | $97,636 | $142,690 | $224,670 | $306,650 | $158,544 | 6,100 |
| Nashville, TN | $81,890 | $106,150 | $142,540 | $244,685 | $346,830 | $142,114 | 3,990 |
| Atlanta, GA | $58,750 | $90,534 | $138,210 | $233,555 | $328,900 | $139,325 | 18,760 |
| Columbus, OH | $79,510 | $102,830 | $137,810 | $186,480 | $235,150 | $148,024 | 4,960 |
| San Antonio, TX | $85,140 | $106,160 | $137,690 | $232,485 | $327,280 | $150,481 | 4,020 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $54,720 | $87,628 | $136,990 | $249,720 | $362,450 | $135,099 | 4,830 |
| Orlando, FL | $78,770 | $102,050 | $136,970 | $201,390 | $265,810 | $132,852 | 5,890 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $87,170 | $106,570 | $135,670 | $213,710 | $291,750 | $134,727 | 8,820 |
| Detroit, MI | $78,730 | $101,230 | $134,980 | $190,700 | $246,420 | $141,935 | 10,110 |
| Kansas City, MO | $78,310 | $100,842 | $134,640 | $210,920 | $287,200 | $141,132 | 5,310 |
| Des Moines, IA | $65,830 | $93,322 | $134,560 | $213,290 | $292,020 | $144,223 | 1,760 |
| Memphis, TN | $74,270 | $98,338 | $134,440 | $228,705 | $322,970 | $160,048 | 1,670 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $65,220 | $92,348 | $133,040 | $220,520 | $308,000 | $144,139 | 5,550 |
| Providence, RI | $80,200 | $101,320 | $133,000 | $200,665 | $268,330 | $111,390 | 2,380 |
| Baltimore, MD | $85,620 | $104,332 | $132,400 | $198,265 | $264,130 | $115,937 | 7,520 |
| Raleigh, NC | $79,550 | $100,498 | $131,920 | $231,845 | $331,770 | $132,184 | 4,350 |
| Omaha, NE | $76,700 | $98,712 | $131,730 | $181,275 | $230,820 | $143,497 | 2,010 |
| Albany, NY | $82,090 | $101,778 | $131,310 | $197,220 | $263,130 | $130,397 | 3,180 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $78,970 | $99,822 | $131,100 | $283,610 | $436,120 | $134,600 | 4,040 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $72,660 | $95,988 | $130,980 | $205,705 | $280,430 | $143,618 | 3,870 |
| Buffalo, NY | $72,040 | $95,544 | $130,800 | $177,950 | $225,100 | $141,405 | 2,930 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $66,500 | $91,068 | $127,920 | $176,640 | $225,360 | $134,511 | 3,760 |
| Tampa, FL | $75,560 | $96,332 | $127,490 | $191,400 | $255,310 | $128,002 | 8,330 |
| Greensboro, NC | $70,110 | $92,850 | $126,960 | $218,575 | $310,190 | $139,058 | 980 |
| Knoxville, TN | $77,800 | $97,288 | $126,520 | $194,870 | $263,220 | $140,111 | 1,250 |
| Greenville, SC | $70,540 | $92,312 | $124,970 | $233,405 | $341,840 | $138,701 | 1,290 |
| Louisville, KY | $65,310 | $88,998 | $124,530 | $168,205 | $211,880 | $138,060 | 2,000 |
| Madison, WI | $77,040 | $95,876 | $124,130 | $244,820 | $365,510 | $119,586 | 1,860 |
| Spokane, WA | $77,870 | $96,274 | $123,880 | $166,055 | $208,230 | $127,187 | 770 |
| Wichita, KS | $76,380 | $94,432 | $121,510 | $165,355 | $209,200 | $144,655 | 690 |
| New Orleans, LA | $62,530 | $86,034 | $121,290 | $205,740 | $290,190 | $126,475 | 4,330 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $77,600 | $92,404 | $114,610 | $173,750 | $232,890 | $121,926 | 1,960 |
| Lexington, KY | $64,130 | $82,894 | $111,040 | $162,320 | $213,600 | $121,621 | 1,040 |
| Boise, ID | $75,000 | $88,912 | $109,780 | $176,020 | $242,260 | $107,522 | 1,250 |
| Tulsa, OK | $47,350 | $71,698 | $108,220 | $162,950 | $217,680 | $124,677 | 1,820 |
| Tucson, AZ | $64,300 | $81,584 | $107,510 | $163,020 | $218,530 | $112,694 | 1,690 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $74,990 | $87,522 | $106,320 | $168,570 | $230,820 | $101,742 | 1,390 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $59,210 | $76,922 | $103,490 | $154,875 | $206,260 | $119,642 | 4,310 |
| Little Rock, AR | $47,280 | $67,516 | $97,870 | $141,010 | $184,150 | $110,964 | 1,670 |
Is your Lawyer salary fair?
Enter your salary to see exactly where you fall in the distribution.
Lawyer & H-1B Prevailing Wage
Sponsoring or filing an H-1B, PERM, or E-3 case? See the DOL prevailing-wage levels (1–4) for Lawyer, including the 2026 proposed increase.
Lawyer prevailing wage in San Jose, CA →Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Lawyer is $146,574 as of 2025 (BLS OEWS). The national mean (average) is $197,282. Salaries range from $97,870 to $301,320 median depending on city and cost of living.
Entry-level lawyers (10th percentile) earn about $86,295 per year nationally. Pay rises with experience to a median of $146,574, $256,992 at the 75th percentile, and $342,730 for the top 10% of earners.
The median lawyer earns about $70/hour, based on the $146,574 annual median over a standard 2,080-hour work year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median for Lawyer at $301,320, well above the national median of $146,574. Cost of living matters, though — see the COL-adjusted column in the city table above, which can reorder the rankings.
There are approximately 572,910 Lawyer positions in the US across 68 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey.
The 90th percentile lawyer earns $342,730 — about 4.0× the $86,295 entry-level wage. A spread that wide signals real income growth potential with experience, specialization, and location.
No. BLS OEWS reports base wages only — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and equity are excluded. For roles where variable pay is common, total compensation runs above the figures shown here.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.