Average Lawyer Salary (2026): Mean, Median, Pay Range and Top States
How much do lawyers make? The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts the average (mean) lawyer salary at $185,840 a year in May 2025. The median is $159,670: half of employed lawyers earn more, half earn less. BLS counted 754,500 lawyer jobs. This page shows the full pay range, how pay differs between law firms and government, and the states where lawyers earn the most and least, all from the same BLS survey.
The Short Answer
The mean is $26,170 higher than the median because a minority of very high earners pull the average up. For a typical lawyer, the median is the better guide.
Both figures are far above pay for U.S. jobs overall. Across all occupations, BLS reports a mean of $69,770 and a median of $50,980. By our arithmetic, the lawyer mean is about 2.7 times the all-jobs mean and the lawyer median about 3.1 times the all-jobs median. For pay across all jobs and states, see average salary in the US.
Lawyer Pay Range: 10th to 90th Percentile
Lawyer pay is spread wide. BLS publishes the wage at five points in the distribution:
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $78,360 | $37.67 | 1 in 10 lawyers earns less |
| 25th | $102,990 | $49.51 | 1 in 4 earns less |
| 50th (median) | $159,670 | $76.76 | Half earn less, half earn more |
| 75th | $221,370 | $106.43 | 1 in 4 earns more |
| 90th | $351,600 | $169.04 | 1 in 10 earns more |
The 90th percentile is about 4.5 times the 10th percentile (our arithmetic). The survey does not say why any one lawyer earns what they do, but the employer type and the state, both below, explain part of the spread.
Law Firm vs Government Pay
Most employed lawyers work at law firms. BLS counts 448,040 lawyer jobs in the legal services industry (law firms and other legal offices), about 59% of the total by our arithmetic. Pay by employer type:
| Employer type | Lawyer jobs | Mean annual wage | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal services (law firms) | 448,040 | $191,320 | $157,870 |
| Federal executive branch | 40,220 | $171,240 | $178,380 |
| Local government (excluding schools and hospitals) | 67,050 | $138,430 | $131,350 |
| State government (excluding schools and hospitals) | 52,910 | $121,140 | $115,330 |
| All private employers | 591,070 | $198,030 | $166,280 |
| All employers (national) | 754,500 | $185,840 | $159,670 |
- Federal lawyers have the highest median in this table, $178,380, above the law firm median of $157,870. The law firm mean is higher, $191,320, because law firms also employ the top earners.
- State government pays the least of these groups: a $121,140 mean and a $115,330 median.
- Government and nonprofit lawyers with federal student loans may qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which can change how a lower public-sector salary compares with private practice.
Highest and Lowest Paying States
BLS publishes lawyer wages for each state from the same May 2025 survey. Ranked by mean annual wage among the 50 states and DC (our sort of the BLS data):
| State | Mean annual wage | Median annual wage | Lawyer jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest mean | |||
| District of Columbia | $242,800 | $195,190 | 33,070 |
| California | $230,040 | $195,080 | 95,770 |
| New York | $220,180 | $207,860 | 91,870 |
| Colorado | $206,440 | $168,520 | 16,720 |
| Massachusetts | $205,980 | $176,680 | 23,560 |
| Lowest mean | |||
| West Virginia | $123,210 | $102,420 | 2,440 |
| Oklahoma | $122,750 | $103,060 | 6,980 |
| Kentucky | $120,730 | $101,550 | 5,770 |
| Montana | $115,830 | $103,720 | 2,380 |
| Mississippi | $108,930 | $91,690 | 3,100 |
- New York has the highest median of any state, $207,860, slightly above DC ($195,190) and California ($195,080).
- California and New York employ the most lawyers: 95,770 and 91,870 jobs. Texas (56,580) and Florida (55,210) come next.
- The gap is large. The DC mean is $133,870 higher than the Mississippi mean (our arithmetic). Living costs differ too, so compare take-home pay and prices with the paycheck calculator and the cost of living calculator.
Lawyers Compared With Other Legal Jobs
| Occupation | Mean annual wage | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyers | $185,840 | $159,670 |
| Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates | $143,830 | $153,990 |
| Judicial law clerks | $72,950 | $64,920 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants | $69,700 | $62,890 |
| All occupations | $69,770 | $50,980 |
Judges have a lower mean than lawyers but a median close to the lawyer median. Judicial law clerks, who assist judges with research and drafting, earn well below lawyers in the BLS data.
What the BLS Numbers Leave Out
The OEWS survey asks employers about the people on their payroll. That shapes what the lawyer figures mean:
- Self-employed lawyers and many partners are not counted. BLS says the survey "does not include the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms." Solo practitioners and partners who own unincorporated law firms fall outside these figures.
- Some pay is excluded. OEWS wages include base pay and production bonuses, but exclude "overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses," and employer-paid benefits.
- Annual figures assume full-time hours. BLS converts hourly rates to annual pay using "a typical work year of 2,080 hours."
- It is a pay survey, not an outcome tracker. The figures do not show starting pay for new graduates, pay by law school or pay by practice area.
Sources & Methodology
- BLS, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025 (released May 15, 2026): release date and the all-occupations mean of $69,770.
- BLS Public Data API (api.bls.gov, OEWS series, retrieved November 8, 2026): every lawyer figure on this page, national (Lawyers, SOC 23-1011: employment, mean, median and percentiles), by industry and ownership, and by state. The same source gives the figures for judges, judicial law clerks, paralegals and all occupations. Series codes are listed in our research file.
- BLS, OEWS Technical Note: who the survey covers, which kinds of pay count, and the 2,080-hour work year.
Every ratio, difference, share and rank on this page is our own arithmetic on the BLS figures, shown for readability. State ranks cover the 50 states and DC; U.S. territories are left out. BLS rounds employment estimates to the nearest ten.
FAQ
What is the average lawyer salary?
$185,840 a year, the mean wage for lawyers in May 2025, according to BLS. That equals $89.35 an hour.
What is the median salary for a lawyer?
$159,670 a year, or $76.76 an hour (May 2025). Half of employed lawyers earn more and half earn less.
What state pays lawyers the most?
Among the states, California has the highest mean lawyer wage, $230,040, and New York the highest median, $207,860. The District of Columbia is higher than any state on the mean, at $242,800.
What state pays lawyers the least?
Mississippi, with a mean of $108,930 and a median of $91,690.
Do government lawyers earn less than law firm lawyers?
It depends on the level of government. Federal executive branch lawyers have a higher median ($178,380) than lawyers at law firms ($157,870). State government lawyers have a lower one ($115,330).
How much do the top lawyers make?
The 90th percentile is $351,600 a year: 1 in 10 employed lawyers earns more. BLS does not count self-employed lawyers or partners in unincorporated firms, so the highest earners may be missing from these figures.
This article is for general information and is not financial or career advice. Figures come from BLS publications and the BLS Public Data API, checked on 2026-11-08. Your pay depends on your employer, location and experience.
