Legal salaries in the US
Half of US legal jobs that state an annual salary start at $120,000 or more. Based on 3,117 live job ads that show the pay, out of 5,182.
Pay
Advertised starting salaries
The band covers the middle 80%: one in ten starts below $65,000 and one in ten above $207,550.
By job title
Common legal job titles
| Title | Median | Salaries |
|---|---|---|
| Director | $186,000 | 59 |
| Attorney | $106,437 | 51 |
| Senior Counsel | $191,153 | 47 |
| Associate Attorney | $119,400 | 38 |
| Manager | $112,500 | 32 |
| Buyer | $70,000 | 31 |
| Paralegal | $68,000 | 29 |
| Counsel | $160,000 | 28 |
| Associate Director | $164,000 | 26 |
| Corporate Counsel | $150,000 | 25 |
| Associate General Counsel | $192,112 | 24 |
| Legal Assistant | $63,000 | 24 |
By state
Where legal jobs pay most
| State | Median | Salaries |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $142,500 | 133 |
| California | $140,000 | 554 |
| Washington | $136,098 | 90 |
| New York | $132,000 | 415 |
| New Jersey | $122,500 | 88 |
| District of Columbia | $115,000 | 133 |
| Virginia | $112,000 | 107 |
| Illinois | $110,000 | 119 |
| Texas | $107,305 | 93 |
| Colorado | $107,000 | 88 |
| Maryland | $102,415 | 47 |
| North Carolina | $100,000 | 31 |
| Georgia | $90,000 | 41 |
| Minnesota | $89,052 | 38 |
| Florida | $79,000 | 44 |
States with at least 30 distinct salaries. Pay in job ads is required by law in some states, so those have more data.
By employer
Highest-advertising employers
- DLA Piper$235,000 · 13 salaries
- Jackson Lewis P.C$220,750 · 16 salaries
- Brex$204,500 · 10 salaries
- Bristol Myers Squibb$194,875 · 14 salaries
- The L Suite$180,000 · 14 salaries
- Tyson & Mendes LLP$150,000 · 20 salaries
- Clyde & Co$140,000 · 13 salaries
- Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara, LLP$135,000 · 10 salaries
- Current Openings at Lewis Brisbois$135,000 · 33 salaries
- Job Opportunities at Latham & Watkins LLP$122,500 · 14 salaries
Employers with at least 10 distinct salaries in this field, ranked by median.
Legal pay questions
What is the average salary for legal jobs in the US?+
The median advertised starting salary is $120,000, based on 2,486 distinct salaries in live US job ads. One in ten starts below $65,000 and one in ten above $207,550.
What do hourly legal jobs pay?+
The median advertised hourly rate is $25.67, from 288 hourly roles.
Which state pays the most for legal jobs?+
Massachusetts, with a median advertised starting salary of $142,500 (133 salaries).
How many legal jobs show the pay?+
60% of 5,182 live legal jobs on Joboru US state the pay.