Lawyers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for lawyers is $159,670, or $76.76 per hour. About 754,500 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $207,860 in New York to $91,690 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $207,860 | $99.93 | 91,870 | 1.95 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $195,190 | $93.84 | 33,070 | 9.71 |
| 3 | California | $195,080 | $93.79 | 95,770 | 1.08 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $176,680 | $84.94 | 23,560 | 1.33 |
| 5 | Delaware | $173,510 | $83.42 | 2,920 | 1.24 |
| 6 | Colorado | $168,520 | $81.02 | 16,720 | 1.20 |
| 7 | Virginia | $167,210 | $80.39 | 18,580 | 0.93 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $163,600 | $78.66 | 8,420 | 1.02 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $161,430 | $77.61 | 23,160 | 1.11 |
| 10 | Illinois | $160,800 | $77.31 | 33,590 | 1.14 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $157,180 | $75.57 | 27,170 | 0.92 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $155,140 | $74.59 | 12,380 | 0.86 |
| 13 | Texas | $154,200 | $74.13 | 56,580 | 0.83 |
| 14 | Washington | $154,130 | $74.10 | 12,770 | 0.74 |
| 15 | Nevada | $150,510 | $72.36 | 6,490 | 0.86 |
| 16 | Alaska | $149,940 | $72.09 | 1,120 | 0.71 |
| 17 | Maryland | $139,110 | $66.88 | 13,810 | 1.03 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $138,960 | $66.81 | 1,840 | 0.76 |
| 19 | Oregon | $138,210 | $66.45 | 7,150 | 0.75 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $136,180 | $65.47 | 9,010 | 0.57 |
| 21 | Georgia | $134,830 | $64.82 | 23,930 | 1.01 |
| 22 | Arizona | $134,260 | $64.55 | 11,640 | 0.74 |
| 23 | Missouri | $133,450 | $64.16 | 11,560 | 0.81 |
| 24 | Florida | $133,180 | $64.03 | 55,210 | 1.15 |
| 25 | Utah | $132,830 | $63.86 | 7,020 | 0.83 |
| 26 | Alabama | $131,970 | $63.45 | 6,730 | 0.66 |
| 27 | Ohio | $131,020 | $62.99 | 19,950 | 0.74 |
| 28 | Michigan | $130,520 | $62.75 | 16,620 | 0.78 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $127,710 | $61.40 | 17,000 | 0.71 |
| 30 | Vermont | $127,310 | $61.21 | 1,330 | 0.90 |
| 31 | Indiana | $126,860 | $60.99 | 8,970 | 0.58 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $126,760 | $60.94 | 9,160 | 0.64 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $124,990 | $60.09 | 2,270 | 0.75 |
| 34 | Iowa | $123,550 | $59.40 | 3,550 | 0.47 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $120,810 | $58.08 | 2,250 | 0.68 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $120,310 | $57.84 | 7,890 | 0.71 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $119,680 | $57.54 | 3,380 | 0.80 |
| 38 | Maine | $113,120 | $54.39 | 2,280 | 0.73 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $109,170 | $52.49 | 3,490 | 0.70 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $106,880 | $51.39 | 1,050 | 0.50 |
| 41 | Kansas | $106,650 | $51.28 | 4,190 | 0.60 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $104,100 | $50.05 | 10,200 | 1.09 |
| 43 | Montana | $103,720 | $49.87 | 2,380 | 0.96 |
| 44 | Idaho | $103,400 | $49.71 | 2,490 | 0.60 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $103,060 | $49.55 | 6,980 | 0.84 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $102,420 | $49.24 | 2,440 | 0.72 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $102,040 | $49.06 | 1,360 | 0.61 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $101,550 | $48.82 | 5,770 | 0.59 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $100,130 | $48.14 | 900 | 0.66 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $98,880 | $47.54 | 3,430 | 0.54 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $91,690 | $44.08 | 3,100 | 0.55 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do lawyers make?
The median annual wage for lawyers in the United States is $159,670, or $76.76 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $78,360, and the top 10% earn $351,600.
How many lawyers are employed in the U.S.?
About 754,500 people work as lawyers nationwide.
Which state pays lawyers the most?
New York pays the most at a median of $207,860, followed by District of Columbia ($195,190) and California ($195,080).
Which state pays lawyers the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $91,690.
Where are lawyers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 9.71×.