What is the Average Lawyer Salary in the U.S.?
Thousands of students complete law degrees and pursue attorney jobs each year. Prospective lawyers spend their law school years learning the skills necessary to find the jobs they've worked so hard for. Earning a law degree can lead to many employment options - working as an attorney is just one of many lucrative career choices.
The average salary of a lawyer is dependent upon many things such as gender, years of experience, degree attained, type of law and location of practice. As with many careers that require additional schooling, lawyer starting salaries are typically fairly high. Average starting salary ranges from $40,000 to around $90,000. However, after 20 years of experience, the average salary for a lawyer continues to climb. Women tend to make slightly less than their male counterparts. The average salary for female attorney is $51,570 - $95,797 compared to a male attorney at $57,224 - $109,239.
Average salary based on reporting of degree:
- Juris Doctor, Master of Jurisprudence or Master of Law: $44,402 - $144,493
- Bachelor's Degree: $48,205 - $167,306
- Bachelor of Arts, Political Science: $46,744 - $148,360
Comparing the average salary of a lawyer by practice area shows that a lawyer working in a corporate setting usually provides the highest average annual salary for a lawyer, followed closely by jobs in litigation and appeals. Those working as a public defender report the lowest salary.
Location plays a very large role in lawyer’s salaries. The average salary for a lawyer tends to be higher in cities like Washington, San Francisco and New York. The top 10 highest salaries by city are:
1. Reno, Nevada
2. Newport Beach, California
3. Washington, District of Columbia
4. San Francisco, California
5. Costa Mesa, California
6. Walnut Creek, California
7. Wilmington, Delaware
8. San Jose, California
9. New Haven, Connecticut
10. Fort Worth, Texas