How much does a lawyer make? Lawyer salary and hourly pay
A lawyer in the US earns a median of $159,670 a year, about $76.76 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $78,360 and the top 10% earn over $351,600. Pay depends heavily on the state: the top-paying state, New York, has a median of $207,860.
Lawyer pay calculator
Gross pay before taxes. If you enter your own hourly rate, it replaces the BLS figure. Otherwise hourly rate = BLS annual figure ÷ 2,080 hours (40 hours × 52 weeks), the same convention BLS uses.
How much does a lawyer make an hour?
The median lawyer earns $76.76 an hour. Hourly pay ranges from about $37.67 for the lowest-paid 10% to $169.04 for the highest-paid 10%.
| Pay level | Per year | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (bottom 10%) | $78,360 | $37.67 |
| Lower 25% | $102,990 | $49.51 |
| Median (typical) | $159,670 | $76.76 |
| Upper 25% | $221,370 | $106.43 |
| Top 10% | $351,600 | $169.04 |
Lawyer salary by state
Median annual pay for lawyers in every state, from BLS May 2025 data.
| State | Median per year | ≈ Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $131,970 | $63.45 |
| Alaska | $149,940 | $72.09 |
| Arizona | $134,260 | $64.55 |
| Arkansas | $98,880 | $47.54 |
| California | $195,080 | $93.79 |
| Colorado | $168,520 | $81.02 |
| Connecticut | $163,600 | $78.65 |
| Delaware | $173,510 | $83.42 |
| District of Columbia | $195,190 | $93.84 |
| Florida | $133,180 | $64.03 |
| Georgia | $134,830 | $64.82 |
| Hawaii | $124,990 | $60.09 |
| Idaho | $103,400 | $49.71 |
| Illinois | $160,800 | $77.31 |
| Indiana | $126,860 | $60.99 |
| Iowa | $123,550 | $59.40 |
| Kansas | $106,650 | $51.27 |
| Kentucky | $101,550 | $48.82 |
| Louisiana | $104,100 | $50.05 |
| Maine | $113,120 | $54.38 |
| Maryland | $139,110 | $66.88 |
| Massachusetts | $176,680 | $84.94 |
| Michigan | $130,520 | $62.75 |
| Minnesota | $155,140 | $74.59 |
| Mississippi | $91,690 | $44.08 |
| Missouri | $133,450 | $64.16 |
| Montana | $103,720 | $49.87 |
| Nebraska | $109,170 | $52.49 |
| Nevada | $150,510 | $72.36 |
| New Hampshire | $120,810 | $58.08 |
| New Jersey | $161,430 | $77.61 |
| New Mexico | $119,680 | $57.54 |
| New York | $207,860 | $99.93 |
| North Carolina | $127,710 | $61.40 |
| North Dakota | $106,880 | $51.38 |
| Ohio | $131,020 | $62.99 |
| Oklahoma | $103,060 | $49.55 |
| Oregon | $138,210 | $66.45 |
| Pennsylvania | $157,180 | $75.57 |
| Rhode Island | $138,960 | $66.81 |
| South Carolina | $120,310 | $57.84 |
| South Dakota | $102,040 | $49.06 |
| Tennessee | $136,180 | $65.47 |
| Texas | $154,200 | $74.13 |
| Utah | $132,830 | $63.86 |
| Vermont | $127,310 | $61.21 |
| Virginia | $167,210 | $80.39 |
| Washington | $154,130 | $74.10 |
| West Virginia | $102,420 | $49.24 |
| Wisconsin | $126,760 | $60.94 |
| Wyoming | $100,130 | $48.14 |
Highest-paying states for lawyers
- New York: $207,860 median
- District of Columbia: $195,190 median
- California: $195,080 median
- Massachusetts: $176,680 median
- Delaware: $173,510 median
The lowest medians are in Mississippi ($91,690), Arkansas ($98,880), Wyoming ($100,130), Kentucky ($101,550), South Dakota ($102,040). The most lawyer jobs are in California (95,770 jobs), New York (91,870 jobs), Texas (56,580 jobs), Florida (55,210 jobs), Illinois (33,590 jobs).
How much does a lawyer make a month?
At the median salary of $159,670, a lawyer earns about $13,306 a month, $6,141 every two weeks or $3,071 a week, before taxes.
Entry-level vs. experienced lawyer pay
New lawyers typically start near the bottom of the range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $78,360 a year and the lowest 25% under $102,990. The top 25% earn over $221,370 and the top 10% over $351,600. BLS does not break pay down by years of experience; these percentiles are the closest official measure.
Lawyer salary vs. similar jobs
| Job | Median per year |
|---|---|
| Lawyer | $159,670 |
| Software engineer | $135,980 |
| Cyber security analyst | $129,180 |
| Accountant | $83,680 |
| Financial advisor | $105,070 |
| Construction manager | $114,990 |
Common questions
How much does a lawyer make?
The US median is $159,670 a year ($76.76 an hour), based on BLS May 2025 data.
How much does a lawyer make an hour?
The median is about $76.76 an hour. The bottom 10% earn about $37.67 and the top 10% about $169.04 an hour.
Which state pays lawyers the most?
New York has the highest median at $207,860, followed by District of Columbia ($195,190) and California ($195,080).
How much does a lawyer make a month?
At the US median of $159,670 a year, about $13,306 a month or $6,141 every two weeks, before taxes.
How much does an entry-level lawyer make?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $78,360 a year and the lowest 25% under $102,990, the closest official measure of starting pay.
How much do the top 10% of lawyers make?
The top 10% earn over $351,600 a year; the top 25% earn over $221,370.
How much does a lawyer make in California, Texas, Florida and New York?
Median annual pay is $195,080 in California, $154,200 in Texas, $133,180 in Florida, $207,860 in New York, per BLS May 2025 data.
Last reviewed October 31, 2026. All figures are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 survey (occupation code 23-1011, “Lawyers”), the most recent official release; “median” means half earn more and half earn less. Figures are gross pay before taxes and benefits. Note: BLS counts only employees, not self-employed lawyers or business owners, whose income can be quite different. See the BLS OEWS tables and the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. This page is general information, not career or financial advice.