Attorney Salary By State: Highest-Paid Attorneys by State [2026]
Research Summary. After thorough research conducted by the Zippia data science team, we present the following insights into attorney salaries across the United States:
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New York leads the nation with the highest attorney salary at $130,648
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Arkansas has the lowest attorney salary, averaging $59,520
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The national average salary for attorneys is $109,476
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The national hourly wage for attorneys is $52.63
For more details on the specific methodology, click the link.
Background
In job satisfaction surveys, salary continues to be the most critical factor for professionals, including attorneys. Many people wonder: how much can I expect to earn as an attorney in my state?
While individual salaries can vary based on several factors such as experience, specialization, and location within the state, statewide averages provide a useful benchmark. These averages offer a general expectation of attorney compensation based on seniority and role.
Currently, New York remains the state with the highest compensation for attorneys.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for attorney salaries:
Let’s explore how these figures were determined and review the complete ranking of attorney salaries by state.
Highest-Paid Attorneys By State
| Rank | State | Average Attorney Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $130,648 | $85,000 | $199,000 |
| 2 | California | $125,659 | $80,000 | $197,000 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $115,902 | $75,000 | $178,000 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $107,945 | $69,000 | $167,000 |
| 5 | Virginia | $105,281 | $66,000 | $165,000 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $101,074 | $64,000 | $157,000 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $101,051 | $62,000 | $164,000 |
| 8 | Delaware | $100,929 | $64,000 | $157,000 |
| 9 | Mississippi | $100,358 | $60,000 | $165,000 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $97,400 | $64,000 | $146,000 |
| 11 | Vermont | $95,743 | $61,000 | $148,000 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $95,225 | $61,000 | $147,000 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $94,525 | $60,000 | $147,000 |
| 14 | Arizona | $93,188 | $57,000 | $151,000 |
| 15 | Colorado | $92,676 | $59,000 | $145,000 |
| 16 | Maine | $91,820 | $59,000 | $142,000 |
| 17 | Illinois | $91,646 | $59,000 | $141,000 |
| 18 | Maryland | $91,546 | $58,000 | $142,000 |
| 19 | Washington | $90,337 | $57,000 | $143,000 |
| 20 | Texas | $89,493 | $53,000 | $149,000 |
| 21 | Nevada | $87,667 | $54,000 | $140,000 |
| 22 | Oregon | $86,676 | $54,000 | $137,000 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $85,827 | $54,000 | $135,000 |
| 24 | Georgia | $83,232 | $50,000 | $136,000 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $82,538 | $53,000 | $128,000 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $81,422 | $51,000 | $127,000 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $80,971 | $48,000 | $136,000 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $79,839 | $52,000 | $121,000 |
| 29 | Florida | $79,287 | $47,000 | $133,000 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $77,681 | $48,000 | $124,000 |
| 31 | Michigan | $77,633 | $50,000 | $120,000 |
| 32 | Utah | $77,132 | $48,000 | $121,000 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $76,057 | $47,000 | $122,000 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $74,217 | $48,000 | $112,000 |
| 35 | Montana | $73,818 | $48,000 | $113,000 |
| 36 | Alaska | $73,407 | $48,000 | $110,000 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $73,161 | $47,000 | $112,000 |
| 38 | Ohio | $72,939 | $46,000 | $113,000 |
| 39 | Alabama | $72,110 | $43,000 | $119,000 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $71,690 | $51,000 | $100,000 |
| 41 | Iowa | $71,048 | $46,000 | $109,000 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $70,932 | $46,000 | $109,000 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $69,240 | $42,000 | $111,000 |
| 44 | Missouri | $68,519 | $43,000 | $107,000 |
| 45 | Kansas | $66,610 | $42,000 | $104,000 |
| 46 | Idaho | $65,019 | $41,000 | $101,000 |
| 47 | Indiana | $64,013 | $41,000 | $99,000 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $62,861 | $38,000 | $102,000 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $59,905 | $38,000 | $92,000 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $59,520 | $36,000 | $96,000 |
Methodology: Attorney Salary By State
In order to assess attorney salaries by state, Zippia has compiled data from various sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. This information is supplemented with actual salary listings from job postings. The data science team then calculates a weighted average based on these sources to provide an accurate average salary for attorneys in each state.
We ranked states based on the average annual salary data for attorneys, identifying the state with the highest average salary for attorneys.
Attorney Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for attorneys?
The highest-paid state for attorneys is New York, with an average salary of $130,648 per year.
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What city pays attorneys the most?
White Plains, NY offers the highest average salary for attorneys at $131,713 annually.
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What is the worst state for attorneys?
The lowest-paying state for attorneys is Arkansas, with an average salary of $59,520 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
