What Percentage of Lawyers Are Female in 2026?
52.1% of lawyers in the United States are female. This figure reflects a steady increase over recent years, marking a 0.8% rise compared to the previous year and a significant increase of 4.8 percentage points since 2010.
This statistic translates to approximately 9,815 female lawyers and 9,362 male lawyers in the U.S., based solely on the 18,837 individuals holding the job title of lawyer, excluding similar titles.
Percentage of Female Lawyers by Year
| Year | Female Lawyers | Male Lawyers | Percentage Female Lawyers | Percentage Male Lawyers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 9,814 | 9,022 | 52.1% | 47.9% |
| 2018 | 9,663 | 9,173 | 51.3% | 48.7% |
| 2017 | 9,757 | 9,079 | 51.8% | 48.2% |
| 2016 | 9,776 | 9,060 | 51.9% | 48.1% |
| 2015 | 9,757 | 9,079 | 51.8% | 48.2% |
| 2014 | 9,248 | 9,588 | 49.1% | 50.9% |
| 2013 | 9,230 | 9,606 | 49.0% | 51.0% |
| 2012 | 9,098 | 9,738 | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| 2011 | 9,060 | 9,776 | 48.1% | 51.9% |
| 2010 | 8,909 | 9,927 | 47.3% | 52.7% |
Moreover, female lawyers tend to be younger than their male counterparts, with an average age of 41 compared to 44.4 for male lawyers.
While women make up the majority of lawyers in the U.S. as of 2022, certain legal specialties still see male dominance. For instance, 72% of patent attorneys are male, while 76% of veteran appeals reviewers are female.
The gender pay gap persists in the legal profession, with the average male lawyer earning approximately $123,917 annually, while female lawyers earn around $115,365. This indicates that male lawyers earn about 7.4% more than their female colleagues.
Frequently Asked Questions About Female Lawyers
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Are lawyer jobs male or female dominated?
Lawyer jobs are female-dominated, though only by a slight margin. In the U.S., 52.1% of lawyers are female, while 47.9% are male.
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What percentage of law school graduates are female?
52.4% of law school graduates are female, representing a dramatic increase from 1970, when only 8.6% of graduates were female.
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Are females underrepresented in the law?
Yes, females are underrepresented in the law. Only 22.7% of partners in private law firms in the U.S. are women, and even the top firms with the highest female representation have only around 33.2% female partners.
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How has the number of female lawyers changed over time?
The number of female lawyers has grown by 10.1% since 2010. In 2010, there were 8,910 female lawyers, and recent data indicates that there are now 9,814 female lawyers in the U.S.
Author
Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.
