Research Summary. Following comprehensive analysis by the Zippia data science team, we have updated the details regarding legal extern salaries by state for the United States in 2026:
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New York offers the highest legal extern salary at $91,219.
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Idaho has the lowest legal extern salary at $32,929.
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The national average salary for legal externs is $47,238.
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The national hourly rate for legal externs is $22.71.
For detailed insights, read about our specific methodology.
Background
In various surveys, salary remains the top priority for job seekers, with most individuals asking: how much do legal externs earn in my area?
While individual salaries can vary based on location and experience, there is robust data available that outlines average salaries for legal externs by state across the U.S., segmented by seniority level. Although city-specific averages might differ, these state averages provide a reliable benchmark for what you can expect to earn.
Currently, the state with the highest salary for legal externs is New York.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for legal extern salaries:
Now, let’s examine how we arrived at these figures, along with a comprehensive ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Legal Externs By State
| Rank | State | Average Legal Extern Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $91,219 | $49,000 | $166,000 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $81,690 | $44,000 | $150,000 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $81,550 | $43,000 | $151,000 |
| 4 | California | $80,329 | $42,000 | $151,000 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $76,975 | $41,000 | $142,000 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $76,856 | $41,000 | $141,000 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $76,025 | $40,000 | $143,000 |
| 8 | Vermont | $75,813 | $41,000 | $139,000 |
| 9 | Maryland | $74,456 | $39,000 | $141,000 |
| 10 | Maine | $73,624 | $40,000 | $133,000 |
| 11 | Virginia | $73,227 | $38,000 | $140,000 |
| 12 | Illinois | $72,550 | $38,000 | $136,000 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $69,805 | $37,000 | $128,000 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $65,427 | $34,000 | $125,000 |
| 15 | Oregon | $61,734 | $33,000 | $113,000 |
| 16 | Delaware | $61,434 | $32,000 | $117,000 |
| 17 | Michigan | $61,112 | $31,000 | $116,000 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $60,522 | $34,000 | $107,000 |
| 19 | Washington | $58,096 | $32,000 | $104,000 |
| 20 | Ohio | $55,735 | $29,000 | $106,000 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $55,616 | $30,000 | $102,000 |
| 22 | Alaska | $54,155 | $35,000 | $81,000 |
| 23 | Arizona | $53,666 | $28,000 | $100,000 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $53,097 | $28,000 | $100,000 |
| 25 | Nevada | $52,231 | $27,000 | $100,000 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $50,641 | $27,000 | $92,000 |
| 27 | Texas | $50,190 | $27,000 | $92,000 |
| 28 | Georgia | $49,826 | $27,000 | $91,000 |
| 29 | Colorado | $49,654 | $27,000 | $90,000 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $49,323 | $26,000 | $92,000 |
| 31 | Iowa | $47,753 | $26,000 | $87,000 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $47,677 | $25,000 | $89,000 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $47,592 | $25,000 | $90,000 |
| 34 | Utah | $44,370 | $24,000 | $80,000 |
| 35 | Missouri | $44,338 | $24,000 | $81,000 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $44,088 | $35,000 | $55,000 |
| 37 | Kansas | $42,946 | $23,000 | $78,000 |
| 38 | Indiana | $42,765 | $22,000 | $80,000 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $42,659 | $23,000 | $76,000 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $42,064 | $22,000 | $77,000 |
| 41 | Montana | $41,891 | $24,000 | $72,000 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $40,954 | $22,000 | $75,000 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $40,752 | $22,000 | $72,000 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $40,372 | $22,000 | $73,000 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $39,671 | $21,000 | $72,000 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $39,336 | $21,000 | $72,000 |
| 47 | Florida | $37,537 | $20,000 | $67,000 |
| 48 | Alabama | $37,367 | $20,000 | $68,000 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $36,740 | $20,000 | $67,000 |
| 50 | Idaho | $32,929 | $18,000 | $59,000 |
Methodology: Legal Extern Salary By State
To gain a deeper understanding of legal extern compensation by state, Zippia has compiled data from various reliable sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We augment this data with actual salaries listed in job postings. The data science team then calculates a weighted average from these inputs to derive the average pay for legal externs by state.
The average annual salary data for legal externs was analyzed, and each state was ranked based on these findings, with the state exhibiting the highest salary being recognized as the leading state for legal externs.
Legal Extern Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for legal externs?
The highest-paid state for legal externs is New York, with an average salary of $91,219 per year.
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What city pays legal externs the most?
Washington, DC, offers the highest salaries for legal externs, averaging $105,799 per year.
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What is the worst state for legal externs?
The state with the lowest average salary for legal externs is Idaho, at $32,929 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.
