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Associate attorney salary
Average associate attorney salary
$110,053
Understanding Associate Attorney Salaries
As of October 2025, Associate Attorneys in the U.S. earn an average salary of $110,053 annually. This figure can vary widely depending on various factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specific legal fields. For instance, attorneys in metropolitan areas often command higher salaries due to increased demand and cost of living.
Factors Affecting Salary
- Location: States like California and New York generally offer higher pay for Associate Attorneys.
- Experience Level: Entry-level attorneys may start at a lower salary, while those with more experience can see significant increases.
- Specialization: Areas such as corporate law and intellectual property may yield higher earnings compared to general practice.
Additionally, understanding salary trends can provide a competitive edge when negotiating job offers. Many resources, including salary estimates and industry reports, can help job seekers make informed decisions about their career paths.
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Where can an Associate Attorney earn more?
Associate attorney salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level associate attorney | $63,900 | $30.71 |
| Mid-level associate attorney | $77,100 | $37.06 |
| Senior-level associate attorney | $162,000 | $77.72 |
Associate attorney salary estimates from across the web
Average associate attorney salary by state
The average associate attorney salary in California, New York, and New Mexico are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average associate attorney salary states are Ohio, Wyoming, and Missouri.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for associate attorneys
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $115,404 | $55.48 |
| 2 | California | $117,440 | $56.46 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $117,991 | $56.73 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $107,630 | $51.75 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $97,966 | $47.10 |
| 6 | Colorado | $94,668 | $45.51 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $95,996 | $46.15 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $93,378 | $44.89 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $100,908 | $48.51 |
| 10 | Texas | $87,640 | $42.13 |
| 11 | Mississippi | $103,015 | $49.53 |
| 12 | Maine | $92,306 | $44.38 |
| 13 | Virginia | $88,241 | $42.42 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $94,920 | $45.63 |
| 15 | Vermont | $96,351 | $46.32 |
| 16 | Florida | $81,250 | $39.06 |
| 17 | Oregon | $92,457 | $44.45 |
| 18 | Utah | $91,468 | $43.98 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $83,472 | $40.13 |
| 20 | Nevada | $87,849 | $42.24 |
| 21 | Georgia | $79,718 | $38.33 |
| 22 | Montana | $77,944 | $37.47 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $84,394 | $40.57 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $82,271 | $39.55 |
| 25 | Arizona | $80,268 | $38.59 |
| 26 | Illinois | $80,606 | $38.75 |
| 27 | Washington | $81,278 | $39.08 |
| 28 | Delaware | $80,936 | $38.91 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $76,877 | $36.96 |
| 30 | Alaska | $81,828 | $39.34 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $78,059 | $37.53 |
| 32 | Idaho | $71,117 | $34.19 |
| 33 | Michigan | $69,711 | $33.51 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $75,652 | $36.37 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $72,239 | $34.73 |
| 36 | Maryland | $73,778 | $35.47 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $62,203 | $29.91 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $68,827 | $33.09 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $73,186 | $35.19 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $68,832 | $33.09 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $68,748 | $33.05 |
| 42 | Alabama | $71,761 | $34.50 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $70,529 | $33.91 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $71,362 | $34.31 |
| 45 | Missouri | $61,185 | $29.42 |
| 46 | Ohio | $64,971 | $31.24 |
| 47 | Kansas | $65,109 | $31.30 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $59,961 | $28.83 |
| 49 | Iowa | $65,033 | $31.27 |
| 50 | Indiana | $58,191 | $27.98 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $60,085 | $28.89 |
Highest paying cities for associate attorneys
The highest-paying cities for associate attorneys are San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $121,561 | $58.44 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $118,592 | $57.02 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $116,048 | $55.79 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $98,089 | $47.16 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $94,154 | $45.27 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $91,445 | $43.96 |
| 7 | Reston, VA | $89,856 | $43.20 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $87,791 | $42.21 |
| 9 | Dallas, TX | $87,679 | $42.15 |
| 10 | Fort Lee, NJ | $84,546 | $40.65 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $82,995 | $39.90 |
| 12 | Tampa, FL | $82,040 | $39.44 |
| 13 | Seattle, WA | $81,860 | $39.36 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $81,068 | $38.98 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $80,642 | $38.77 |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $79,227 | $38.09 |
| 17 | Minneapolis, MN | $76,948 | $36.99 |
| 18 | Troy, MI | $70,022 | $33.66 |
| 19 | Cleveland, OH | $67,308 | $32.36 |
| 20 | Saint Louis, MO | $61,229 | $29.44 |
Associate Attorneys are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Associate attorney salary details
An associate attorney's salary ranges from $70,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $170,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an associate attorney's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $170,000 | $14,167 | $82 |
| 75th Percentile | $138,000 | $11,500 | $66 |
| Average | $110,053 | $9,171 | $53 |
| 25th Percentile | $87,000 | $7,250 | $42 |
| 10th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
Highest paying associate attorney jobs
The highest paying types of associate attorneys are associate counsel, associate general counsel, and lawyer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Consultant | $75,024 | $6,252 | $36.07 | 16,118 |
| Litigation Paralegal | $58,484 | $4,874 | $28.12 | 5,132 |
| Law Clerk | $55,916 | $4,660 | $26.88 | 75,014 |
| Lawyer | $115,808 | $9,651 | $55.68 | 2,897 |
| Housing Counselor | $78,730 | $6,561 | $37.85 | 33,639 |
| Attorney At Law | $108,018 | $9,002 | $51.93 | 7,025 |
Top companies hiring associate attorneys now:
Which companies pay associate attorneys the most?
Associate attorney salaries at Schiff Hardin and Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average associate attorney salary at companies like Irell & Manella and Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Schiff Hardin | $213,499 | $102.64 |
| 2 | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough | $206,375 | $99.22 |
| 3 | Irell & Manella | $205,922 | $99.00 |
| 4 | Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton | $205,728 | $98.91 |
| 5 | Cozen O'Connor | $204,881 | $98.50 |
| 6 | Reed Smith | $203,681 | $97.92 |
| 7 | Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner | $202,483 | $97.35 |
| 8 | Vinson & Elkins | $202,225 | $97.22 |
| 9 | Nixon Peabody | $200,784 | $96.53 |
| 10 | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld | $200,553 | $96.42 |
| 11 | Hughes Hubbard & Reed | $200,547 | $96.42 |
| 12 | O'Melveny | $200,480 | $96.38 |
| 13 | Alston & Bird | $198,913 | $95.63 |
| 14 | McGuireWoods | $193,885 | $93.21 |
| 15 | Perkins Coie | $193,201 | $92.89 |
| 16 | Cahill Gordon & Reindel | $192,613 | $92.60 |
| 17 | Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman | $192,239 | $92.42 |
| 18 | Day Pitney | $189,554 | $91.13 |
| 19 | Boies Schiller Flexner | $187,771 | $90.27 |
| 20 | Manatt, Phelps & Phillips | $186,182 | $89.51 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Associate attorney salary trends
The average associate attorney salary has risen by $11,809 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average associate attorney earned $98,244 annually, but today, they earn $110,053 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for associate attorneys over the last decade.
Compare associate attorney salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average associate attorney salary over time
Compare associate attorney salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Associate attorney salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $110,000 | $52.91 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $107,000 | $51.26 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $105,000 | $50.40 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $103,000 | $49.71 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $102,000 | $49.25 | +2.0% |
Recently added associate attorney salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McMichael and Gray | Associate Attorney | New York, NY | 06/30/2025 | $85,000 |
| Omega Point Partners | NY-Capital Markets Associate Attorney (Corporate Transactions) | New York, NY | 06/30/2025 | $235,000 |
| Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith | General Liability Associate Attorney | Denver, CO | 06/29/2025 | $130,000 |
| Bowman and Brooke | Associate Attorney (Warranty + Product Liability Defense) | San Diego, CA | 06/29/2025 | $170,000 |
| Litchfield Cavo LLP | Associate Attorney (General Liability) | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $120,000 |
| Get It-Professional Services | Labor & Employment Associate Attorney-Remote | Houston, TX | 06/29/2025 | $62,000 |
| Get It-Finance | Associate Attorney-Remote | WFH | Charlotte, NC | 06/29/2025 | $40,000 |
| Get It-Professional Services | Associate Attorney-Remote | WFH | Phoenix, AZ | 06/29/2025 | $100,000 |
| Get It-Real Estate | Trust & Estates Associate Attorney/SR Associate-Remote | WFH | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $200,000 |
| Wilson Elser-Attorneys | Product Liability Associate Attorney | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $125,000 |
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