Attorney demographics and statistics in the US
Attorney demographics research summary. Zippia estimates attorney demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our attorney estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about attorneys after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 348,457 attorneys currently employed in the United States.
- 50.1% of all attorneys are women, while 49.9% are men.
- The average attorney age is 46 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of attorneys is White (75.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.8%), Asian (6.4%) and Black or African American (5.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 10% of all attorneys are LGBT.
- Attorneys are 78% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Attorney demographics by:
Attorney gender statistics
50.1% of attorneys are women and 49.9% of attorneys are men.
- Female, 50.1%
- Male, 49.9%
Attorney gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 50.1% |
| Male | 49.9% |
Attorney gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$96,296
Female income
$91,108
Attorney gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in attorney positions over time. Currently, 50.1% of attorneys are female.
Attorney gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 56.96% | 43.04% |
| 2011 | 56.15% | 43.85% |
| 2012 | 55.97% | 44.03% |
| 2013 | 55.33% | 44.67% |
| 2014 | 55.24% | 44.76% |
| 2015 | 52.55% | 47.45% |
| 2016 | 52.45% | 47.55% |
| 2017 | 52.56% | 47.44% |
| 2018 | 52.97% | 47.03% |
| 2019 | 52.24% | 47.76% |
| 2020 | 50.33% | 49.67% |
| 2021 | 49.90% | 50.10% |
Attorney related jobs gender ratio
We compared attorneys with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, patent examiner and patent attorney have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran Appeals Reviewer | 17% | 83% |
| Guardian Ad Litem | 18% | 82% |
| Surrogate | 18% | 82% |
| Attorney | 50% | 50% |
| Patent Analyst | 72% | 28% |
| Patent Attorney | 79% | 21% |
| Patent Examiner | 81% | 19% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Attorney demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among attorneys is White, which makes up 75.5% of all attorneys. Comparatively, 7.8% of attorneys are Hispanic or Latino and 6.4% of attorneys are Asian.
- White, 75.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.8%
- Asian, 6.4%
- Black or African American, 5.6%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Attorney race
| Attorney race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.8% |
| Asian | 6.4% |
| Black or African American | 5.6% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Attorney race and ethnicity over time
See how attorney racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Attorney race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 82.11% | 5.18% | 4.83% | 6.04% |
| 2011 | 81.88% | 5.49% | 4.99% | 5.87% |
| 2012 | 81.96% | 5.12% | 5.16% | 6.06% |
| 2013 | 81.71% | 5.21% | 5.20% | 5.79% |
| 2014 | 81.05% | 5.71% | 5.43% | 5.94% |
| 2015 | 80.96% | 5.37% | 5.52% | 6.36% |
| 2016 | 80.39% | 5.43% | 5.68% | 6.64% |
| 2017 | 80.42% | 5.40% | 5.65% | 6.41% |
| 2018 | 79.78% | 5.58% | 5.57% | 7.03% |
| 2019 | 79.31% | 5.56% | 5.95% | 7.09% |
| 2020 | 76.79% | 5.46% | 6.26% | 7.24% |
| 2021 | 75.45% | 5.60% | 6.42% | 7.83% |
Attorney wage gap by race
According to our data, asian attorneys have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american attorneys have the lowest average salary at $92,307.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $95,562 |
| White | $98,026 |
| Black or African American | $92,307 |
| Asian | $102,176 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $93,719 |
Average attorney age
See how the average age of attorneys varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Attorney age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 46 | 44 |
| Unknown | 46 | 40 |
| Asian | 41 | 40.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 43 | 39 |
| White | 48 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 51 | 50 |
Attorney age breakdown
The average age of attorneys is 40+ years years old, representing 67% of the attorney population.
Attorney age breakdown
| Attorney Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 67% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
Attorney educational attainment
The most common degree for attorneys is doctoral degree, with 48% of attorneys earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 40% and bachelor's degree degree at 5%.
- Doctorate, 48%
- Bachelor's, 40%
- Master's, 5%
- Associate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Attorneys by degree level
| Attorney degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Doctorate | 48% |
| Bachelor's | 40% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Associate | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Attorney jobs you might like
Attorney employment statistics
Most attorneys work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where attorneys work
Below, you can see the size of companies where attorneys work.
Attorney jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 11% |
Attorney jobs by company type
Employees with the attorney job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most attorneys prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Attorney jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 9% |
| Private | 78% |
| Government | 12% |
Attorney jobs by industry
The most common industries for attorneys are professional, government and technology.
Attorney industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 49% |
| Government | 11% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
Attorney turnover and employment statistics
Attorney unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for attorneys between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Attorney unemployment rate by year
| Year | Attorney unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.19% |
| 2011 | 1.85% |
| 2012 | 1.64% |
| 2013 | 1.90% |
| 2014 | 1.57% |
| 2015 | 1.34% |
| 2016 | 1.09% |
| 2017 | 1.17% |
| 2018 | 1.10% |
| 2019 | 1.16% |
| 2020 | 1.33% |
| 2021 | 1.55% |
Average attorney tenure
The average attorney stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 49,359 attorneys resumes in Zippia's database.
Attorney tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 18% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
Attorney LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of attorneys that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| State Appellate Clerk | 5.54% | 66,802 |
| Real Estate Paralegal | 6.63% | 24,369 |
| Title Junior Assistant | 8.14% | 12,219 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| Attorney | 10.48% | - |
| Legislative Assistant | 14.16% | 188 |
Similar attorney jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| State Appellate Clerk | 5.54% | 66,802 |
| Real Estate Paralegal | 6.63% | 24,369 |
| Title Junior Assistant | 8.14% | 12,219 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| Legislative Assistant | 14.16% | 188 |
Foreign languages spoken by attorneys
The most common foreign language among attorneys is Spanish at 48.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 13.4% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 4.9%.
- Spanish, 48.9%
- French, 13.4%
- Portuguese, 4.9%
- Italian, 4.5%
- Russian, 4.5%
- Other, 23.8%
Attorney languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 48.9% |
| French | 13.4% |
| Portuguese | 4.9% |
| Italian | 4.5% |
| Russian | 4.5% |
| Other | 23.8% |
