Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for contract attorneys in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- There are over 235,839 contract attorneys currently employed in the United States.
- 49.1% of all contract attorneys are women, while 50.9% are men.
- The average age of an employed contract attorney is 46 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of contract attorneys is White (75.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.7%), Asian (6.3%) and Black or African American (5.5%).
- Contract attorneys are most in-demand in Atlanta, GA.
- San Ramon, CA pays an annual average wage of $116,000, the highest in the US.
- In 2021, women earned 94% of what men earned.
- California is the best state for contract attorneys to live.
- Contract attorneys are 78% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
Contract Attorney Statistics By Gender
49.1% of contract attorneys are women and 50.9% of contract attorneys are men.
- Male, 50.9%
- Female, 49.1%
Contract Attorneys By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 50.9% |
| Female | 49.1% |
Gender Pay Gap For Contract Attorney
Women Earn 94ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men
Contract Attorney Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the contract attorney position over time.
Contract Attorney Gender By Year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 57.99% | 42.01% |
| 2011 | 57.18% | 42.82% |
| 2012 | 57.00% | 43.00% |
| 2013 | 56.37% | 43.63% |
| 2014 | 56.28% | 43.72% |
| 2015 | 53.60% | 46.40% |
| 2016 | 53.50% | 46.50% |
| 2017 | 53.61% | 46.39% |
| 2018 | 54.01% | 45.99% |
| 2019 | 53.29% | 46.71% |
| 2020 | 51.38% | 48.62% |
| 2021 | 50.95% | 49.05% |
Contract Attorney Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, patent examiner and patent attorney have the biggest difference in gender.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran Appeals Reviewer | 17% | 83% |
| Guardian Ad Litem | 18% | 82% |
| Surrogate | 18% | 82% |
| Contract Attorney | 51% | 49% |
| Patent Analyst | 72% | 28% |
| Patent Attorney | 79% | 21% |
| Patent Examiner | 81% | 19% |
Contract Attorney Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among contract attorneys is White, which makes up 75.9% of all contract attorneys. Comparatively, there are 7.7% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 6.3% of the Asian ethnicity.
- White, 75.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.7%
- Asian, 6.3%
- Black or African American, 5.5%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Contract Attorney Race
| Contract Attorney Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.7% |
| Asian | 6.3% |
| Black or African American | 5.5% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Contract Attorney Race And Ethnicity Over Time
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among contract attorneys.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Contract Attorney Race By Year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 82.52% | 5.05% | 4.71% | 5.90% |
| 2011 | 82.29% | 5.36% | 4.87% | 5.73% |
| 2012 | 82.37% | 4.99% | 5.04% | 5.92% |
| 2013 | 82.12% | 5.07% | 5.08% | 5.65% |
| 2014 | 81.46% | 5.58% | 5.31% | 5.80% |
| 2015 | 81.37% | 5.23% | 5.40% | 6.22% |
| 2016 | 80.80% | 5.30% | 5.55% | 6.50% |
| 2017 | 80.83% | 5.27% | 5.52% | 6.27% |
| 2018 | 80.19% | 5.45% | 5.45% | 6.89% |
| 2019 | 79.72% | 5.43% | 5.83% | 6.95% |
| 2020 | 77.20% | 5.33% | 6.14% | 7.10% |
| 2021 | 75.86% | 5.47% | 6.30% | 7.69% |
Contract Attorney Wage Gap By Race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $84,329 |
| White | $86,647 |
| Black or African American | $81,271 |
| Asian | $90,562 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $82,596 |
Average Age of a Contract Attorney
We determined the average age of contract attorneys based on ethnicity and gender.
Contract Attorney Age By Race
| 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 |
Contract Attorney Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of contract attorney employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of contract attorneys is 40+ years old, which represents 67% of the population.
Contract Attorney Age
| Contract Attorney Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 67% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
Types of Contract Attorney Degree Levels
The most common degree for contract attorneys is doctoral degree 57% of contract attorneys earn that degree. A close second is bachelor's degree with 36% and rounding it off is master's degree with 6%.
- Doctorate, 57%
- Bachelors, 36%
- Masters, 6%
- Associate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 0%
Contract Attorneys By Education
| Contract Attorney Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Doctorate | 57% |
| Bachelors | 36% |
| Masters | 6% |
| Associate | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 0% |
Contract Attorney Jobs You Might Like
Contract Attorney Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where contract attorneys work. We found most contract attorneys work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most contract attorneys is the professional industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire contract attorneys.
Contract Attorney Jobs By Employer Size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 11% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 19% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 13% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 34% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
The Types Of Companies Contract Attorney Work In
Employees with the contract attorney job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most contract attorneys prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Contract Attorney Jobs By Sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 0% |
| Public | 18% |
| Private | 78% |
| Government | 4% |
Top Industries Hiring Contract Attorneys
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ contract attorneys. Those industries include professional, manufacturing and finance.
Contract Attorney Industry Statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 58% |
| Fortune 500 | 9% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Government | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Contract Attorney Turnover And Employment Statistics
Contract Attorney Unemployment Rate Over Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of contract attorneys changed.
- Unemployment rate
Contract Attorney Unemployment Rate By Year
| Year | Contract 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% |
The Average Number of Years That Contract Attorney Stay in a Job
By looking over 14,370 contract attorneys resumes, we figured out that the average contract attorney enjoys staying at their job for Less than 1 year for a percentage of 50%.
Contract Attorney Tenure
| Number or Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 50% |
| 1-2 years | 23% |
| 3-4 years | 6% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Contract Attorneys with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to contract attorneys.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| State Appellate Clerk | 5.54% | 66,802 |
| Litigation Legal Assistant | 6.63% | 9,152 |
| Title Junior Assistant | 8.14% | 12,219 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| Contract Attorney | 10.48% | - |
| Legislative Aide | 14.16% | 40,281 |
Contract Attorney LGBT Demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| State Appellate Clerk | 5.54% | 66,802 |
| Litigation Legal Assistant | 6.63% | 9,152 |
| Title Junior Assistant | 8.14% | 12,219 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| Legislative Aide | 14.16% | 40,281 |
Foreign Languages Spoken By Contract Attorneys
The most common foreign language among contract attorneys is Spanish at 39.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 16.1% and German is the third-most popular at 5.8%.
- Spanish, 39.8%
- French, 16.1%
- German, 5.8%
- Mandarin, 5.5%
- Portuguese, 5.4%
- Other, 27.4%
Contract Attorney Languages Spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 39.8% |
| French | 16.1% |
| German | 5.8% |
| Mandarin | 5.5% |
| Portuguese | 5.4% |
| Other | 27.4% |
