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Contract attorney salary
Average contract attorney salary
$97,474
Average Contract Attorney Salary
The average salary for a contract attorney in the United States is approximately $97,474 per year or $47 per hour. This figure can fluctuate based on various factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific legal field of practice. For instance, contract attorneys with specialized skills in areas like corporate law or intellectual property often command higher salaries.
Factors Influencing Salary
- Location: Contract attorneys in states like California and New York typically earn more than their counterparts in less populous states.
- Experience Level: Entry-level positions may offer lower salaries, while attorneys with several years of experience can see significant increases.
Job Opportunities
As the demand for legal services continues to grow, contract attorneys can find opportunities in various sectors, including law firms, corporations, and government agencies. Networking and staying updated on industry trends can enhance job prospects and lead to higher earnings.
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Where can a Contract Attorney earn more?
Contract attorney salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level contract attorney | $56,600 | $27.20 |
| Mid-level contract attorney | $68,300 | $32.82 |
| Senior-level contract attorney | $143,000 | $68.84 |
Contract attorney salary estimates from across the web
Average contract attorney salary by state
The average contract attorney salary in California, New York, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average contract attorney salary states are Kansas, Missouri, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for contract attorneys
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $112,899 | $54.28 |
| 2 | New York | $107,291 | $51.58 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $103,928 | $49.97 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $94,199 | $45.29 |
| 5 | Maryland | $87,993 | $42.30 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $91,285 | $43.89 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $89,836 | $43.19 |
| 8 | Illinois | $79,231 | $38.09 |
| 9 | Texas | $78,231 | $37.61 |
| 10 | Colorado | $77,424 | $37.22 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $84,356 | $40.56 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $84,512 | $40.63 |
| 13 | Utah | $74,766 | $35.95 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $83,161 | $39.98 |
| 15 | Oregon | $80,282 | $38.60 |
| 16 | Vermont | $85,130 | $40.93 |
| 17 | Virginia | $77,170 | $37.10 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $84,875 | $40.81 |
| 19 | Maine | $81,435 | $39.15 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $71,402 | $34.33 |
| 21 | Florida | $69,186 | $33.26 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $75,906 | $36.49 |
| 23 | Nevada | $76,434 | $36.75 |
| 24 | Arizona | $69,933 | $33.62 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $69,295 | $33.31 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $73,214 | $35.20 |
| 27 | Washington | $71,763 | $34.50 |
| 28 | Montana | $66,138 | $31.80 |
| 29 | Georgia | $68,270 | $32.82 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $62,929 | $30.25 |
| 31 | Delaware | $71,859 | $34.55 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $69,691 | $33.51 |
| 33 | Alaska | $69,232 | $33.28 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $68,671 | $33.01 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $66,358 | $31.90 |
| 36 | Idaho | $60,902 | $29.28 |
| 37 | Michigan | $61,173 | $29.41 |
| 38 | Alabama | $60,310 | $29.00 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $60,236 | $28.96 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $52,405 | $25.19 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $60,022 | $28.86 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $59,139 | $28.43 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $61,080 | $29.37 |
| 44 | Kansas | $55,723 | $26.79 |
| 45 | Ohio | $57,205 | $27.50 |
| 46 | Missouri | $53,335 | $25.64 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $59,139 | $28.43 |
| 48 | Iowa | $57,372 | $27.58 |
| 49 | Indiana | $51,425 | $24.72 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $51,660 | $24.84 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $49,910 | $24.00 |
Highest paying cities for contract attorneys
The highest-paying cities for contract attorneys are San Ramon, CA, New York, NY, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Ramon, CA | $116,000 | $55.77 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $107,808 | $51.83 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $104,220 | $50.11 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $94,253 | $45.31 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $88,510 | $42.55 |
| 6 | Northbrook, IL | $79,771 | $38.35 |
| 7 | Austin, TX | $79,624 | $38.28 |
| 8 | Arlington, VA | $79,132 | $38.04 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $77,149 | $37.09 |
| 10 | Jersey City, NJ | $76,046 | $36.56 |
| 11 | Seattle, WA | $72,434 | $34.82 |
| 12 | Saint Paul, MN | $71,470 | $34.36 |
| 13 | Bonita Springs, FL | $70,174 | $33.74 |
| 14 | Anchorage, AK | $69,674 | $33.50 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $67,963 | $32.67 |
| 16 | Charlotte, NC | $62,053 | $29.83 |
| 17 | Grand Rapids, MI | $60,204 | $28.94 |
| 18 | Lincoln, NE | $59,972 | $28.83 |
| 19 | Birmingham, AL | $59,924 | $28.81 |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, OK | $59,514 | $28.61 |
Contract attorney salary details
A contract attorney's salary ranges from $60,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $158,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a contract attorney's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $158,000 | $13,167 | $76 |
| 75th Percentile | $125,000 | $10,417 | $60 |
| Average | $97,474 | $8,123 | $47 |
| 25th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| 10th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
Highest paying contract attorney jobs
The highest paying types of contract attorneys are legal counsel, general counsel, and litigation associate.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Extern | $47,238 | $3,937 | $22.71 | 10,986 |
| General Counsel | $125,248 | $10,437 | $60.22 | 50,275 |
| Legal Counsel | $132,867 | $11,072 | $63.88 | 10,337 |
| Housing Counselor | $78,730 | $6,561 | $37.85 | 33,639 |
| Attorney At Law | $108,018 | $9,002 | $51.93 | 7,025 |
| Document Review Attorney | $81,181 | $6,765 | $39.03 | 9,393 |
Top companies hiring contract attorneys now:
Which companies pay contract attorneys the most?
Contract attorney salaries at Perkins Coie and The Knot are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average contract attorney salary at companies like Littler Mendelson and SpecialCounsel are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perkins Coie | $169,819 | $81.64 |
| 2 | The Knot | $142,903 | $68.70 |
| 3 | Littler Mendelson | $135,307 | $65.05 |
| 4 | SpecialCounsel | $121,851 | $58.58 |
| 5 | The TJX Companies | $110,893 | $53.31 |
| 6 | Planned Parenthood | $101,048 | $48.58 |
| 7 | Wegman | $99,656 | $47.91 |
| 8 | TrialSpark | $98,067 | $47.15 |
| 9 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $98,038 | $47.13 |
| 10 | RSM US | $97,646 | $46.95 |
| 11 | Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories | $97,587 | $46.92 |
| 12 | Transmit Security | $97,377 | $46.82 |
| 13 | Kion Group | $96,551 | $46.42 |
| 14 | CIA Inc | $96,551 | $46.42 |
| 15 | board of education | $96,439 | $46.36 |
| 16 | UPS | $96,149 | $46.23 |
| 17 | VOLTAGE | $95,971 | $46.14 |
| 18 | Medpace | $95,894 | $46.10 |
| 19 | Kemper | $95,215 | $45.78 |
| 20 | CarLotz | $92,878 | $44.65 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Contract attorney salary trends
The average contract attorney salary has risen by $10,459 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average contract attorney earned $87,015 annually, but today, they earn $97,474 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for contract attorneys over the last decade.
Compare contract attorney salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average contract attorney salary over time
Compare contract attorney salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Contract attorney salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $97,500 | $46.86 | +3.1% |
| 2025 | $94,400 | $45.40 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $92,900 | $44.64 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $91,600 | $44.03 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | $90,700 | $43.62 | +2.0% |
Recently added contract attorney salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contact Government Services, LLC | English Contract Attorney | Kansas City, MO | 06/29/2025 | $56,349 |
| The Freelance Firm | Remote, Contract-Based Washington State Family Law Attorney Opportunity-GET Ahead of | Seattle, WA | 06/27/2025 | $166,960 |
| Davis Wright Tremaine LLP | Dwtsurge Contract Internal Investigations Attorney (Remote) | Seattle, WA | 06/25/2025 | $208,700 |
| Why Join OSI | Junior Attorney-Contract Management & Project Analytics | Chandler, AZ | 06/25/2025 | $75,000 |
| Davis Wright Tremaine LLP | Dwtsurge Contract Real Property Attorney (Remote) | Los Angeles, CA | 06/24/2025 | $166,960 |
| Wunder Capital | Contracts Attorney | Boulder, CO | 06/24/2025 | $125,000 |
| Axiom Talent Platform | Government Contracts Attorney | Denver, CO | 06/22/2025 | $135,000 |
| Global Channel Management, Inc. | Attorney Customer Contracts | Woburn, MA | 06/10/2025 | $87,654 |
| Davis Wright Tremaine LLP | Dwtsurge Contract Real Property Attorney (Remote) | Los Angeles, CA | 05/30/2025 | $166,960 |
| Davis Wright Tremaine LLP | Dwtsurge Contract Internal Investigations Attorney (Remote) | Seattle, WA | 05/30/2025 | $208,700 |
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