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Best states for a corporate counsel
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Corporate counsel opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for corporate counsels, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for corporate counsels.In fact, our research shows that California is the best state for corporate counsels in America. The best city in America for corporate counsels with the highest pay is San Francisco, CA.
The median salary for corporate counsels in California is $163,635. Compare that to the median salary in Mississippi of $98,768, which ranked worst for corporate counsels, and you can see how your location is important for your career.California is the best state, and Pacifica is the city with the highest pay for corporate counsels.
10 best states for corporate counsels in 2025
1. California
Total corporate counsel jobs: 1,048 Average annual salary: $163,635 Lowest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $234,000 Location Quotient: 1.712. New York
Total corporate counsel jobs: 566 Average annual salary: $146,733 Lowest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $211,000 Location Quotient: 2.113. Massachusetts
Total corporate counsel jobs: 294 Average annual salary: $140,540 Lowest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $203,000 Location Quotient: 1.534. Illinois
Total corporate counsel jobs: 321 Average annual salary: $136,780 Lowest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $197,000 Location Quotient: 1.285. District of Columbia
Total corporate counsel jobs: 122 Average annual salary: $154,140 Lowest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $220,000 Location Quotient: 3.476. Utah
Total corporate counsel jobs: 76 Average annual salary: $127,738 Lowest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $187,000 Location Quotient: 1.147. Virginia
Total corporate counsel jobs: 188 Average annual salary: $137,262 Lowest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $199,000 Location Quotient: 0.958. Connecticut
Total corporate counsel jobs: 62 Average annual salary: $136,623 Lowest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $198,000 Location Quotient: 0.899. Washington
Total corporate counsel jobs: 261 Average annual salary: $131,272 Lowest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $191,000 Location Quotient: 1.7110. Nevada
Total corporate counsel jobs: 46 Average annual salary: $125,922 Lowest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $186,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
Corporate counsel jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a corporate counsel
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a corporate counsel
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $163,635 | $114,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,048 |
| 2 | New York | $146,733 | $101,000 | 19,849,399 | 566 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $140,540 | $97,000 | 6,859,819 | 294 |
| 4 | Illinois | $136,780 | $94,000 | 12,802,023 | 321 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $154,140 | $107,000 | 693,972 | 122 |
| 6 | Utah | $127,738 | $87,000 | 3,101,833 | 76 |
| 7 | Virginia | $137,262 | $94,000 | 8,470,020 | 188 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $136,623 | $94,000 | 3,588,184 | 62 |
| 9 | Washington | $131,272 | $89,000 | 7,405,743 | 261 |
| 10 | Nevada | $125,922 | $85,000 | 2,998,039 | 46 |
| 11 | Colorado | $131,163 | $89,000 | 5,607,154 | 144 |
| 12 | Vermont | $130,400 | $89,000 | 623,657 | 11 |
| 13 | Texas | $123,207 | $81,000 | 28,304,596 | 441 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $122,003 | $83,000 | 12,805,537 | 175 |
| 15 | Georgia | $123,222 | $83,000 | 10,429,379 | 182 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $124,569 | $86,000 | 5,576,606 | 113 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $120,724 | $82,000 | 10,273,419 | 180 |
| 18 | Delaware | $122,033 | $83,000 | 961,939 | 44 |
| 19 | Ohio | $118,226 | $81,000 | 11,658,609 | 160 |
| 20 | Oregon | $123,300 | $83,000 | 4,142,776 | 96 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $124,554 | $85,000 | 9,005,644 | 140 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $118,984 | $81,000 | 1,815,857 | 4 |
| 23 | Missouri | $119,130 | $81,000 | 6,113,532 | 67 |
| 24 | Michigan | $115,320 | $79,000 | 9,962,311 | 103 |
| 25 | Arizona | $116,393 | $77,000 | 7,016,270 | 108 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $114,942 | $78,000 | 6,715,984 | 67 |
| 27 | Maryland | $122,531 | $83,000 | 6,052,177 | 90 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $118,245 | $80,000 | 1,059,639 | 17 |
| 29 | Indiana | $114,172 | $78,000 | 6,666,818 | 81 |
| 30 | Alaska | $122,662 | $83,000 | 739,795 | 3 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $111,866 | $77,000 | 5,795,483 | 79 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $114,967 | $79,000 | 1,920,076 | 24 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $112,379 | $77,000 | 579,315 | 7 |
| 34 | Alabama | $114,045 | $76,000 | 4,874,747 | 30 |
| 35 | Florida | $110,110 | $71,000 | 20,984,400 | 301 |
| 36 | Iowa | $112,832 | $77,000 | 3,145,711 | 26 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $110,223 | $77,000 | 755,393 | 10 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | $110,349 | $75,000 | 1,342,795 | 20 |
| 39 | Kansas | $109,536 | $75,000 | 2,913,123 | 27 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $109,715 | $74,000 | 3,930,864 | 23 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $110,209 | $74,000 | 5,024,369 | 38 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $109,992 | $72,000 | 4,684,333 | 25 |
| 43 | Maine | $107,579 | $73,000 | 1,335,907 | 15 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $104,365 | $71,000 | 4,454,189 | 43 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $105,605 | $73,000 | 869,666 | 10 |
| 46 | Idaho | $106,421 | $72,000 | 1,716,943 | 18 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $81,955 | $55,000 | 3,004,279 | 35 |
| 48 | Montana | $101,344 | $70,000 | 1,050,493 | 12 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $105,055 | $70,000 | 2,088,070 | 10 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $101,116 | $69,000 | 1,427,538 | 9 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $98,768 | $66,000 | 2,984,100 | 11 |
Highest paying states for corporate counsels
| Rank | State | Avg. Corporate Counsel Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $163,635 |
| 2 | New York | $146,733 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $140,540 |
| 4 | Illinois | $136,780 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $154,140 |
| 6 | Utah | $127,738 |
| 7 | Virginia | $137,262 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $136,623 |
| 9 | Washington | $131,272 |
| 10 | Nevada | $125,922 |
| 11 | Colorado | $131,163 |
| 12 | Vermont | $130,400 |
| 13 | Texas | $123,207 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $122,003 |
| 15 | Georgia | $123,222 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $124,569 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $120,724 |
| 18 | Delaware | $122,033 |
| 19 | Ohio | $118,226 |
| 20 | Oregon | $123,300 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $124,554 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $118,984 |
| 23 | Missouri | $119,130 |
| 24 | Michigan | $115,320 |
| 25 | Arizona | $116,393 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $114,942 |
| 27 | Maryland | $122,531 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $118,245 |
| 29 | Indiana | $114,172 |
| 30 | Alaska | $122,662 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $111,866 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $114,967 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $112,379 |
| 34 | Alabama | $114,045 |
| 35 | Florida | $110,110 |
| 36 | Iowa | $112,832 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $110,223 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | $110,349 |
| 39 | Kansas | $109,536 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $109,715 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $110,209 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $109,992 |
| 43 | Maine | $107,579 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $104,365 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $105,605 |
| 46 | Idaho | $106,421 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $81,955 |
| 48 | Montana | $101,344 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $105,055 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $101,116 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $98,768 |
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Updated January 8, 2025