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Defense attorney salary
Average defense attorney salary
$103,209
Understanding Defense Attorney Salaries
As of October 2025, the median salary for defense attorneys stands at $103,209 annually. This figure can fluctuate significantly based on several factors, including geographical location, years of experience, and specialization within the legal field. For instance, attorneys in larger cities typically earn higher salaries due to increased demand and living costs.
Defense attorneys in states like California and New York often report the highest earnings, reflecting the competitive nature of legal services in these markets. In addition to location, experience plays a crucial role in salary growth; entry-level attorneys may start at around $70,000, while those with 10 or more years can exceed $150,000.
Job prospects remain strong for defense attorneys, with opportunities in private practice, public defense, and corporate legal departments. Understanding these salary dynamics helps prospective attorneys make informed career decisions, aligning their goals with realistic earning potentials.
Factors Influencing Salary
- Location: Salaries vary widely across states and cities.
- Experience: More experienced attorneys command higher salaries.
- Specialization: Certain legal fields can yield higher pay.
By analyzing these aspects, defense attorneys can better navigate their career paths and optimize their earning potential.
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Where can a Defense Attorney earn more?
Defense attorney salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level defense attorney | $59,900 | $28.80 |
| Mid-level defense attorney | $72,300 | $34.75 |
| Senior-level defense attorney | $152,000 | $72.89 |
Defense attorney salary estimates from across the web
Average defense attorney salary by state
The average defense attorney salary in California, New York, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average defense attorney salary states are Arkansas, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for defense attorneys
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $123,064 | $59.17 |
| 2 | New York | $109,837 | $52.81 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $106,859 | $51.37 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $107,797 | $51.83 |
| 5 | Alaska | $106,640 | $51.27 |
| 6 | Washington | $106,516 | $51.21 |
| 7 | Texas | $94,729 | $45.54 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $103,528 | $49.77 |
| 9 | Nevada | $104,718 | $50.35 |
| 10 | Virginia | $95,941 | $46.13 |
| 11 | Oregon | $106,757 | $51.33 |
| 12 | Illinois | $92,506 | $44.47 |
| 13 | Colorado | $91,275 | $43.88 |
| 14 | Georgia | $87,023 | $41.84 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $89,469 | $43.01 |
| 16 | Arizona | $87,289 | $41.97 |
| 17 | Utah | $94,150 | $45.26 |
| 18 | Michigan | $86,210 | $41.45 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $88,085 | $42.35 |
| 20 | Idaho | $85,230 | $40.98 |
| 21 | Maryland | $91,306 | $43.90 |
| 22 | Vermont | $91,784 | $44.13 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $91,322 | $43.90 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $82,873 | $39.84 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $85,894 | $41.30 |
| 26 | Ohio | $83,998 | $40.38 |
| 27 | Florida | $79,046 | $38.00 |
| 28 | Iowa | $86,395 | $41.54 |
| 29 | Delaware | $86,405 | $41.54 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $72,392 | $34.80 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $80,919 | $38.90 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $77,548 | $37.28 |
| 33 | West Virginia | $81,565 | $39.21 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $76,228 | $36.65 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $76,860 | $36.95 |
| 36 | Montana | $73,511 | $35.34 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $76,332 | $36.70 |
| 38 | Missouri | $76,373 | $36.72 |
| 39 | Alabama | $78,774 | $37.87 |
| 40 | New Hampshire | $78,827 | $37.90 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $74,886 | $36.00 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $72,250 | $34.74 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $70,464 | $33.88 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $68,466 | $32.92 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $71,353 | $34.30 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $70,770 | $34.02 |
| 47 | Kansas | $70,770 | $34.02 |
| 48 | Indiana | $57,141 | $27.47 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $65,630 | $31.55 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $68,879 | $33.11 |
| 51 | Maine | $56,325 | $27.08 |
Highest paying cities for defense attorneys
The highest-paying cities for defense attorneys are San Francisco, CA, White Plains, NY, and Reno, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $130,541 | $62.76 |
| 2 | White Plains, NY | $110,355 | $53.06 |
| 3 | Reno, NV | $108,508 | $52.17 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $107,289 | $51.58 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $106,887 | $51.39 |
| 6 | Tigard, OR | $106,742 | $51.32 |
| 7 | Newark, NJ | $103,731 | $49.87 |
| 8 | Houston, TX | $94,569 | $45.47 |
| 9 | Salt Lake City, UT | $93,584 | $44.99 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $92,933 | $44.68 |
| 11 | Hartford, CT | $91,456 | $43.97 |
| 12 | Silver Spring, MD | $91,018 | $43.76 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $91,006 | $43.75 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $88,544 | $42.57 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $87,539 | $42.09 |
| 16 | Stockbridge, GA | $86,975 | $41.81 |
| 17 | Providence, RI | $85,904 | $41.30 |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $83,573 | $40.18 |
| 19 | Tampa, FL | $79,958 | $38.44 |
| 20 | Saint Louis, MO | $77,831 | $37.42 |
Defense attorney salary details
A defense attorney's salary ranges from $69,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $152,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a defense attorney's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $152,000 | $12,667 | $73 |
| 75th Percentile | $126,000 | $10,500 | $61 |
| Average | $103,209 | $8,601 | $50 |
| 25th Percentile | $83,000 | $6,917 | $40 |
| 10th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
Highest paying defense attorney jobs
The highest paying types of defense attorneys are general counsel, lawyer, and litigation associate.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $115,808 | $9,651 | $55.68 | 2,897 |
| Legal Extern | $47,238 | $3,937 | $22.71 | 10,986 |
| Housing Counselor | $78,730 | $6,561 | $37.85 | 33,639 |
| General Counsel | $125,248 | $10,437 | $60.22 | 50,275 |
| Attorney At Law | $108,018 | $9,002 | $51.93 | 7,025 |
| Litigation Attorney | $109,027 | $9,086 | $52.42 | 6,918 |
Top companies hiring defense attorneys now:
Which companies pay defense attorneys the most?
Defense attorney salaries at Taylor English Duma and Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average defense attorney salary at companies like Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker Llp and Monster Products are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taylor English Duma | $138,130 | $66.41 |
| 2 | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith | $136,671 | $65.71 |
| 3 | Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker Llp | $135,274 | $65.04 |
| 4 | Monster Products | $117,067 | $56.28 |
| 5 | The Hanover Insurance Group | $112,867 | $54.26 |
| 6 | Attorney Resource | $108,759 | $52.29 |
| 7 | Wegman | $104,164 | $50.08 |
| 8 | JBA International | $103,239 | $49.63 |
| 9 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $102,977 | $49.51 |
| 10 | Law Firm | $101,777 | $48.93 |
| 11 | Conroy Simberg | $101,607 | $48.85 |
| 12 | GREAT LAKES BEHAVIORAL | $101,607 | $48.85 |
| 13 | Door’s | $101,593 | $48.84 |
| 14 | Kubicki Draper | $101,291 | $48.70 |
| 15 | Hinshaw & Culbertson | $100,350 | $48.25 |
| 16 | BCG Attorney Search | $98,858 | $47.53 |
| 17 | PrideStaff | $98,404 | $47.31 |
| 18 | Robert Half | $97,449 | $46.85 |
| 19 | Jobot | $97,339 | $46.80 |
| 20 | Liberty Mutual Insurance | $97,136 | $46.70 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Defense Attorney salary by industry
The average defense attorney salary varies across industries:
- The average defense attorney salary in the professional industry is $104,923, the highest of any industry.
- The average defense attorney salary in the finance industry is $95,919.
- Defense attorneys in the government industry earn an average salary of $77,408, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for defense attorneys
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $104,923 | $50.44 |
| 2 | Health Care | $95,919 | $46.11 |
| 3 | Insurance | $90,852 | $43.68 |
| 4 | Government | $77,408 | $37.22 |
High paying defense attorney jobs
Defense attorney salary trends
The average defense attorney salary has risen by $11,074 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average defense attorney earned $92,135 annually, but today, they earn $103,209 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for defense attorneys over the last decade.
Compare defense attorney salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average defense attorney salary over time
Compare defense attorney salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Defense attorney salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $103,000 | $49.62 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $100,000 | $48.07 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $98,300 | $47.27 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $97,000 | $46.62 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $96,100 | $46.19 | +2.0% |
Recently added defense attorney salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkshire Hathaway | Workers' Compensation Defense Attorney (House Counsel) | Sacramento, CA | 06/29/2025 | $165,000 |
| Pima County, Az | Attorney I-Public Defense Services | Tucson, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $81,328 |
| Wilson Elser-Attorneys | Lead Premises Security Defense Attorney | San Francisco, CA | 06/27/2025 | $190,000 |
| PBO Advisory Group | Litigation Defense Attorney (3 To Experience) | San Diego, CA | 06/26/2025 | $150,000 |
| The Bronx Defenders | Criminal Defense Practice Supervising Attorney (Training Team & Mixed Teams) | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $98,992 |
| Law Offices of Bradford & Barthel, LLP | Workers' Compensation Defense Attorney-LAX | Los Angeles, CA | 06/25/2025 | $90,000 |
| We Are Legal Revolution | Attorney-Employment Litigation-Crush 5M+ NJ Defenses | Newark, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $180,000 |
| Incendia Partners | Insurance Defense and Coverage Attorney (TO 250K+ OTE-Remote/AZ Only) | Phoenix, AZ | 06/24/2025 | $130,000 |
| Incendia Partners | Big Law Employment Defense To Plaintiff Powerhouse: Wage & Hour Attorney (Remote, High Earnings) | San Diego, CA | 06/24/2025 | $140,000 |
| Mission Recruiting | Attorney | Medical Malpractice Defense | Hybrid | 146935 | White Plains, NY | 06/23/2025 | $100,000 |
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