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The differences between immigration attorneys and lawyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an immigration attorney and a lawyer. Additionally, a lawyer has an average salary of $115,808, which is higher than the $80,187 average annual salary of an immigration attorney.
The top three skills for an immigration attorney include immigration law, business immigration and USCIS. The most important skills for a lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.
| Immigration Attorney | Lawyer | |
| Yearly salary | $80,187 | $115,808 |
| Hourly rate | $38.55 | $55.68 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,703 | 2,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Dealing with immigration requirements can be a daunting task. An immigration attorney helps those who are struggling with these requirements. Functioning in this role means that they serve in an advisory capacity to foreign citizens and immigrants who are required to work with the country's immigration authorities. They are the go-to guy for immigrants in matters such as Visa applications, naturalization, employment, and deportation.
A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.
Immigration attorneys and lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Immigration Attorney | Lawyer | |
| Average salary | $80,187 | $115,808 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $132,000 | Between $64,000 And $208,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New York |
| Best paying company | Seyfarth Shaw | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between an immigration attorney and a lawyer in terms of educational background:
| Immigration Attorney | Lawyer | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between immigration attorneys' and lawyers' demographics:
| Immigration Attorney | Lawyer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.5% Female, 60.5% | Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |