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Legal consultant salary
Average legal consultant salary
$75,024
Understanding Legal Consultant Salaries
As of October 2025, a legal consultant earns an average salary of $75,024 annually, translating to approximately $36 per hour. The salary for legal consultants can differ significantly based on experience, geographic location, and the industry in which they operate. For instance, consultants with extensive experience may command salaries exceeding $100,000 in high-demand markets.
In states like California, New York, and Texas, legal consultants often see higher salary ranges due to the concentration of legal firms and corporate headquarters. Additionally, factors such as specialization in areas like intellectual property or corporate law can further influence earning potential. Entry-level positions typically start around $50,000, with opportunities for rapid advancement as professionals gain expertise and build their networks.
Job seekers might explore various platforms, including Zippia, to identify openings for legal consultant roles. Understanding the salary landscape can help aspiring legal consultants make informed career choices and negotiate effectively. Consider reviewing average salaries by state and experience level to gauge where your qualifications fit within the market.
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Where can a Legal Consultant earn more?
Legal consultant salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level legal consultant | $43,500 | $20.93 |
| Mid-level legal consultant | $52,500 | $25.26 |
| Senior-level legal consultant | $110,000 | $52.99 |
Legal consultant salary estimates from across the web
Average legal consultant salary by state
The highest-paying states for legal consultants are New York, Illinois, and Connecticut. The lowest average legal consultant salary states are Montana, Kansas, and New Mexico.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for legal consultants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $127,018 | $61.07 |
| 2 | New York | $115,686 | $55.62 |
| 3 | Illinois | $94,359 | $45.36 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $83,739 | $40.26 |
| 5 | Delaware | $83,109 | $39.96 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $93,299 | $44.86 |
| 7 | Michigan | $84,322 | $40.54 |
| 8 | Virginia | $87,544 | $42.09 |
| 9 | California | $81,563 | $39.21 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $83,252 | $40.02 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $76,867 | $36.96 |
| 12 | Vermont | $85,640 | $41.17 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $75,502 | $36.30 |
| 14 | Washington | $77,253 | $37.14 |
| 15 | Maryland | $84,851 | $40.79 |
| 16 | Texas | $73,725 | $35.44 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $80,679 | $38.79 |
| 18 | Arizona | $73,251 | $35.22 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $74,078 | $35.61 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $75,913 | $36.50 |
| 21 | Nevada | $76,734 | $36.89 |
| 22 | Colorado | $70,978 | $34.12 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $66,067 | $31.76 |
| 24 | Maine | $71,302 | $34.28 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $68,458 | $32.91 |
| 26 | Alabama | $61,712 | $29.67 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $68,221 | $32.80 |
| 28 | Oregon | $68,378 | $32.87 |
| 29 | Alaska | $64,603 | $31.06 |
| 30 | Indiana | $68,271 | $32.82 |
| 31 | Florida | $62,070 | $29.84 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $59,394 | $28.55 |
| 33 | Utah | $65,984 | $31.72 |
| 34 | Georgia | $61,723 | $29.67 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $58,447 | $28.10 |
| 36 | Ohio | $62,186 | $29.90 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $64,249 | $30.89 |
| 38 | Iowa | $64,066 | $30.80 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $61,888 | $29.75 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $55,494 | $26.68 |
| 41 | Missouri | $59,275 | $28.50 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $61,583 | $29.61 |
| 43 | Montana | $56,813 | $27.31 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $52,239 | $25.11 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $61,668 | $29.65 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $60,795 | $29.23 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $59,090 | $28.41 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $42,203 | $20.29 |
| 49 | Idaho | $57,166 | $27.48 |
| 50 | Kansas | $56,489 | $27.16 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $56,416 | $27.12 |
Highest paying cities for legal consultants
The highest-paying cities for legal consultants are Washington, DC, New York, NY, and Chicago, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $130,813 | $62.89 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $117,610 | $56.54 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $95,602 | $45.96 |
| 4 | Arlington, VA | $89,579 | $43.07 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $85,702 | $41.20 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $85,212 | $40.97 |
| 7 | Southfield, MI | $84,726 | $40.73 |
| 8 | Newark, NJ | $83,190 | $40.00 |
| 9 | Olympia, WA | $78,090 | $37.54 |
| 10 | Minneapolis, MN | $76,865 | $36.95 |
| 11 | Las Vegas, NV | $76,465 | $36.76 |
| 12 | Allentown, PA | $76,305 | $36.69 |
| 13 | San Antonio, TX | $75,098 | $36.10 |
| 14 | Raleigh, NC | $70,248 | $33.77 |
| 15 | Indianapolis, IN | $67,752 | $32.57 |
| 16 | Cooper City, FL | $62,148 | $29.88 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $61,753 | $29.69 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $61,288 | $29.47 |
| 19 | Ridgeland, MS | $51,539 | $24.78 |
Legal consultant salary details
A legal consultant's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $139,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a legal consultant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $139,000 | $11,583 | $67 |
| 75th Percentile | $103,000 | $8,583 | $50 |
| Average | $75,024 | $6,252 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
Highest paying legal consultant jobs
The highest paying types of legal consultants are corporate counsel, legal counsel, and general counsel.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attorney | $109,476 | $9,123 | $52.63 | 10,991 |
| Attorney At Law | $108,018 | $9,002 | $51.93 | 7,025 |
| Lawyer | $115,808 | $9,651 | $55.68 | 2,897 |
| Staff Attorney | $110,028 | $9,169 | $52.90 | 75,402 |
| Criminal Justice Lawyer | $49,977 | $4,165 | $24.03 | 824 |
| Contract Attorney | $97,474 | $8,123 | $46.86 | 13,592 |
Top companies hiring legal consultants now:
Which companies pay legal consultants the most?
Legal consultant salaries at Alston & Bird and Hughes Hubbard & Reed are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average legal consultant salary at companies like Latham & Watkins and Sidley Austin are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alston & Bird | $205,712 | $98.90 |
| 2 | Hughes Hubbard & Reed | $197,108 | $94.76 |
| 3 | Latham & Watkins | $196,050 | $94.25 |
| 4 | Sidley Austin | $194,450 | $93.49 |
| 5 | Willkie Farr & Gallagher | $193,184 | $92.88 |
| 6 | Loeb & Loeb | $193,037 | $92.81 |
| 7 | Morgan Lewis | $192,076 | $92.34 |
| 8 | Davis Polk & Wardwell | $185,847 | $89.35 |
| 9 | Schulte Roth & Zabel | $182,738 | $87.85 |
| 10 | Apple | $176,892 | $85.04 |
| 11 | Clifford Chance | $173,556 | $83.44 |
| 12 | Covington & Burling | $171,390 | $82.40 |
| 13 | Chadbourne & Parke | $171,115 | $82.27 |
| 14 | Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner | $168,047 | $80.79 |
| 15 | Crowell & Moring | $166,790 | $80.19 |
| 16 | Mayo Clinic | $163,752 | $78.73 |
| 17 | Fish & Richardson | $155,762 | $74.89 |
| 18 | Arent Fox | $155,725 | $74.87 |
| 19 | Yahoo | $155,040 | $74.54 |
| 20 | Sills Cummis & Gross P.C. | $148,964 | $71.62 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Legal consultant salary trends
The average legal consultant salary has risen by $8,050 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average legal consultant earned $66,974 annually, but today, they earn $75,024 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for legal consultants over the last decade.
Compare legal consultant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average legal consultant salary over time
Compare legal consultant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Legal consultant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $75,000 | $36.07 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $72,700 | $34.94 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $71,500 | $34.36 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $70,500 | $33.89 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $69,800 | $33.58 | +2.0% |
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