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Attorney at law salary
Average attorney at law salary
$108,018
Average Attorney at Law Salary
The average salary for an attorney at law in the United States is approximately $108,018 per year or $52 per hour as of October 2025. This figure showcases the competitive nature of the legal field, reflecting both the demand for legal services and the qualifications required for success in this profession.
Factors Influencing Salary
Several factors affect an attorney's salary, including:
- Experience Level: Attorneys with more years in practice tend to earn higher salaries.
- Location: Salaries vary significantly across different states and cities.
- Specialization: Certain legal fields, such as corporate law or intellectual property, typically offer higher compensation.
Top Paying Areas
In addition to experience and specialization, the geographical area plays a crucial role in determining salary. Cities like San Francisco and New York consistently rank among the highest for attorney salaries. Understanding these dynamics can help you target your job search effectively and align your career goals with lucrative opportunities.
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Where can an Attorney At Law earn more?
Attorney at law salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level attorney at law | $62,700 | $30.14 |
| Mid-level attorney at law | $75,700 | $36.37 |
| Senior-level attorney at law | $159,000 | $76.29 |
Average attorney at law salary by state
The average attorney at law salary in California, Virginia, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average attorney at law salary states are Idaho, Kansas, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for attorneys at law
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $128,984 | $62.01 |
| 2 | California | $121,482 | $58.40 |
| 3 | Virginia | $117,928 | $56.70 |
| 4 | New York | $111,597 | $53.65 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $110,986 | $53.36 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $104,876 | $50.42 |
| 7 | Colorado | $101,728 | $48.91 |
| 8 | Washington | $102,627 | $49.34 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $99,345 | $47.76 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $98,292 | $47.26 |
| 11 | Mississippi | $106,266 | $51.09 |
| 12 | Nevada | $97,382 | $46.82 |
| 13 | Texas | $92,428 | $44.44 |
| 14 | Arizona | $94,037 | $45.21 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $95,976 | $46.14 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $97,661 | $46.95 |
| 17 | Georgia | $93,003 | $44.71 |
| 18 | Florida | $89,217 | $42.89 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $93,809 | $45.10 |
| 20 | Vermont | $99,162 | $47.67 |
| 21 | Maine | $95,682 | $46.00 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $96,472 | $46.38 |
| 23 | Illinois | $92,701 | $44.57 |
| 24 | Utah | $93,049 | $44.74 |
| 25 | Michigan | $85,435 | $41.07 |
| 26 | Oregon | $86,372 | $41.52 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $81,722 | $39.29 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $92,707 | $44.57 |
| 29 | Maryland | $90,024 | $43.28 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $81,152 | $39.02 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $76,171 | $36.62 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $86,073 | $41.38 |
| 33 | Alaska | $77,160 | $37.10 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $81,696 | $39.28 |
| 35 | Delaware | $84,303 | $40.53 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $71,329 | $34.29 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $82,393 | $39.61 |
| 38 | Alabama | $82,157 | $39.50 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $73,844 | $35.50 |
| 40 | Iowa | $77,620 | $37.32 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $58,322 | $28.04 |
| 42 | Idaho | $66,163 | $31.81 |
| 43 | Indiana | $72,205 | $34.71 |
| 44 | Ohio | $76,219 | $36.64 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $73,061 | $35.13 |
| 46 | Montana | $54,014 | $25.97 |
| 47 | Missouri | $71,139 | $34.20 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $74,213 | $35.68 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $57,554 | $27.67 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $61,138 | $29.39 |
| 51 | Kansas | $66,157 | $31.81 |
Highest paying cities for attorneys at law
The highest-paying cities for attorneys at law are Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA, and Reston, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $129,663 | $62.34 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $129,245 | $62.14 |
| 3 | Reston, VA | $118,781 | $57.11 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $111,901 | $53.80 |
| 5 | Fort Lee, NJ | $111,321 | $53.52 |
| 6 | Tacoma, WA | $103,435 | $49.73 |
| 7 | Denver, CO | $101,174 | $48.64 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $96,970 | $46.62 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $96,010 | $46.16 |
| 10 | Cary, NC | $94,667 | $45.51 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $93,164 | $44.79 |
| 12 | Lawrenceville, GA | $92,877 | $44.65 |
| 13 | Austin, TX | $92,791 | $44.61 |
| 14 | Clearwater, FL | $90,420 | $43.47 |
| 15 | Baltimore, MD | $90,224 | $43.38 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $81,198 | $39.04 |
| 17 | Kansas City, MO | $70,089 | $33.70 |
| 18 | Kansas City, KS | $65,943 | $31.70 |
Attorney at law salary details
An attorney at law's salary ranges from $69,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $166,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an attorney at law's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $166,000 | $13,833 | $80 |
| 75th Percentile | $135,000 | $11,250 | $65 |
| Average | $108,018 | $9,002 | $52 |
| 25th Percentile | $85,000 | $7,083 | $41 |
| 10th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
Highest paying attorney at law jobs
The highest paying types of attorneys at law are general counsel, lawyer, and litigation associate.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing Counselor | $78,730 | $6,561 | $37.85 | 33,639 |
| General Counsel | $125,248 | $10,437 | $60.22 | 50,275 |
| Law Internship | $39,394 | $3,283 | $18.94 | 51,663 |
| Legal Extern | $47,238 | $3,937 | $22.71 | 10,986 |
| Law Clerk | $55,916 | $4,660 | $26.88 | 75,014 |
| Lawyer | $115,808 | $9,651 | $55.68 | 2,897 |
Top companies hiring attorneys at law now:
Which companies pay attorneys at law the most?
Attorney at law salaries at White and Williams and Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average attorney at law salary at companies like Honda Lock and Los Alamos National Laboratory are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | White and Williams | $156,329 | $75.16 |
| 2 | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith | $149,812 | $72.03 |
| 3 | Honda Lock | $137,565 | $66.14 |
| 4 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $134,372 | $64.60 |
| 5 | Vogel Law Firm | $125,451 | $60.31 |
| 6 | GlobalFoundries | $124,932 | $60.06 |
| 7 | Stanford University | $124,820 | $60.01 |
| 8 | New York City Economic Development | $122,857 | $59.07 |
| 9 | Crown Castle International | $111,921 | $53.81 |
| 10 | Attorney Resource | $111,176 | $53.45 |
| 11 | The Florida Bar | $110,989 | $53.36 |
| 12 | Valley Transportation | $110,872 | $53.30 |
| 13 | Federal Bureau of Investigation | $108,869 | $52.34 |
| 14 | Federal Reserve Bank | $106,636 | $51.27 |
| 15 | W3Global | $106,152 | $51.03 |
| 16 | GPAC | $106,101 | $51.01 |
| 17 | JBA International | $104,880 | $50.42 |
| 18 | Davis Miles McGuire Gardner | $102,747 | $49.40 |
| 19 | CIA Inc | $101,064 | $48.59 |
| 20 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $100,756 | $48.44 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Attorney At Law salary by industry
The average attorney at law salary varies across industries:
- The average attorney at law salary in the retail industry is $120,546, the highest of any industry.
- The average attorney at law salary in the finance industry is $118,894.
- Attorneys at law in the government industry earn an average salary of $70,220, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for attorneys at law
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail | $120,546 | $57.95 |
| 2 | Professional | $118,894 | $57.16 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $97,702 | $46.97 |
| 4 | Health Care | $94,468 | $45.42 |
| 5 | Finance | $92,179 | $44.32 |
| 6 | Government | $70,220 | $33.76 |
High paying attorney at law jobs
Attorney at law salary trends
The average attorney at law salary has risen by $11,590 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average attorney at law earned $96,428 annually, but today, they earn $108,018 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for attorneys at law over the last decade.
Compare attorney at law salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average attorney at law salary over time
Compare attorney at law salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Attorney at law salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $108,000 | $51.93 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $105,000 | $50.31 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $103,000 | $49.47 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $101,000 | $48.79 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $101,000 | $48.34 | +2.0% |
Recently added attorney at law salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravis Law, LLC | Family Law Attorney I | Reno, NV | 06/30/2025 | $90,000 |
| Tully Rinckey | Education Law Attorney | Fine, NY | 06/29/2025 | $125,000 |
| Get It-Executive | Family Law Attorney-Hybrid-Remote | WFH | Orlando, FL | 06/29/2025 | $110,000 |
| Get It-Professional Services | Attorney | Law and Motion | Remote | 147264-Remote | WFH | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $100,000 |
| Twyford Law Office | Family Law Attorney-Seattle Remote | Seattle, WA | 06/27/2025 | $100,000 |
| Adams & Martin Group | Hybrid Family Law Attorney | Greenwood Village, CO | 06/26/2025 | $100,000 |
| We Are Legal Revolution | Attorney-Labor Law-Crush + Verdicts | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $180,000 |
| Delacey, Riebel & Shindell, LLP | Family Law Attorney | San Jose, CA | 06/25/2025 | $120,000 |
| Gravis Law, LLC | Family Law Attorney I | Scottsdale, AZ | 06/24/2025 | $90,000 |
| McAnany Van Cleave & Phillips Pa | Attorney at Law | Tulsa, OK | 06/23/2025 | $80,000 |
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