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City attorney salary
Average city attorney salary
$102,836
City Attorney Salary Overview
The average salary for a City Attorney in the United States is $102,836 per year, translating to approximately $49 per hour. This figure reflects a combination of factors including experience level, location, and the specific legal responsibilities involved in the position.
Factors Influencing Salary
City Attorneys are typically compensated based on their years of experience, with entry-level positions starting lower and salaries increasing with tenure. For instance, attorneys with more than ten years of experience can earn significantly higher wages. Additionally, specific cities and states may offer higher salaries due to cost of living adjustments and demand for legal services.
Salary by State
City Attorneys in states like California and New York often earn the highest salaries, due to higher living costs and the complexity of local laws they manage. In contrast, smaller cities or states with lower costs of living may offer lower salaries, but they can provide a more balanced lifestyle.
Job Opportunities
Exploring various job listings can help you identify the best opportunities available in your area. Utilize resources like Zippia to access salary insights and job postings tailored to your qualifications.
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Where can a City Attorney earn more?
City attorney salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level city attorney | $59,700 | $28.69 |
| Mid-level city attorney | $72,000 | $34.63 |
| Senior-level city attorney | $151,000 | $72.63 |
City attorney salary estimates from across the web
Average city attorney salary by state
The average city attorney salary in California, New York, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average city attorney salary states are Kentucky, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for city attorneys
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $142,281 | $68.40 |
| 2 | New York | $117,698 | $56.59 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $116,492 | $56.01 |
| 4 | Nevada | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $103,171 | $49.60 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $98,705 | $47.45 |
| 7 | Oregon | $101,570 | $48.83 |
| 8 | Vermont | $89,132 | $42.85 |
| 9 | Washington | $97,451 | $46.85 |
| 10 | Utah | $91,879 | $44.17 |
| 11 | Arizona | $88,995 | $42.79 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $84,263 | $40.51 |
| 13 | Texas | $84,370 | $40.56 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $83,218 | $40.01 |
| 15 | Florida | $82,755 | $39.79 |
| 16 | Alaska | $95,344 | $45.84 |
| 17 | Tennessee | $84,890 | $40.81 |
| 18 | Michigan | $81,386 | $39.13 |
| 19 | Illinois | $86,897 | $41.78 |
| 20 | Virginia | $87,681 | $42.15 |
| 21 | Georgia | $82,541 | $39.68 |
| 22 | Colorado | $86,991 | $41.82 |
| 23 | Iowa | $78,685 | $37.83 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $87,790 | $42.21 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $80,012 | $38.47 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $79,454 | $38.20 |
| 27 | Idaho | $76,939 | $36.99 |
| 28 | Maryland | $86,230 | $41.46 |
| 29 | Ohio | $78,003 | $37.50 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $72,454 | $34.83 |
| 31 | Delaware | $82,165 | $39.50 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $72,320 | $34.77 |
| 33 | Montana | $72,181 | $34.70 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $77,845 | $37.43 |
| 35 | Missouri | $73,152 | $35.17 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $76,376 | $36.72 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $75,911 | $36.50 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | $76,737 | $36.89 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $73,725 | $35.44 |
| 40 | Indiana | $72,075 | $34.65 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $73,324 | $35.25 |
| 42 | Alabama | $74,936 | $36.03 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $79,150 | $38.05 |
| 44 | Kansas | $69,040 | $33.19 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $64,579 | $31.05 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $50,412 | $24.24 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $64,561 | $31.04 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $68,360 | $32.87 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $66,587 | $32.01 |
| 50 | Maine | $55,419 | $26.64 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $65,605 | $31.54 |
Highest paying cities for city attorneys
The highest-paying cities for city attorneys are Redwood City, CA, Medford, OR, and Reno, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood City, CA | $147,827 | $71.07 |
| 2 | Medford, OR | $103,480 | $49.75 |
| 3 | Reno, NV | $103,014 | $49.53 |
| 4 | Tacoma, WA | $98,396 | $47.31 |
| 5 | Salt Lake City, UT | $91,269 | $43.88 |
| 6 | El Paso, TX | $91,087 | $43.79 |
| 7 | Prescott, AZ | $90,895 | $43.70 |
| 8 | Alexandria, VA | $89,508 | $43.03 |
| 9 | Pueblo, CO | $88,544 | $42.57 |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | $86,672 | $41.67 |
| 11 | Murfreesboro, TN | $84,976 | $40.85 |
| 12 | Rochester, MN | $83,686 | $40.23 |
| 13 | Cape Coral, FL | $83,445 | $40.12 |
| 14 | Ann Arbor, MI | $81,231 | $39.05 |
| 15 | Des Moines, IA | $77,955 | $37.48 |
| 16 | Las Cruces, NM | $76,547 | $36.80 |
| 17 | Springfield, MO | $72,727 | $34.96 |
| 18 | Bozeman, MT | $72,273 | $34.75 |
| 19 | Lenexa, KS | $68,827 | $33.09 |
City attorney salary details
A city attorney's salary ranges from $66,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $158,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a city attorney's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $158,000 | $13,167 | $76 |
| 75th Percentile | $129,000 | $10,750 | $62 |
| Average | $102,836 | $8,570 | $49 |
| 25th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| 10th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
Highest paying city attorney jobs
The highest paying types of city attorneys are general counsel, lawyer, and litigation associate.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Counsel | $125,248 | $10,437 | $60.22 | 50,275 |
| Housing Counselor | $78,730 | $6,561 | $37.85 | 33,639 |
| Lawyer | $115,808 | $9,651 | $55.68 | 2,897 |
| Legal Extern | $47,238 | $3,937 | $22.71 | 10,986 |
| Document Review Attorney | $81,181 | $6,765 | $39.03 | 9,393 |
| Attorney At Law | $108,018 | $9,002 | $51.93 | 7,025 |
Top companies hiring city attorneys now:
Which companies pay city attorneys the most?
City attorney salaries at Icma-rc and Oakland Public Library are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average city attorney salary at companies like Murfreesboro, Tennessee and City of Rochester MN are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Icma-rc | $120,071 | $57.73 |
| 2 | Oakland Public Library | $105,534 | $50.74 |
| 3 | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | $104,082 | $50.04 |
| 4 | City of Rochester MN | $103,533 | $49.78 |
| 5 | City & County Of San Francisco - Police Department (sfpd) | $102,953 | $49.50 |
| 6 | City of Greenville, NC | $102,904 | $49.47 |
| 7 | City of San Antonio | $100,191 | $48.17 |
| 8 | City of Seattle | $99,856 | $48.01 |
| 9 | Minnesota Limited | $93,163 | $44.79 |
| 10 | City of Springfield | $92,684 | $44.56 |
| 11 | City and County of Denver Government | $92,233 | $44.34 |
| 12 | City Of Alexandria | $92,231 | $44.34 |
| 13 | City Of San Mateo | $90,955 | $43.73 |
| 14 | 1 8 3 Lanes | $90,655 | $43.58 |
| 15 | City of Lakewood | $90,579 | $43.55 |
| 16 | City of Anaheim | $90,004 | $43.27 |
| 17 | City of Mesquite, TX | $89,940 | $43.24 |
| 18 | City of Austin | $88,853 | $42.72 |
| 19 | City of Riverside | $87,852 | $42.24 |
| 20 | City of Kennewick | $87,458 | $42.05 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
City attorney salary trends
The average city attorney salary has risen by $11,035 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average city attorney earned $91,801 annually, but today, they earn $102,836 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for city attorneys over the last decade.
Compare city attorney salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average city attorney salary over time
Compare city attorney salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
City attorney salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $103,000 | $49.44 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $99,600 | $47.89 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $98,000 | $47.10 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $96,600 | $46.45 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $95,700 | $46.02 | +2.0% |
Recently added city attorney salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Gainesville | Assistant City Attorney II | Gainesville, FL | 06/30/2025 | $99,922 |
| Zuckerberg San Francisco General | Deputy City Attorney-Construction & Public Contracting Team-City Attorney's Office (8177) | San Francisco, CA | 06/29/2025 | $150,124 |
| Kaysville City | Assistant City Attorney | Kaysville, UT | 06/28/2025 | $98,196 |
| The City of Watertown | City Attorney-Attorney | Watertown, WI | 06/27/2025 | $100,906 |
| City of Chula Vista, Ca | Deputy City Attorney II/III | Chula Vista, CA | 06/25/2025 | $178,361 |
| City of Long Beach (Ca | Deputy City Attorney I-II | Long Beach, CA | 06/25/2025 | $118,794 |
| City of Fort Worth, Tx | Assistant City Attorney II | Fort Worth, TX | 06/20/2025 | $111,791 |
| City of Escondido | Deputy City Attorney I/II | Escondido, CA | 06/19/2025 | $112,416 |
| City of Escondido (Ca | Deputy City Attorney I/II | Escondido, CA | 06/17/2025 | $112,416 |
| City of Gallup, Nm | Deputy City Attorney | Tome, NM | 06/15/2025 | $92,892 |
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