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Lawyers Salary by State
There were an estimated 747,750 lawyers working in the United States in May 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey. The typical (median) lawyer earned $151,160 a year, or $72.67 an hour, while the mean annual wage was $182,760. Pay spans a wide range even inside the same occupation: the lowest-paid 10% of lawyers earned $72,780 or less, the bottom quarter earned $99,760 or less, the top quarter earned at least $215,420, and the top 10% earned at least $239,200+. Where a lawyer works matters almost as much as the job itself, as the state table below shows.
Where lawyers earn the most — and least
The highest median pay for lawyers is in California, at $197,790 a year — 30.8% higher than the national median of $151,160. Next are District of Columbia at $191,880 and Massachusetts at $179,050. At the other end, Arkansas posts the lowest published median, $86,970, which is 42.5% lower than the national figure. That is a top-to-bottom spread of about 2.3 times between the highest- and lowest-paying states for the same occupation — a gap driven by local labor markets, licensing, employer mix, and cost of living rather than by differences in the job title itself.
Where the lawyer jobs are
Employment is concentrated in a handful of large states. California alone employs 92,580 lawyers, and the three largest states — California, New York, and Florida — together account for 33% of all U.S. jobs in this occupation. Pay in the largest market, California, runs at a median of $197,790, 30.8% higher than the national median, so the biggest job market is also one of the better-paying ones. Smaller states can still be attractive: several low-population states post medians close to the national figure with far less competition for each opening.
Lawyer salary by state — full table
Median and mean annual wages for lawyers in every state where BLS publishes an estimate for May 2024, ranked by median pay. The 90th-percentile column shows what the top-earning tenth of lawyers in each state make. Follow a state link for that state's full wage tables, or open a detailed guide where one is available.
| State | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 92,580 | $95.09 | $197,790 | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| District of Columbia | 33,430 | $92.25 | $191,880 | $236,700 | $239,200+ |
| Massachusetts | 22,020 | $86.08 | $179,050 | $218,340 | $239,200+ |
| New York | 91,440 | $85.20 | $177,210 | $208,080 | $239,200+ |
| Delaware | 2,970 | $83.03 | $172,710 | $196,880 | $239,200+ |
| Colorado | 17,160 | $80.75 | $167,970 | $208,710 | $239,200+ |
| Connecticut | 7,500 | $76.56 | $159,240 | $188,990 | $239,200+ |
| New Jersey | 23,360 | $76.19 | $158,470 | $186,430 | $239,200+ |
| Virginia | 18,420 | $75.95 | $157,980 | $173,200 | $239,200+ |
| Illinois Detailed guide | 33,430 | $75.63 | $157,320 | $177,740 | $239,200+ |
| Washington | 13,140 | $73.05 | $151,950 | $170,650 | $239,200+ |
| Maryland | 16,420 | $68.98 | $143,490 | $155,930 | $239,200+ |
| Oregon | 7,690 | $68.04 | $141,520 | $152,580 | $239,200+ |
| Minnesota | 12,880 | $66.21 | $137,720 | $157,360 | $239,200+ |
| Texas | 54,680 | $64.22 | $133,570 | $162,840 | $239,200+ |
| Arizona | 12,130 | $64.12 | $133,360 | $161,480 | $239,200+ |
| Alaska | 1,040 | $63.80 | $132,710 | $140,520 | $195,830 |
| Tennessee | 8,830 | $62.77 | $130,570 | $155,290 | $239,200+ |
| Indiana | 8,510 | $62.56 | $130,120 | $158,270 | $239,200+ |
| Rhode Island | 1,910 | $61.98 | $128,920 | $146,240 | $216,680 |
| Pennsylvania | 26,340 | $61.51 | $127,940 | $155,050 | $239,200+ |
| Florida | 59,010 | $61.45 | $127,810 | $152,360 | $239,200+ |
| Alabama | 5,810 | $61.38 | $127,660 | $139,470 | $217,010 |
| Michigan | 16,060 | $60.87 | $126,600 | $148,340 | $239,200+ |
| Georgia | 23,010 | $60.69 | $126,240 | $185,830 | $239,200+ |
| Utah | 5,850 | $60.44 | $125,710 | $151,220 | $239,200+ |
| Ohio | 19,690 | $60.31 | $125,450 | $142,860 | $228,400 |
| North Carolina | 17,380 | $60.04 | $124,880 | $159,830 | $239,200+ |
| Missouri | 11,950 | $59.71 | $124,210 | $158,200 | $239,200+ |
| New Hampshire | — | $58.96 | $122,640 | $170,110 | $239,200+ |
| Wisconsin | 8,820 | $57.68 | $119,970 | $155,270 | $239,200+ |
| Hawaii | 2,430 | $55.78 | $116,010 | $121,900 | $173,040 |
| Louisiana | 8,610 | $54.14 | $112,600 | $128,020 | $215,990 |
| New Mexico | 3,130 | $54.09 | $112,500 | $135,860 | $219,410 |
| Kansas | 4,270 | $53.85 | $112,000 | $129,530 | $224,240 |
| Iowa | 3,550 | $51.86 | $107,870 | $124,130 | $216,600 |
| Nebraska | 3,470 | $50.47 | $104,970 | $127,010 | $208,100 |
| North Dakota | 1,070 | $50.45 | $104,940 | $122,430 | $189,260 |
| South Carolina | 7,270 | $50.08 | $104,160 | $132,500 | $239,200+ |
| Kentucky | 6,380 | $49.36 | $102,670 | $116,020 | $193,980 |
| Idaho | 2,070 | $49.17 | $102,280 | $127,340 | $229,800 |
| West Virginia | 2,460 | $49.16 | $102,240 | $117,770 | $197,630 |
| Vermont | 1,150 | $48.60 | $101,090 | $161,990 | $239,200+ |
| Montana | 2,460 | $48.44 | $100,750 | $109,190 | $192,280 |
| Maine | 2,080 | $48.24 | $100,340 | $122,810 | $209,920 |
| Wyoming | 940 | $48.16 | $100,170 | $133,570 | $239,200+ |
| Oklahoma | 7,430 | $47.54 | $98,870 | $120,220 | $212,870 |
| South Dakota | 1,130 | $46.42 | $96,550 | $129,500 | $226,520 |
| Mississippi | 3,200 | $44.52 | $92,610 | $112,690 | $199,760 |
| Arkansas | 3,500 | $41.81 | $86,970 | $134,860 | $209,390 |
Lawyer wages in U.S. territories
| Area | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guam | 160 | $60.10 | $125,000 | $125,240 | $182,060 |
| Virgin Islands | 170 | $56.73 | $117,990 | $117,450 | $169,890 |
How to read these numbers
The median is the middle wage: half of lawyers earn more and half earn less. The mean is pulled up by the highest earners, which is why the mean of $182,760 sits above the median of $151,160 for this occupation. OEWS wages are gross pay before taxes and benefits, and BLS converts hourly rates to annual figures on a 2,080-hour, year-round full-time basis; part-time and seasonal workers' actual annual earnings can be lower. Figures marked with a plus sign are at or above the BLS reporting cap of $239,200 a year ($115.00 an hour).
Lawyer salary FAQ
What is the average lawyer salary?
BLS put the mean annual wage for lawyers at $182,760 in May 2024, with a median of $151,160 ($72.67 an hour) across 747,750 U.S. jobs.
Which state pays lawyers the most?
California has the highest median pay for lawyers, at $197,790 a year in May 2024 — 30.8% higher than the national median of $151,160.
Which state pays lawyers the least?
Among states where BLS publishes an estimate, Arkansas has the lowest median for lawyers, at $86,970 a year, 42.5% lower than the national median.
How many lawyers are there in the United States?
BLS estimated 747,750 lawyers jobs in May 2024. The largest state market is California, with 92,580 jobs.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.