Lawyer Salary in the United States
The median Lawyer salary in the United States is $159,670, with most packages landing between $102,990 and $351,600. This benchmark is a official wage benchmark; sign in to compare your exact pay against the percentile bands.
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Pay percentiles
Official wage dataGross annual, local currency.
Per hour and per month
| 25th percentile | Median (p50) | 75th percentile | Top 10% (p90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per hour | $49.51 | $76.76 | $106.43 | $169.04 |
| Per month | $8,583 | $13,306 | $18,448 | $29,300 |
Converted from the annual figure at 2080 working hours a year.
Salary by seniority
Estimated| Junior | $96,000 | -40% |
| Mid-level | $141,000 | -12% |
| Senior | $200,000 | +25% |
| Lead / Exec | $279,000 | +75% |
Total compensation
Benefits are worth about $19,000 a year on top of cash pay.
Where this pay goes furthest
The same package, in local cost-of-living terms, across markets.
- India₹1,428,000
- Portugal€46,000
- Greece€55,000
- PolandPLN 257,000
- Italy€68,000
- Japan¥11,714,000
How we calculate this
These figures place a Lawyer's pay against percentile bands (p25 to p90) in the United States. Where national occupation data is thin, we model from regional wage references and label it as such; we never present an estimate as official. Figures are gross annual, rounded.
Where this figure comes from
- Occupation as published
- Lawyers (23-1011)
- Reference period
- 2025-05
- The percentiles are exactly as published by the source.
Frequently asked questions
Is $159,670 a good salary for a Lawyer in the United States?
$159,670 is the median, so it sits at the centre of the market. Earning above $221,370 puts you in the top quartile; below $102,990, there is room to negotiate.
How much does a senior Lawyer earn in the United States?
A senior Lawyer earns around $200,000, against $96,000 early in the career. Seniority bands are estimated from the overall median.
What is the total compensation for a Lawyer in the United States?
On top of base pay, benefits are worth about $19,000 a year. Bonus and equity vary by employer and sector.
How is this Lawyer salary benchmark calculated?
We place your package against percentile bands for the role and country, from official wage data where available and regional references otherwise, always labeled.