Legal salaries are at the forefront of many law students’ minds as they inch closer to graduation and begin the process of taking the bar exams. It’s an important consideration, especially given the investment going into law school and uncertain economic conditions. Attorney salaries vary by specialty, location, and experience, but it helps to know about salary options.
The ABA Journal published a map two years ago that indicated the average salary for lawyers in several large cities in the United States through salary data reported to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The top ten cities with the highest paid lawyer salaries are as follows:
1. San Jose – Sunnyvale – Santa Clara, California: $192,020.00
2. San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, California: $167,130.00
3. New York – White Plains – Wayne, New York, New Jersey: $166,130.00
4. Santa Ana – Anaheim – Irvine, California: $157,950.00
5. Los Angeles – Long Beach – Glendale, California: $155,120.00
6. Modesto, California: $153,540.00
7. Wilmington, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey: $153,520.00
8. Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia: $152,230.00
9. Oxnard – Thousand Oaks – Ventura, California: $150,850.00
10. Chattanooga, Tennessee, Georgia: $148,350.00*
However, keep in mind that this data does not take into account the cost of living in these different cities. Nearly every city included in this top ten list is in a state where the cost of living is higher than the rest of the country. Therefore, wages are also adjusted to match this cost-of-living increase.
The ABA Journal also provided a map indicating attorney salaries in the United States, indicating that most Midwestern states pay the lowest, while states such as California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Georgia are among the states that pay lawyers the most. . According to US News, attorneys across the country earned a median salary of $113,310.
Legal specialties can also affect attorney salaries. For example, corporate attorneys generally earn more than public interest attorneys. While there is no specific specialty that students should pursue in order to earn a high-end salary, the highest-paid attorneys are those with more than twenty years of experience at a particular firm. Trial attorneys can also be some of the highest paid attorneys due to the amount of their settlements and awards, although many trial attorneys are at the lowest salaries. Additionally, DUI and DWI attorneys also have the potential to earn a lot of money. These salaries are highly dependent on court experience.
Attorney salaries are also affected by the size of your firm. For example, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, attorneys who own their own practices earn less than partners in a large law firm. Most large law firms offer attractive packages to newly licensed attorneys who have earned top marks in law school, with a typical starting salary of more than $100,000. However, these positions come with many hours and few days off during the first few years as an associate.
In total, average attorney salaries range from $50,000 to $166,000, all of which vary based on location, experience, and size of the law firm.
