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Attorney Salary & Career Insights
What is the average salary for an attorney in the United States?
$145,760 per year
According to the BLS.gov, the average salary for an attorney in the United States is $145,760 annually. The lowest salary is $69,760 annually, and the highest is $239,200 annually.
Our salary data comes from BLS.gov. The salaries presented here are the 2023 median pay.
Job Outlook & Work Environment
Job Outlook
🚀 826,300 estimated in 2022, and 38,100 job openings projected between 2022-2032.
☀️ The projected job outlook is faster than average for attorneys. The growth projections at bls.gov states jobs will grow between 5% and 8% through 2032.
Work Environment
💼 Attorneys usually work in office settings but may travel to meet clients or to appear in court.
🏢 52% of attorneys work in legal services, including law firms, while 13% are self-employed. Others work in government: local, state, and federal.
Attorney Salary in Comparison to Patent Law Salaries
How Does an Attorney Salary Stack Up?
General attorneys typically earn around $145,000 a year, while Patent attorneys typically earn around $185,000 a year.
Your salary will likely increase if you decide to take the Patent Bar exam and become a Patent attorney.
Top Attorney Salaries by Industry
This data was taken from the BLS.gov salary data for attorneys.
| Industry | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Water, Sewage, etc. | $315,000 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $303,190 |
| Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers | $301,780 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries | $280,910 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, etc. | $279,510 |
Salary by Attorney Industry
In the U.S., the average attorney salary is $145,760.
However, depending on the industry you get into, you may earn much more. The highest average salary is in the Water, Sewage, etc., industry at $315,000.
Industries such as Other Ambulatory Health Care Services and Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers also offer competitive attorney salaries, slightly above $300,000.
Attorneys in the industry involved in Promoting Performing Arts, Sports, etc., typically earn $279,510, still much higher than the average pay for an attorney.
Experience & Education
Here are some typical daily activities of an attorney:
- Gathering Information — Collecting and acquiring information from all pertinent sources through observation and reception.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Delivering information to supervisors, colleagues, and team members via phone, written documents, email, or in-person discussions.
- Decision Making and Problem Solving — Examining information and evaluating outcomes to determine the best solution and address issues.
- Evaluating Information for Compliance — Utilizing relevant data and personal judgment to verify whether events or processes conform to laws, regulations, or standards.
- Conflict Resolution and Negotiation — Managing complaints, resolving disputes, and negotiating to settle grievances and conflicts with others.
Here are the typical skills you need to work as an attorney:
- Speaking — Effectively communicating information by talking to others.
- Active Listening — Paying full attention to others, understanding their points, asking relevant questions, and avoiding untimely interruptions.
- Critical Thinking — Applying logic and reasoning to assess the strengths and weaknesses of different solutions, conclusions, or approaches.
- Reading Comprehension — Grasping the meaning of written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Writing — Effectively expressing ideas in writing to meet the audience’s needs.
- Complex Problem Solving — Recognizing complex issues, reviewing related details, and developing and implementing solutions after evaluating options.
Knowledge required to work as an attorney:
- Law and Government — Understanding laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
- English Language — Grasping the structure and content of the English language, including word meanings, spelling, composition rules, and grammar.
- Customer and Personal Service — Comprehending principles and methods for delivering customer and personal services, which include assessing customer needs, meeting quality standards, and evaluating customer satisfaction.
- Administrative — Familiarity with administrative and office procedures and systems, such as word processing, file management, stenography, transcription, form design, and workplace terminology.
Average Education
Approximately 77% of attorneys have a Doctoral degree, while 23% have a Professional degree.
Top Attorney Salaries by Location
Factors that Impact Pay
The average attorney salary is highest in San Jose, CA, at $268,570, outpacing other top-paying cities.
Norwalk, CT, and Boulder, CO, follow closely with salaries above $250,000. Notably, San Francisco, CA, and Washington, DC, offer slightly lower average salaries.
The District of Columbia offers the highest attorney salary at $238,000, while California and Delaware are nearly tied for second place at $213,000 and $212,000, respectively.
Take a look at the average attorney salaries from top-paying cities according to Bls.gov data.
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $268,570 |
| Norwalk, CT | $252,210 |
| Boulder, CO | $251,490 |
| San Francisco, CA | $235,940 |
| Washington DC | $223,890 |
Look at the average attorney salaries from top-paying states according to Bls.gov data.
| State | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $238,990 |
| California | $213,860 |
| Delaware | $212,360 |
| New York | $208,480 |
| Connecticut | $195,730 |
Related Careers
Patent Agent
Patent agents practice patent law before the USPTO.
Average of $130,168/year
Patent Attorney
Patent attorneys can practice patent law in addition to practicing law in jurisdictions where they are currently admitted.
Average of $185,351/year