Attorney Salary in the United States

How much does an Attorney make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for an Attorney in the United States is $135,488 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $65.

However, an Attorney's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $170,267
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $121,774 to $153,693
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $109,287
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Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $121,774 10% $109,287 90% $170,267 75% $153,693 $135,488 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Attorney Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $153,693 $12,808 $2,956 $74
Average $135,488 $11,291 $2,606 $65
25th Percentile $121,774 $10,148 $2,342 $59
Check out Attorney Job Openings in the United States
ATTORNEY/LAWYER

Robert Half - Cleveland, OH

Supervisory Attorney-Adviser (General) with Security Clearance

Department of Defense - Whitehall, OH

SUPERVISORY ATTORNEY-ADVISER (GENERAL) WITH SECURITY CLEARANCE

Department of Defense - Whitehall, OH

STAFF ATTORNEY

Charles V. Longo Co., LPA - Beachwood, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Attorney Salaries

An Attorney's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Attorney Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Attorney's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $101,240
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $134,352
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $189,551
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $215,816
  • Expert (over 8 years): $255,967
Levels Salary
Attorney ... Level Attorney$101,240
Attorney Level Attorney$134,352
Attorney ... Level Attorney$189,551
Attorney ... Level Attorney$215,816
Attorney ... Level Attorney$255,967
$101,240 0 yr
$134,352 < 2 yrs
$189,551 2-4 yrs
$215,816 5-8 yrs
$255,967 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Attorneys

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $170,892
  • San Francisco: $169,212
  • Oakland: $165,458

What Skills Can Increase an Attorney's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 5.45% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Bankruptcy (Mentioned in 2.27% Job Postings): Bankruptcy helps people who can no longer pay their debts get a fresh start by liquidating assets to pay their debts or by creating a repayment plan.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.04% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 5.45%
Bankruptcy 2.27%
Microsoft Office 2.04%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Attorney's salary.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Employment Law: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Innovation
 $142,263
5%
Employment Law
 $140,908
4%
Flexibility
 $140,908
4%
Negotiating
 $140,908
4%
Initiative
 $139,553
3%
Collaboration
 $139,553
3%
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How Education impacts an Attorney's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Attorneys enter the field with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Attorney with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $131,849 and $143,814).

Attorney Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Attorney
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.4%
High School 0.4%
Associates 0.2%
Bachelors 0.9%
Masters 2.0%
Doctorate 96.4%
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Attorney Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Attorney's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on May 18, 2021
$121,774
Average $135,488/year
$153,693
$10,148
Average $11,291/month
$12,808
$2,342
Average $2,606/week
$2,956
$59
Average $65/hour
$74
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $153,693 $12,808 $2,956 $74
Average $135,488 $11,291 $2,606 $65
25th Percentile $121,774 $10,148 $2,342 $59

Salaries of jobs related to Attorney

Salary Trends for Attorney

Salaries for an Attorney can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $153,080 in 2023 to around $146,677 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Attorney salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Attorney Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$153,080
2024
$151,387
2025
$146,677
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $153,080
2024 $151,387
2025 $146,677
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Attorney

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Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Attorney

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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