Associate Attorney Salary in the United States

How much does an Associate Attorney make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for an Associate Attorney in the United States is $99,934 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $48.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $118,476
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $87,879 to $109,640
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $76,905
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered HR
Smart Recruiting
View as table View as graph 25% $87,879 10% $76,905 90% $118,476 75% $109,640 $99,934 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Associate Attorney Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $109,640 $9,137 $2,108 $53
Average $99,934 $8,328 $1,922 $48
25th Percentile $87,879 $7,323 $1,690 $42
Check out Associate Attorney Job Openings in the United States
ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

Shaheen Law Group, LLC - Saint Clairsville, OH

Associate Attorney

Garson Johnson LLC - Cleveland, OH

Associate Attorney

Javitch Block LLC - Cleveland, OH

Associate Attorney

Javitch Block LLC - Cleveland, OH

Search More Associate Attorney Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Associate Attorney Salaries

An Associate 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 Associate Attorney Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Associate 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): $100,549
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $133,436
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $188,257
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $214,343
  • Expert (over 8 years): $254,221
Levels Salary
Associate... Level Associate Attorney$100,549
Attorney ... Level Associate Attorney$133,436
Attorney ... Level Associate Attorney$188,257
Attorney ... Level Associate Attorney$214,343
Attorney ... Level Associate Attorney$254,221
$100,549 0 yr
$133,436 < 2 yrs
$188,257 2-4 yrs
$214,343 5-8 yrs
$254,221 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Associate 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: $126,046
  • San Francisco: $124,807
  • Oakland: $122,039

What Skills Can Increase an Associate Attorney's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Commitment (Mentioned in 5.65% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
  • Estate Planning (Mentioned in 2.37% Job Postings): Estate planning is the process of anticipating and arranging, during a person's life, for the management and disposal of that person's estate during the person's life and at and after death, while minimizing gift, estate, generation skipping transfer, and income tax. Estate planning includes planning for incapacity as well as a process of reducing or eliminating uncertainties over the administration of a probate and maximizing the value of the estate by reducing taxes and other expenses. The ultimate goal of estate planning can be determined by the specific goals of the client, and may be as simple or complex as the client's needs dictate. Guardians are often designated for minor children and beneficiaries in incapacity. The law of estate planning overlaps to some degree with elder law, which additionally includes other provisions such as long-term care.
  • Employment Law (Mentioned in 1.49% Job Postings): Applying the knowledge of employment law to regulate relationships between employers and employees.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Commitment 5.65%
Estate Planning 2.37%
Employment Law 1.49%
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 Associate Attorney's salary.
  • Legal Advice: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Negotiating: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Legal Advice
$104,930
5%
Analysis
$102,932
3%
Negotiating
$102,932
3%
Legal Documents
$101,932
2%
Verbal Communication
$101,932
2%
Legal Research
$101,932
2%
Get Latest Data

How Education impacts an Associate Attorney's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Associate 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 Associate Attorney with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $101,138 and $109,909).

Associate Attorney Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Associate Attorney
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 0.4%
Associates 0.1%
Bachelors 1.8%
Masters 2.9%
Doctorate 94.6%
view as graph

Associate Attorney Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Associate 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.

Last Updated on May 18, 2021

Salary Trends for Associate Attorney

Salaries for an Associate Attorney can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $113,679 in 2023 to around $109,692 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Associate Attorney salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Associate Attorney Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$113,679
2024
$113,244
2025
$109,692
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $113,679
2024 $113,244
2025 $109,692
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Associate Attorney

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Associate Attorney

Here are companies hiring for Associate Attorney and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Associate Attorney Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Associate Attorney job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst