Updated March 24, 2023: Explore this matrix for a comprehensive overview of U.S. legal professionals' salaries at the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles. (What does that mean?) To account for regional salary variations, apply the percentage from the Regional Variances chart below.
- Attorney (Law Firm)
- Senior Attorney (10+ yrs)
- Licensed (4-9 yrs)
- Licensed (1-3 yrs)
- First Year
| - Paralegal
- Senior/Supervising
- Midlevel
- Junior
- Case Clerk
| - Legal Management
- Administrator/Office
| - Legal Secretary
- Senior Executive (12+ yrs)
- Midlevel (7-11 yrs)
- Legal (3-6 yrs)
- Junior (1-2 yrs)
| - In-House Counsel
General Counsel
Assoc. Counsel (10+ yrs)
In-House (4-9 yrs)
In-House (0-3 yrs)
| - Legal Specialist
- Legal Specialist
| - General Administrative
- General Administrative
| - Definitions and Variances
- Regional Variances
- Law Firm Definitions
|
Attorney |
| Experience
| 25th percentile
| 50th percentile
| 75th percentile
| Senior Attorney
| 10+ years
| $132,000
| $160,250
| $185,000
| Attorney
| 4-9 years
| $100,250
| $128,000
| $158,500
| Attorney
| 2-3 years
| $90,500
| $114,000
| $140,000
| First-Year Associate
| <1 year
| $75,250
| $92,500
| $120,000
|
|
|
|
|
| In-House Counsel
|
| Experience
| 25th percentile
| 50th percentile
| 75th percentile
| General Counsel, Chief Corporate Counsel
|
| $168,750
| $201,000
| $245,000
| In-House Counsel/Assoc. GC
| 10+ years
| $145,750
| $167,500
| $200,000
| In-House Counsel
| 4-9 years
| $98,250
| $135,250
| $163,000
| In-House Counsel
| 0-3 years
| $84,000
| $108,750
| $130,500
|
|
|
|
|
| Law Firm Administration
|
|
| 25th percentile
| 50th percentile
| 75th percentile
| Legal Administrator/Executive Director
|
| $87,250
| $94,000
| $118,500
| Legal Office Manager
|
| $57,500
| $65,000
| $80,000
|
|
|
|
|
| Legal Administrative Support
|
| Experience
| 25th percentile
| 50th percentile
| 75th percentile
| Senior/Executive Legal Secretary
| 12+ years
| $66,500
| $72,750
| $80,750
| Legal Secretary
| 7-11 years
| $55,750
| $65,250
| $75,250
| Legal Secretary
| 3-6 years
| $50,000
| $55,250
| $64,750
| Legal Secretary
| 1-2 years
| $40,000
| $45,250
| $49,000
| Legal Administrative Assistant
|
| $38,750
| $43,250
| $46,500
|
|
|
|
|
| Paralegal Support
|
| Experience
| 25th percentile
| 50th percentile
| 75th percentile
| Paralegal Manager
|
| $85,750
| $93,000
| $106,000
| Senior/Supervising Paralegal
| 7+ years
| $69,250
| $77,500
| $98,000
| Midlevel Paralegal
| 4-6 years
| $59,750
| $68,000
| $79,750
| Paralegal
| 2-3 years
| $46,000
| $52,750
| $62,500
| Case Clerk
| 0-2 years
| $43,000
| $46,750
| $51,750
|
|
|
|
|
| Legal Specialist Support
|
|
| 25th percentile
| 50th percentile
| 75th percentile
| Calendar or Docket Clerk
|
| $43,250
| $50,000
| $63,000
| File Clerk
|
| $40,750
| $45,250
| $52,750
| Legal Assistant
|
| $47,750
| $56,500
| $65,250
| Legal Assistant (Senior)
|
| $68,500
| $75,250
| $82,000
| Patent Agent
|
| $75,500
| $89,750
| $105,500
| Records Manager
|
| $70,000
| $81,250
| $92,000
| Records Specialist
|
| $37,250
| $42,000
| $47,250
| Time and Billing Specialist
|
| $40,500
| $44,750
| $54,250
|
|
|
|
|
| Compliance Support
|
| Experience
| 25th percentile
| 50th percentile
| 75th percentile
| Director, Compliance
| 10+ years
| $98,750
| $136,000
| $159,750
| Manager, Compliance
| 7-9 years
| $89,000
| $104,250
| $130,500
| Compliance Analyst
| 4-6 years
| $70,750
| $85,250
| $105,000
| Compliance Analyst
| 1-3 years
| $63,500
| $79,250
| $85,250
|
|
|
|
|
| Contract Management Support
|
| Experience
| 25th percentile
| 50th percentile
| 75th percentile
| Contract Manager
|
| $71,500
| $88,000
| $112,750
| Contract Administrator
| 4-6 years
| $63,500
| $79,750
| $97,000
| Contract Administrator
| 1-3 years
| $56,250
| $66,750
| $83,250
|
|
|
|
|
|
What Do the 25th, 50th, and 75th Percentiles Mean in Salary Data?* - 25th percentile. At this point, 25% of people in the same role earn less than this salary figure, while 75% earn more. It is considered the lower boundary of the salary range.
- 50th percentile. Also known as the median salary, half of the people in the same role earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. It represents the middle point of the salary distribution.
- 75th percentile. At this level, 75% of people in the same role earn less than this salary figure, while 25% earn more. It is considered the upper boundary of the salary range.
To calculate a locality-specific salary, multiply the salary above by the appropriate locality percentage provided below. Keep in mind that the locality index percentages are based on data from all industries, not just the legal field, so actual market values for legal professionals' salaries may vary depending on local conditions. Regional Salary Variances
(Listed in %)
|
| New England
States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
| Boston, MA
| 133.0
| Hartford, CT
| 114.0 | Manchester, NH
| 108.0 | Milford, CT
| 112.0
| Portland, ME
| 95.0
| Providence, RI
| 101.5
| Springfield, MA
| 101.0
| Stamford, CT/White Plains, NY
| 130.0
|
| Middle Atlantic
States: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
| Albany, NY
| 96.0
| Buffalo, NY
| 93.5
| Harrisburg, PA
| 95.0
| Long Island, NY
| 125.0
| Mount Laurel, NJ
| 115.0
| New York, NY
| 138.0
| Paramus, NJ
| 128.0
| Philadelphia, PA
| 118.0
| Pittsburgh, PA
| 96.0
| Rochester, NY
| 90.0
| Syracuse, NY
| 90.5
| Woodbridge, NJ
| 125.0
|
| South Atlantic
States: Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia
| Atlanta, GA
| 107.5
| Baltimore, MD
| 104.0
| Charleston, SC
| 96.0
| Charlotte, NC
| 103.5
| Columbia, SC
| 94.0
| Fort Myers, FL
| 93.0
| Greensboro, NC
| 100.0
| Greenville, SC
| 96.0
| Jacksonville, FL
| 97.0
| Macon, GA
| 82.0
| Melbourne, FL
| 93.0
| Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL
| 110.0
| Orlando, FL
| 101.0
| Raleigh, NC
| 103.5
| Richmond, VA
| 99.0
| Savannah, GA
| 89.0
| St. Petersburg, FL
| 102.0 | Tampa, FL
| 102.0 | Tysons Corner, VA
| 133.0
| Washington, DC
| 133.0
| Wilmington, DE
| 105.0
|
| East North Central
States: Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin
| Akron, OH
| 89.0
| Ann Arbor, MI
| 101.0
| Appleton, WI
| 81.0
| Canton, OH
| 82.0
| Chicago, IL
| 124.0
| Cincinnati, OH
| 97.5
| Cleveland, OH
| 96.0
| Columbus, OH
| 98.0
| Dayton, OH
| 87.0
| Detroit, MI
| 100.0
| Grand Rapids, MI
| 86.0
| Green Bay, WI
| 86.5
| Lansing, MI
| 85.0
| Madison, WI
| 99.0
| Milwaukee, WI
| 100.0 | Naperville, IL
| 115.0
| Rockford, IL
| 85.0
| Springfield, IL
| 101.0
| Toledo, OH
| 86.0
| Waukesha, WI
| 101.0
| Youngstown, OH
| 76.0
|
| West North Central
States: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota
| Bloomington, MN
| 107.0
| Cedar Falls/Waterloo, IA
| 90.0
| Cedar Rapids, IA
| 93.0
| Davenport, IA
| 93.0
| Des Moines, IA
| 100.0
| Duluth, MN
| 83.5
| Kansas City, MO
| 99.5
| Lincoln, NE
| 87.0
| Minneapolis, MN
| 107.0
| Omaha, NE
| 97.0 | Rochester, MN
| 110.0
| Sioux City, IA
| 84.0
| St. Cloud, MN
| 90.0
| St. Joseph, MO
| 90.0
| St. Louis, MO
| 100.5
| St. Paul, MN
| 106.0
|
| East South Central
States: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee
| Birmingham, AL
| 95.0
| Chattanooga, TN
| 89.5
| Knoxville, TN
| 89.0
| Lexington, KY
| 92.0
| Louisville, KY
| 92.0
| Memphis, TN
| 96.0
| Mobile, AL
| 86.0
| Nashville, TN
| 102.0 |
| West South Central
States: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
| Austin, TX
| 116.0 | Dallas, TX
| 112.0
| El Paso, TX
| 72.0
| Fayetteville, AR
| 95.0
| Fort Worth, TX
| 111.0 | Houston, TX
| 110.0
| Little Rock, AR
| 95.0
| Midland/Odessa, TX
| 108.0
| New Orleans/Baton Rouge, LA
| 100.0 | Oklahoma City, OK
| 95.0
| San Antonio, TX
| 101.0
| Tulsa, OK
| 93.0
|
| Mountain
States: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming
| Albuquerque, NM
| 95.0
| Boise, ID
| 89.0
| Boulder, CO
| 119.0 | Colorado Springs, CO
| 100.0 | Denver, CO
| 117.0 | Fort Collins, CO
| 100.0 | Greeley, CO
| 89.0
| Las Vegas, NV
| 106.0
| Loveland, CO
| 95.0
| Phoenix, AZ
| 110.0
| Pueblo, CO
| 85.0
| Reno, NV
| 104.0
| Salt Lake City, UT
| 108.0
| Tucson, AZ
| 107.0
|
| Pacific
States: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington
| Fresno, CA
| 100.0 | Honolulu, HI
| 107.0
| Irvine, CA
| 122.0
| Los Angeles, CA
| 131.0
| Oakland, CA
| 135.0
| Ontario, CA
| 118.0 | Portland, OR
| 111.0
| Sacramento, CA
| 111.0
| San Diego, CA
| 123.0
| San Francisco, CA
| 135.0
| San Jose, CA
| 132.0
| Santa Barbara, CA
| 127.0
| Santa Rosa, CA
| 115.0
| Seattle, WA
| 129.0
| Spokane, WA
| 97.0 | Stockton, CA
| 92.0 |
|
| Salary and economic data presented on this page come from compensation consultants, industry organizations, and trade publications, as well as from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics
|
Related Pages
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