How Much Does a Lawyer Make? – Which States Pay the Highest Salary?
How much does a lawyer make is a common question, and most people who are planning to pursue a career in law wonder. If you are one of them or you just want to have a better insight into the average earnings of lawyers, then this guide is for you.
Below, we have covered everything you may want to know about the how much does a lawyer make question. However, it is important to understand that the following numbers are just average numbers in states and the United States.
They can significantly vary depending on various factors such as the experience of the lawyer, the hiring organization or person, and even the market conditions.
How Much Does a Lawyer Make?
Most people wonder how much does a lawyer make. They all have steady jobs, and they seem like they make money by simply attending court proceedings. However, the facts are just the opposite.
Being a lawyer required hard work and unlike many other jobs, they do not have strict working hours. Sometimes, they may have to work until the first lights of the day. In addition to this, most of their job consists of paperwork and documentation.
On average, a lawyer makes around $75,000 per year in the United States. However, new lawyers can earn as low as $14,000 per year while there are no limits for experienced lawyers.
Top 10 Highest-Paying States for Lawyers in 2022
Of course the answer to the how much does a lawyer make question will vary depending on the state you are planning to work for. This is why we wanted to cover the 10 highest-paying states for lawyers in 2022 in this section. Here are the best states for lawyers in terms of their pay:
- California – $171,000
- New York – $167,000
- Massachusetts – $165,000
- Connecticut – $153,000
- Illinois – $152,000
- Texas – $150,000
- Colorado – $147,000
- Arizona – $145,000
- Virginia – $139,000
- New Jersey – $138,000
It is important to understand that these are the average numbers. Any lawyer can make more or less than these numbers.
10 Least-Paying States for Lawyers in 2022
Of course, you also may want to know the least-paying states for lawyers. So, this is another aspect of the answer to the question of how much does a lawyer make. Although these states are the least-paying states, this does not mean that you cannot get a better deal than the highest-paying states.
- Montana – $88,000
- Mississippi – $97,000
- West Virginia – $98,000
- Arkansas – $98,500
- Idaho – $99,000
- Kentucky – $100,000
- South Carolina – $105,000
- Louisiana – $105,500
- Wyoming – $106,000
- New Mexico – $107,000
On average, you will be making the least money by working in any of these states as a lawyer. On the other hand, your experience can help you to make more.
Top 5 Highest-Paying Companies for Lawyers in 2022
If you wonder how much does a lawyer make, then you may wonder what are the highest-paying companies for lawyers too. According to Indeed lawyer salaries, the following companies are the highest-paying companies for lawyers:
- Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati – $256,000
- Debevoise & Plimpton LLP – $222,000
- Jameson Legal – $158,000
- Marble – $157,000
- Clifford Chance – $151,000
It is important to note that not all companies share the salary they pay to their employees. The above-mentioned companies are listed by Indeed. Probably, there are other companies that offer more salary to their lawyers on average compared to these companies.
5 Popular Lawyer Jobs with a Good Pay
So, now you know how much does a lawyer make but what about your career? You need to specialize in one field to start attracting the attention of your possible employers or clients. In this regard, you have almost 50 different choices.
Although you will have a better idea about which career you need to choose during your law school education, we have compiled five suggestions for you. The following lawyer jobs are some of the good-paying jobs you may want to consider.
- Litigation Lawyer – $154,000
- Immigration Lawyer – $148,000
- Employment Lawyer – $146,000
- Corporate Lawyer – $132,000
- Contracts Lawyer – $122,000
How to Find Lawyers?
If you wonder how much does a lawyer make before you hire one, then these average salaries may be useful for you. This is because each case is unique, and a lawyer will offer unique pricing or costs for cases.
In this regard, you need to contact a lawyer to discuss your unique condition and learn your alternatives. Of course, you can directly contact any law firm to find one. You can also prefer the referral method upon the advice of someone you know.
However, you can also find lawyers by searching for a lawyer near me on any search engine. This will let you list all the professionals in your area only in seconds.
