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How much do lawyers make?

A look at how much lawyers make in every US state, based on statistics by the Bureau of Labor.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national average annual wage of a lawyer is $135,740. Employment of lawyers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.

However, not all jurisdictions are created equal. In the highest paying state, California, lawyers' average salary is $201,530, or about $110,000 more than the average salary of a lawyer in Wyoming, the lowest paying state. The District of Columbia is ahead of California, with an average annual salary of $226,510.

The five highest paying states are California ($201,530), Massachusetts ($196,230), New York ($188,900), Delaware ($176,904) and Connecticut ($174,520). The five lowest paying states are Wyoming ($88,570), Idaho ($96,810), Montana ($98,170), Kentucky ($99,840) and Mississippi ($101,240).

Average Annual Lawyer Salary by State (2022)

The states that saw the biggest increase in average salary over the last 10 years are Rhode Island (+57.86%), Massachusetts (+46.03%), Indiana (+44.17%), Wisconsin (+40.40) and Tennessee (37.70%). The growth trajectory of the top 10 highest paying states can be visualized as follows:

verage Annual Salary Trend for Top 10 States (2013-2022)

A full overview of the data is accessible below. Explore Legal.io's Salary Insights for more detailed data per role. 

 

Rank State 2022 Avg. Salary 2021 Avg. Salary 2020 Avg. Salary 2019 Avg. Salary 2018 Avg. Salary 2017 Avg. Salary 2016 Avg. Salary 2015 Avg. Salary 2014 Avg. Salary 2013 Avg. Salary 5-Year Change 10-Year Change
1 California $201,530 $176,610 $179,470 $173,970 $171,550 $168,200 $162,010 $163,020 $158,200 $155,750 19.82% 29.39%
2 Massachusetts $196,230 $167,980 $169,120 $164,800 $165,610 $157,450 $158,760 $152,990 $144,030 $134,380 24.63% 46.03%
3 New York $188,900 $179,060 $174,060 $168,780 $167,110 $165,260 $161,260 $155,050 $154,340 $153,490 14.30% 23.07%
4 Delaware $176,904 $173,531 $170,223 $166,978 $163,795 $160,673 $157,610 $152,330 $145,940 $152,490 0.00% 0.00%
5 Connecticut $174,520 $153,200 $158,190 $154,610 $153,640 $152,540 $151,540 $147,100 $140,040 $139,920 14.41% 24.73%
6 Colorado $168,680 $141,760 $148,330 $150,630 $147,560 $141,200 $138,130 $135,880 $130,620 $136,120 19.46% 23.92%
7 Nevada $166,740 $135,200 $129,480 $131,190 $138,920 $138,850 $134,440 $120,360 $123,850 $122,770 20.09% 35.81%
8 Texas $166,620 $150,350 $142,730 $144,110 $150,250 $145,800 $149,400 $143,490 $141,240 $134,200 14.28% 24.16%
9 Georgia $165,560 $133,020 $140,300 $130,320 $128,930 $136,190 $133,030 $130,710 $132,540 $137,280 21.57% 20.60%
10 New Jersey $163,690 $153,800 $151,550 $147,170 $139,020 $140,340 $144,190 $145,970 $140,770 $133,330 16.64% 22.77%
11 Minnesota $163,480 $133,750 $131,460 $124,510 $119,330 $124,230 $133,390 $128,320 $128,290 $126,520 31.59% 29.21%
12 Virginia $162,640 $146,140 $151,970 $143,220 $139,180 $136,790 $139,050 $135,180 $131,320 $129,800 18.90% 25.30%
13 Washington $162,200 $136,210 $131,530 $129,550 $136,480 $129,220 $126,900 $124,000 $120,740 $119,900 25.52% 35.28%
14 Maryland $158,150 $140,450 $139,610 $135,500 $128,340 $126,480 $123,220 $121,530 $126,060 $127,040 25.04% 24.49%
15 Illinois $158,030 $148,280 $153,720 $157,010 $152,980 $140,920 $129,070 $125,920 $124,680 $132,910 12.14% 18.90%
16 Rhode Island $156,300 $148,770 $134,370 $124,600 $125,330 $129,410 $131,430 $129,100 $119,010 $99,010 20.78% 57.86%
17 Tennessee $149,050 $123,180 $121,790 $124,370 $124,470 $129,830 $127,700 $125,530 $113,580 $108,240 14.80% 37.70%
18 Wisconsin $147,530 $131,630 $124,410 $129,440 $130,450 $123,600 $111,080 $101,990 $101,980 $105,080 19.36% 40.40%
19 North Carolina $146,890 $131,960 $132,190 $133,290 $129,990 $137,200 $138,470 $123,940 $118,310 $114,840 7.06% 27.91%
20 Arizona $144,890 $126,600 $140,520 $136,170 $145,750 $138,680 $130,630 $125,660 $117,380 $131,200 4.48% 10.43%
21 Oregon $144,610 $139,520 $128,160 $116,860 $119,500 $117,810 $114,730 $117,800 $114,870 $111,640 22.75% 29.53%
22 Pennsylvania $144,570 $133,330 $139,120 $142,890 $138,610 $139,050 $134,600 $131,090 $129,460 $134,250 3.97% 7.69%
23 Indiana $143,060 $123,370 $117,820 $111,790 $113,360 $113,850 $114,270 $110,240 $103,010 $99,230 25.66% 44.17%
24 Missouri $138,680 $126,940 $111,020 $109,820 $113,780 $115,520 $116,060 $114,480 $121,500 $116,190 20.05% 19.36%
25 Alabama $138,250 $127,910 $121,130 $114,240 $117,100 $117,640 $118,420 $114,820 $113,010 $106,790 17.52% 29.46%
26 Florida $135,840 $129,390 $139,160 $130,010 $128,920 $127,730 $131,990 $128,050 $122,020 $123,040 6.35% 10.40%
27 Utah $133,920 $129,090 $141,460 $134,770 $112,380 $109,280 $108,670 $113,550 $118,910 $115,930 22.55% 15.52%
28 Ohio $130,320 $122,550 $128,170 $124,160 $121,520 $113,610 $113,400 $113,360 $113,200 $108,950 14.71% 19.61%
29 New Hampshire $130,130 $124,230 $129,590 $126,220 $125,890 $119,650 $115,410 $114,470 $111,050 $112,710 8.76% 15.46%
30 Louisiana $127,150 $110,340 $112,190 $108,070 $105,490 $101,170 $105,740 $111,240 $113,830 $110,760 25.68% 14.80%
31 Michigan $127,030 $121,780 $119,150 $116,310 $110,180 $112,740 $110,760 $110,920 $116,710 $114,460 12.68% 10.98%
32 West Virginia $122,070 $107,380 $109,290 $102,040 $98,630 $95,220 $100,430 $98,270 $94,010 $90,240 28.20% 35.27%
33 North Dakota $120,780 $107,190 $113,480 $113,280 $107,290 $97,680 $102,660 $101,840 * $90,850 23.65% 32.94%
34 Alaska $120,590 $113,910 $116,440 $115,260 $121,680 $122,870 $123,770 $121,910 $117,910 $120,500 -1.86% 0.07%
35 Nebraska $119,310 $106,560 $118,070 $112,860 $108,170 $110,950 $107,590 $106,460 $93,820 $95,220 7.53% 25.30%
36 Iowa $117,500 $117,580 $122,400 $119,700 $112,630 $113,470 $108,660 $106,820 $106,080 $106,920 3.55% 9.90%
37 Arkansas $116,730 $107,750 $94,800 $94,000 $98,780 $99,100 $103,980 $100,320 $100,690 $101,340 17.79% 15.19%
38 Kansas $115,860 $102,640 $117,910 $110,290 $109,020 $104,730 $106,470 $105,790 $98,850 $98,750 10.63% 17.33%
39 South Carolina $115,230 $107,780 $114,320 $111,090 $105,320 $104,300 $107,230 $109,250 $113,760 $108,790 10.48% 5.92%
40 Oklahoma $114,470 $105,370 $122,040 $116,270 $118,790 $115,260 $123,510 $116,900 $112,520 $101,310 -0.69% 12.99%
41 New Mexico $110,970 $116,220 $107,700 $103,290 $105,910 $99,510 $97,100 $91,430 $96,520 $98,150 11.52% 13.06%
42 South Dakota $109,190 $100,100 $111,930 $112,810 $109,070 $100,000 $101,360 $96,580 $98,360 $99,650 9.19% 9.57%
43 Hawaii $106,520 $102,090 $114,520 $109,420 $111,290 $113,190 $106,650 $104,180 $105,410 $108,820 -5.89% -2.11%
44 Maine $102,060 $100,890 $98,980 $106,350 $107,120 $102,040 $106,270 $99,260 $100,720 $93,940 0.02% 8.64%
45 Vermont $101,610 $94,810 $100,950 $104,790 $107,490 $105,900 $103,970 $106,610 $101,620 $98,580 -4.05% 3.07%
46 Mississippi $101,240 $97,440 $93,380 $95,040 $97,990 $106,360 $114,710 $103,180 $99,470 $92,640 -4.81% 9.28%
47 Kentucky $99,840 $96,940 $105,130 $102,980 $100,100 $95,890 $93,020 $93,560 $92,090 $90,200 4.12% 10.69%
48 Montana $98,170 $96,200 $93,220 $83,030 $88,600 $83,150 $83,330 $82,070 $75,720 $75,360 18.06% 30.27%
49 Idaho $96,810 $99,740 $108,470 $105,450 $99,360 $98,390 $91,390 $96,900 $100,900 $105,380 -1.61% -8.13%
50 Wyoming $88,570 $92,410 $102,810 $100,090 $105,600 $98,090 $112,710 $102,130 $103,290 $89,280 -9.71% -0.80%

Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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