Lawyer Salaries
In order to be successful, a prospective lawyer must work hard through law school. But it’s all worth it in the end for most new graduates. Like other professions, where a professional degree is needed, lawyers have the potential to make six figures or more right out of graduate school. Lawyer salaries can range widely based on several factors such as:
- The size of the firm (small, medium or large)
- The number of employees
- Kind of law being practiced (criminal, civil, prosecutor, defense, non-profit, public, private practice or firm, etc.)
- Location of the firm (city, state)
- The type of clientele served
- How much the lawyer is willing to work
- Amount of experience obtained through law school
Many new graduates find it hard to land positions inside large, prestigious law firms. This is due to the lack of effort and participation in debatable court competitions, law evaluations, and law journals while in law school. It’s extremely important that law students participate and obtain experience as often as possible before graduating. Generally, participation in such events is done through the supervision of an experienced lawyer or judge. Being able to make outside connections while in law school can benefit a new graduate who is seeking employment in a large law firm after graduating. Large law firms pay more money. To increase your chances, good grades and a good reputation are keys to a higher salary.
According to the 2009 survey from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the median annual wage of all wage-and-salaried lawyers was $110,590, with the middle half earning between $74,980 and $163,320. Management positions of law companies and enterprises reported an average salary of $145,770, while local and state government attorneys reported an average of $80,000, respectively.
Attorneys who own their own practices generally make less than those who are partners in law firms (even small law firms). Plus, benefits such as health insurance and contributions to retirement plans usually come with working in a law firm. Still, approximately 26% of lawyers are in private practice, often times finding themselves working part-time at other jobs to help provide a steady income. Check out the chart below to determine the average salary for each State.
Annual Salaries by State
Below is a list of the average median salary, according to the BLS, for each State as of 2009.
| Alabama | $116,350 |
| Alaska | $98,760 |
| Arizona | $117,140 |
| Arkansas | $95,300 |
| California | $143,850 |
| Colorado | $120,620 |
| Connecticut | $124,140 |
| Delaware | $147,140 |
| D.C. | $149,330 |
| Florida | $113,780 |
| Georgia | $132,280 |
| Hawaii | $85,190 |
| Idaho | $93,970 |
| Illinois | $136,780 |
| Indiana | $92,600 |
| Iowa | $93,000 |
| Kansas | $98,020 |
| Kentucky | $91,950 |
| Louisiana | $93,340 |
| Maine | $87,860 |
| Maryland | $125,980 |
| Massachusetts | $128,700 |
| Michigan | $116,170 |
| Minnesota | $121,630 |
| Mississippi | $84,790 |
| Missouri | $107,780 |
| Montana | $72,070 |
| Nebraska | $95,560 |
| Nevada | $117,070 |
| New Hampshire | $90,210 |
| New Jersey | $123,210 |
| New Mexico | $87,730 |
| New York | $145,400 |
| North Carolina | $113,660 |
| North Dakota | $94,800 |
| Ohio | $103,140 |
| Oklahoma | $89,190 |
| Oregon | $94,310 |
| Pennsylvania | $120,200 |
| Rhode Island | $115,170 |
| South Carolina | $105,400 |
| South Dakota | $81,960 |
| Tennessee | $115,960 |
| Texas | $124,600 |
| Utah | $116,410 |
| Vermont | $96,090 |
| Virginia | $126,980 |
| Washington | $109,080 |
| West Virginia | $90,610 |
| Wisconsin | $110,700 |
| Wyoming | $92,740 |
