Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Lawyers
Find out which cities offer the best salaries for Lawyers. Data based on 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates.
Highest Paying City
$196,248
San Jose, CA
National Average
$146,306
Across 50 metros
Top 10 Minimum
$154,613
To rank in top 10
| Rank | City | Median Salary | Hourly Rate | vs. Average | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA Cost of Living: 179.8 | $196,248 | $94.35/hr | +34.1% | View Details |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA Cost of Living: 169.3 | $194,452 | $93.49/hr | +32.9% | View Details |
| 3 | Seattle, WA Cost of Living: 149.6 | $181,142 | $87.09/hr | +23.8% | View Details |
| 4 | New York, NY Cost of Living: 128.7 | $177,726 | $85.45/hr | +21.5% | View Details |
| 5 | Boston, MA Cost of Living: 148.4 | $175,538 | $84.39/hr | +20.0% | View Details |
| 6 | Washington, DC Cost of Living: 140.1 | $169,373 | $81.43/hr | +15.8% | View Details |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA Cost of Living: 146.3 | $160,714 | $77.27/hr | +9.8% | View Details |
| 8 | San Diego, CA Cost of Living: 142.8 | $155,531 | $74.77/hr | +6.3% | View Details |
| 9 | Denver, CO Cost of Living: 118.4 | $155,315 | $74.67/hr | +6.2% | View Details |
| 10 | Austin, TX Cost of Living: 105.3 | $154,613 | $74.33/hr | +5.7% | View Details |
All 50 Cities Ranked
San Jose, CA
$196k
/year
San Francisco, CA
$194k
/year
Seattle, WA
$181k
/year
New York, NY
$178k
/year
Boston, MA
$176k
/year
Washington, DC
$169k
/year
Los Angeles, CA
$161k
/year
San Diego, CA
$156k
/year
Denver, CO
$155k
/year
Austin, TX
$155k
/year
Chicago, IL
$154k
/year
Portland, OR
$153k
/year
Philadelphia, PA
$153k
/year
Minneapolis, MN
$151k
/year
Sacramento, CA
$151k
/year
Riverside, CA
$151k
/year
Miami, FL
$149k
/year
Hartford, CT
$147k
/year
Raleigh, NC
$147k
/year
Phoenix, AZ
$146k
/year
Dallas, TX
$146k
/year
Baltimore, MD
$145k
/year
Charlotte, NC
$145k
/year
Providence, RI
$143k
/year
Atlanta, GA
$142k
/year
Salt Lake City, UT
$142k
/year
Cleveland, OH
$141k
/year
Houston, TX
$140k
/year
Columbus, OH
$140k
/year
Jacksonville, FL
$140k
/year
Nashville, TN
$139k
/year
Detroit, MI
$139k
/year
Richmond, VA
$138k
/year
Indianapolis, IN
$138k
/year
Kansas City, MO
$138k
/year
St. Louis, MO
$138k
/year
Milwaukee, WI
$136k
/year
Tampa, FL
$136k
/year
Orlando, FL
$136k
/year
Las Vegas, NV
$135k
/year
San Antonio, TX
$134k
/year
Pittsburgh, PA
$133k
/year
New Orleans, LA
$133k
/year
Cincinnati, OH
$132k
/year
Louisville, KY
$130k
/year
Tucson, AZ
$130k
/year
Oklahoma City, OK
$129k
/year
Memphis, TN
$128k
/year
Birmingham, AL
$127k
/year
El Paso, TX
$120k
/year
Frequently Asked Questions
What city pays Lawyers the most?
San Jose, CA pays Lawyers the most, with a median salary of $196,248 per year.
What is the average Lawyer salary across all cities?
The average Lawyer salary across all 50 major US metro areas is $146,306 per year.
Should I consider cost of living when comparing salaries?
Yes! Cities like San Francisco and New York pay higher salaries, but also have higher costs of living. A $80,000 salary in a city with 90 cost of living index has more purchasing power than$100,000 in a city with 150 cost of living index.