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
$204,138
San Jose, CA
National Average
$146,652
Across 50 metros
Top 10 Minimum
$158,949
To rank in top 10
| Rank | City | Median Salary | Hourly Rate | vs. Average | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA Cost of Living: 179.8 | $204,138 | $98.14/hr | +39.2% | View Details |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA Cost of Living: 169.3 | $199,396 | $95.86/hr | +36.0% | View Details |
| 3 | Seattle, WA Cost of Living: 149.6 | $179,629 | $86.36/hr | +22.5% | View Details |
| 4 | Boston, MA Cost of Living: 148.4 | $172,574 | $82.97/hr | +17.7% | View Details |
| 5 | New York, NY Cost of Living: 128.7 | $170,147 | $81.80/hr | +16.0% | View Details |
| 6 | San Diego, CA Cost of Living: 142.8 | $163,210 | $78.47/hr | +11.3% | View Details |
| 7 | Washington, DC Cost of Living: 140.1 | $163,149 | $78.44/hr | +11.2% | View Details |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA Cost of Living: 146.3 | $160,823 | $77.32/hr | +9.7% | View Details |
| 9 | Austin, TX Cost of Living: 105.3 | $159,094 | $76.49/hr | +8.5% | View Details |
| 10 | Denver, CO Cost of Living: 118.4 | $158,949 | $76.42/hr | +8.4% | View Details |
All 50 Cities Ranked
San Jose, CA
$204k
/year
San Francisco, CA
$199k
/year
Seattle, WA
$180k
/year
Boston, MA
$173k
/year
New York, NY
$170k
/year
San Diego, CA
$163k
/year
Washington, DC
$163k
/year
Los Angeles, CA
$161k
/year
Austin, TX
$159k
/year
Denver, CO
$159k
/year
Chicago, IL
$155k
/year
Hartford, CT
$154k
/year
Portland, OR
$153k
/year
Philadelphia, PA
$153k
/year
Sacramento, CA
$152k
/year
Riverside, CA
$150k
/year
Minneapolis, MN
$149k
/year
Miami, FL
$148k
/year
Dallas, TX
$147k
/year
Raleigh, NC
$145k
/year
Baltimore, MD
$145k
/year
Atlanta, GA
$143k
/year
Providence, RI
$143k
/year
Tampa, FL
$143k
/year
Houston, TX
$143k
/year
Columbus, OH
$142k
/year
Salt Lake City, UT
$142k
/year
Orlando, FL
$141k
/year
Nashville, TN
$140k
/year
Cleveland, OH
$140k
/year
Richmond, VA
$140k
/year
Detroit, MI
$139k
/year
Phoenix, AZ
$139k
/year
Pittsburgh, PA
$139k
/year
Charlotte, NC
$139k
/year
Jacksonville, FL
$139k
/year
Kansas City, MO
$138k
/year
Cincinnati, OH
$138k
/year
Milwaukee, WI
$137k
/year
Louisville, KY
$134k
/year
Indianapolis, IN
$133k
/year
Las Vegas, NV
$133k
/year
Tucson, AZ
$133k
/year
St. Louis, MO
$131k
/year
New Orleans, LA
$129k
/year
San Antonio, TX
$129k
/year
Oklahoma City, OK
$129k
/year
Memphis, TN
$128k
/year
Birmingham, AL
$125k
/year
El Paso, TX
$121k
/year
Frequently Asked Questions
What city pays Lawyers the most?
San Jose, CA pays Lawyers the most, with a median salary of $204,138 per year.
What is the average Lawyer salary across all cities?
The average Lawyer salary across all 50 major US metro areas is $146,652 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.