How much do law school graduates make in NY?

Asked by: Priscilla Hahn  |  Last update: January 14, 2026
Score: 4.1/5 (42 votes)

As of Jan 21, 2025, the average annual pay for a Law School Graduate in New York is $60,630 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $29.15 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,165/week or $5,052/month.

How much do you make your first year out of law school?

How much do first year lawyers make in the US? According to The National Association for Law Placement, the overall median first-year associate base salary was $200,000, as of January 1, 2023.

What is a good starting salary out of grad school?

California features a high earning rank at No. 6. Those with associate's degrees have median earnings of $44,707; those with bachelor's degrees have median earnings of $67,786. Those with graduate degrees will find that this state offers pretty significant median earnings at $91,326.

Which law degree has the highest salary?

Ans: Corporate law and international law often offer the highest salaries.

How much does a Harvard Lawyer make in New York?

How much does a Lawyer make at Harvard University in New York? The estimated average pay for Lawyer at this company in New York is $84,581 per year, which is 17% above the national average.

10 Signs You Should Become A Lawyer

26 related questions found

What branch of law pays the most?

Highest-Paid Types of Lawyers
  • Trial lawyer: $134,000.
  • Tax attorney: $122,000.
  • Corporate lawyer: $115,000.
  • Medical lawyer: $113,000.
  • Real estate lawyer: $98,000.
  • Family lawyer: $93,000.
  • Criminal defense lawyer: $86,000.
  • Immigration lawyer: $83,000.

Which type of lawyer gets paid the most?

The highest-paid lawyers typically specialize in fields such as corporate law, intellectual property, tax law, medical malpractice, and entertainment law. These areas command higher salaries due to the complexity, demand, and financial stakes involved.

What field of law is most in demand?

Which Legal Fields Are in Demand?
  • Intellectual property law. ...
  • Family law. ...
  • Immigration & naturalization law. ...
  • Real estate law. ...
  • Contract management. ...
  • Compliance. ...
  • Labor and employment. ...
  • Corporate transactions. Also known as mergers and acquisitions, or M&A, this work navigates the buying and selling of companies and their assets.

What percent of Americans make over 100k?

Only 18% of individual Americans make more than $100,000 a year, according to 2023 data from careers website Zippia. About 34% of U.S. households earn more than $100,000 a year, according to Zippia.

How much is 60k a year hourly?

Based on that figure, the hourly wage for a job that pays $60,000 per year is $28.75 per hour. Here's exactly how that $60,000 per year breaks down: $28.75 per hour.

Which master's degree is most in demand?

Most in-demand master's degrees
  1. Business administration. A Master of Business Administration degree, or MBA , is the most popular graduate degree available. ...
  2. Healthcare administration. ...
  3. Engineering. ...
  4. Computer and information sciences. ...
  5. Nurse anesthesia. ...
  6. Human resources management. ...
  7. Physician assistant. ...
  8. Math.

What is the hardest year in law school?

Law school is an academic challenge; most students agree the first year (“1L” year) is the most difficult. In part, this is because law school is taught using methods entirely different than the lecture method used in most college classrooms.

How hard is the bar exam?

The bar exam is hard. In fact, it may be one of the most difficult challenges you ever embark on. You must memorize numerous laws and consume a lot of knowledge to answer questions correctly. For many, it feels like trying to hold sand in your hands, knowing that you'll inevitably lose much of it.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer?

We find that within the legal industry, certain segments are known to offer lower compensation. Typically, public defenders, legal aid attorneys, and lawyers working for nonprofit organizations are among the lowest paid.

Which type of lawyer is the richest?

As of 2024, the top five highest paid types of lawyers are:
  • Patent Attorneys.
  • Intellectual property (IP) Attorneys.
  • Trial Lawyers.
  • Tax Attorneys.
  • Corporate Lawyers.

Do lawyers make 300k?

Lawyer salaries by state

Lawyers in these states earn the highest median salaries: California ($175,680) New York ($172,880) Massachusetts ($161,530)

Which law degree has highest salary?

Highest Paying Law Career #1: Corporate Tax Lawyer

Big sort companies and prominent individuals always aim to comply with tax-related issues. To avoid legal problems with smaller industries or government agencies, they hire top lawyers in India for tax management and legal assistance when necessary.

What type of attorney makes the most money?

Corporate and tax lawyers tend to be the highest earners, with patent and IP lawyers not far behind. Trial lawyers also pull down a lot of money, particularly in the civil litigation field. Other lawyers are more motivated by getting justice for their clients than by collecting the largest possible paycheck.

Which branch of law is hardest?

By far, criminal law is considered the hardest law to practice on an emotional and daily level. Being a criminal defense lawyer brings with it several challenges, including long hours, navigating complex legal codes and dealing with emotionally charged situations.

How much do NYU law graduates make?

That all depends on type of law and type of employer. In 2020, NYU Law graduates had a mean average of $180,000. Columbia $168,000. To further assist our prospective students as they consider enrolling in law school, we have published employment and salary information for the classes of 2022, 2021 and 2020.

Is Harvard Law School worth the debt?

Harvard Law School has the lowest debt-to-earnings ratio of all U.S. law schools, according to a new study by The HEA Group and Student Defense. Four years after graduation, Harvard Law graduates had a median annual salary of $233,589 and a median debt of $93,235, for a debt-to-income ratio of 39.9%.

How much does a beginner lawyer make in New York?

As of Jan 20, 2025, the average annual pay for an Entry Level Attorney in New York City is $118,331 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $56.89 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,275/week or $9,860/month.