How much does a good lawyer make in the US?

Asked by: Miss Gwendolyn Koch  |  Last update: August 22, 2023
Score: 4.6/5 (45 votes)

On average, lawyers in the United States earn just over $126,000 per year. This number may vary depending on your practice area and experience and can reach up to $208,000 per year.

How much do the best lawyers in the US make?

Best Paying Specialties for Lawyers
  • Chief legal officer: $89,000 to $232,500.
  • Health care attorney: $79,000 to $193,500.
  • Patent attorney: $95,500 to $179,000.
  • Corporate counsel: $111,000 to $174,500.
  • Employment attorney: $101,000 to $152,000.
  • Contract attorney: $72,500 to $152,500.
  • Tax attorney: $84,000 to $143,500.

Do lawyers make good money in us?

How Much Do Lawyers Make in 2022? On average, lawyers in the United States make about $87,012 per year according to data from PayScale.com. The base salary starts at $52k per year and can reach as much as $157k per year.

What is the highest paying lawyer in the US?

Richard Scruggs

He is known as the "King of Torts." Scruggs is a graduate of the University of Texas. He later went on to become the highest paid attorney in the United States and was also named the top personal injury lawyer in the country by the National Law Journal for seven consecutive years.

Do lawyers make a million dollars a year?

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual pay for lawyers in 2021 was $127,900, and only the top 1% made over $500,000. You might aspire to crack that half-a-million-dollar salary threshold, but it probably seems out of reach, despite your legal expertise.

Your BIG LAW Questions Answered: Salary, Work-Life Balance, Hours, and More!

16 related questions found

How to make over 500k a year?

13 jobs that pay over $500k a year
  1. Actor. National average salary : $27,370 per year. ...
  2. Author. National average salary: $43,471 per year. ...
  3. Insurance agent. National average salary: $54,534 per year. ...
  4. Accountant. ...
  5. Professional athlete. ...
  6. Hedge fund manager. ...
  7. Investment banker. ...
  8. Real estate developer.

Can you be a millionaire as a lawyer?

Lawyers can also earn extremely high salaries from working for leading law firms in the legal industry or prestigious corporations as in-house lawyers. Some can also achieve millionaire status by working hard and starting their private law firm.

How rich are top lawyers?

A Dozen of the Richest Practicing Lawyers in the World
  1. Wichai Thongtang. Net Worth: $1.8 billion.
  2. Charlie Munger. Net Worth: $1.6 billion.
  3. Bill Neukom. Net Worth: $850 million.
  4. Judge Judy. Net Worth: $440 million.
  5. Robert Shapiro. Net Worth: $120 million.
  6. Willie E. Gary. ...
  7. John Branca. Net Worth: $100 million.
  8. Roy Black.

Why do lawyers get paid so much?

Lawyers get paid so much for several reasons, including having extremely specialized knowledge, being in demand, and assuming risks and liabilities.

Why are US lawyers so expensive?

There are several reasons why hourly rates for attorneys are so expensive: The educational expenses involved in becoming an attorney are enormous. Attorneys have to undergo a minimum of three additional years of post-graduate schooling after college in order to practice law. Law school is expensive.

Is it hard to be a lawyer in the US?

It is pretty hard to become a lawyer. Getting a license to practice law in the U.S. generally requires years of strenuous effort, and it may involve acquiring a significant amount of student loan debt in order to cover the cost of law school.

Can you make 7 figures as a lawyer?

You may feel at times that starting a law firm is counterintuitive when it comes to finding balance in your life. However, if you build it right, running your own firm can be a highly satisfying way to employ yourself and serve clients the way you've always wanted. It can also lead to a 7-figure income.

Where is the highest lawyer salary?

Switzerland is at the top of our list of countries that reward their lawyers the best. With an average annual salary of $260,739. The lowest salary for a Swiss lawyer is $120,279 and the highest salary is $414,058 per year.

What is the least amount of money a lawyer makes?

The lowest recorded annual salary of a lawyer in the United States is around $61,500. Although that's significantly lower than the national average, very few jobs in this profession pay that little. Meanwhile, some lawyers make more than $200k a year. The top lawyer salary hovers around $208,000.

Where is the best place for a lawyer to live?

Top Cities for Lawyers
  • San Jose, CA. Home to the esteemed Silicon Valley, San Jose is the second-best city for lawyers, beating out San Francisco for the highest median salary at $207,130. ...
  • Los Angeles, CA. ...
  • New York City, NY. ...
  • Boston, MA. ...
  • Washington, DC. ...
  • Santa Cruz, CA. ...
  • Oxnard, CA. ...
  • Denver, CO.

What state is it easiest to become a lawyer?

Easiest Bar Exams

The following are simply considered to be less challenging than others in the US: South Dakota (Pass rate: 68%) Wisconsin (Pass rate: 59%) Nebraska (Pass rate: 80%)*

What's the average salary in the US?

The average salary in the United States was $58,260, with an average hourly wage of $28.01, according to the May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wages Estimates from the BLS. As of 2021, it's estimated that women in the U.S. earn about 83 cents for every dollar that a man earns.

How many millionaires are lawyers?

Not according to the work done in The Millionaire Next Door which pegged lawyers at just 8% of the country's total millionaires.

Who is the world best lawyer?

Who are the Best Lawyers in the World?
  • John Branca. John Gregory Branca is a famous American lawyer. ...
  • Jane Wanjiru Michuki. Talking about her, she is a famous Kenyan lawyer and a successful businesswoman. ...
  • Roy Black. ...
  • Willie E. ...
  • Judy Sheindlin. ...
  • Harish Salve. ...
  • Bill Neukom. ...
  • William Lerach.

Is being a lawyer a happy career?

As a whole, lawyers rated their enjoyment of their work environment 3.0/5. Some lawyers are happy with their work environment, but it does not seem to be a meaningful contributer to career satisfaction for most.

Can I get rich with a law degree?

So, yes, it is possible to make millions of dollars $ as a lawyer. But you should try to go to high-ranking law school to make your career progress easier. For that, you need to obtain a good solid LSAT score. LSAT prep is the only thing you can control.

Is lawyer a fulfilling career?

What's the primary reason that lawyers will be less needed going forward? Automation and artificial intelligence, which will replace a lot of jobs, including ours. Since many blue collar jobs have already felt the automation axe, white collar jobs, such as ours, are the next to bite the dust.