What is the minimum wage for a lawyer in Canada?

Asked by: Mafalda Vandervort  |  Last update: December 29, 2025
Score: 4.4/5 (2 votes)

Civil lawyer salary Canada – on average civil lawyers make $127,021 per year with the lowest being $96,723 per year and the highest being above $151,000 per year.

What is the lowest salary for a Lawyer?

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $148,350 and as low as $50,525, the majority of Lawyer salaries currently range between $84,900 (25th percentile) to $110,700 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $140,825 annually in Los Angeles.

How much do lawyers get paid in Canada?

Lawyer salaries in Canada

The estimated total pay for a Lawyer is $116,142 per year, with an average salary of $103,172 per year. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users.

What is the lowest pay for a Lawyer?

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $136,194 and as low as $46,385, the majority of Entry Level Lawyer salaries currently range between $78,000 (25th percentile) to $101,700 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $129,284 annually in California.

How much do lawyers make in Canada compared to the US?

The top US firms make more and therefore pay more, than anything Canadian firms can compete with. Big New York firms pay first-year associates like USD 225K a year, whereas in Canada you're lucky to make $90K as an articling student. First-year associates on Bay Street make around 130k a year and 115-130k in Vancouver.

How much MONEY do Lawyers actually make in Canada? Lawyer salary, benefits & compensation details

38 related questions found

Which country pays highest to lawyers?

The top countries which offer the highest average Lawyer's salary are the USA, Germany, Canada, the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Switzerland.

Are salaries higher in Canada than USA?

The United States has a higher average salary compared to Canada, but the difference is more substantial as it may initially appear. Two North American powerhouses, the United States and Canada boast robust economies and high standards of living, though the citizens in both nations often earn vastly different amounts.

Do lawyers make $500 an hour?

For example, an attorney practicing in a small rural area in Kansas may earn $50 per hour for the same exact legal services performed by a lawyer in Los Angeles, Atlanta, or New York where hourly rates for the same legal service could be as high as $300 to $500 per hour.

What is the minimum salary for a lawyer in the US?

How Much Does a Lawyer Make? Lawyers made a median salary of $145,760 in 2023. The best-paid 25% made $217,360 that year, while the lowest-paid 25% made $98,030.

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)

How long is law school in Canada?

How long is law school in Canada? It usually takes three years to complete law school. After graduating from high school, you'll complete at least three years of undergraduate studies before applying to law school.

How to make $500,000 as a lawyer?

5-Step Marketing Formula Used by the Highest-Paid Lawyers
  1. High-Performance Law Firm Website.
  2. Create High-Performance Content.
  3. Optimize Legal Website Ads.
  4. Improve Reviews and Listings.
  5. Manage Your Legal Reputation.

Do lawyers make 200k a year?

The median starting salary is $215,000 in 11 cities and geographic areas. They are Austin, Texas; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Houston; Los Angeles/Orange County, California; New York City; San Diego; San Francisco; Silicon Valley in California; and the Washington, D.C., area.

How difficult is 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.

Which field of lawyer makes 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.

What is the highest paying job in the world?

1. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Topping the list, being a CEO gets you the highest paying job in the world, no matter where you work. A CEO is the highest-ranked position in any organisation's structure.

Can you make a million dollars as a lawyer?

Can Lawyers Earn a Million Dollars? Despite your legal expertise, the chances of making a million dollars as an independent attorney are low. However, you might earn a million-dollar salary if you become a senior partner at a major firm or start your own practice.

What is the salary of a dentist in the US?

As of Jan 21, 2025, the average annual pay for a Dentist in the United States is $189,979 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $91.34 an hour. This is the equivalent of $3,653/week or $15,831/month.

Where do most lawyers live?

The state with the most lawyers is New York. With its significant concentration of law firms, corporate headquarters, and financial institutions, New York has the highest number of practicing attorneys in the U.S., particularly in cities like New York City.

Do lawyers work 100 hours a week?

According to surveys, most lawyers work between 50 and 80 hours per week, far exceeding the standard 40-hour workweek. For those in Big Law or high-pressure specialties such as corporate litigation or mergers and acquisitions, the hours can be even longer, especially during critical periods of a case or deal.

Do criminal defense lawyers get paid if they lose?

Contingency Fees

If the lawyer does not win, they do not receive a fee for their services. The contingency fee arrangement aligns the lawyer's interests with those of the client, as both parties benefit from a successful outcome.

Is it cheaper to live in Canada or USA?

Overall, Canada is more affordable than the US, but the US has a higher median income. Comparing the cost of living in both countries is tricky because living costs vary dramatically within each city. It's important to consider the hidden costs and savings of public goods and services when comparing costs of living.

Is 100k a good salary in Canada?

The average salary in Toronto is $62,050, which is 14% higher than the Canadian average salary of $54,450. A person making $100,000 a year in Toronto makes 61.2% more than the average working person in Toronto and will take home about $73,508.

Who is richer Canada or USA?

The United States GDP was $24.8 trillion in 2021. The United States has the largest economy globally and Canada ranks 9th at US$2.015 trillion.