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Lawyer Salary by State (2026)
Lawyers (Lawyers) hold 754,500 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $159,328 per year, but the median ranges from $91,690 in Mississippi to $207,860 in New York. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Lawyer salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| New York | $207,860 | 91,870 |
| District of Columbia | $195,190 | 33,070 |
| California | $195,080 | 95,770 |
| Massachusetts | $176,680 | 23,560 |
| Delaware | $173,510 | 2,920 |
| Colorado | $168,520 | 16,720 |
| Virginia | $167,210 | 18,580 |
| Connecticut | $163,600 | 8,420 |
| New Jersey | $161,430 | 23,160 |
| Illinois | $160,800 | 33,590 |
| Pennsylvania | $157,180 | 27,170 |
| Minnesota | $155,140 | 12,380 |
| Texas | $154,200 | 56,580 |
| Washington | $154,130 | 12,770 |
| Nevada | $150,510 | 6,490 |
| Alaska | $149,940 | 1,120 |
| Maryland | $139,110 | 13,810 |
| Rhode Island | $138,960 | 1,840 |
| Oregon | $138,210 | 7,150 |
| Tennessee | $136,180 | 9,010 |
| Georgia | $134,830 | 23,930 |
| Arizona | $134,260 | 11,640 |
| Missouri | $133,450 | 11,560 |
| Florida | $133,180 | 55,210 |
| Utah | $132,830 | 7,020 |
| Alabama | $131,970 | 6,730 |
| Ohio | $131,020 | 19,950 |
| Michigan | $130,520 | 16,620 |
| North Carolina | $127,710 | 17,000 |
| Vermont | $127,310 | 1,330 |
| Indiana | $126,860 | 8,970 |
| Wisconsin | $126,760 | 9,160 |
| Hawaii | $124,990 | 2,270 |
| Iowa | $123,550 | 3,550 |
| New Hampshire | $120,810 | 2,250 |
| South Carolina | $120,310 | 7,890 |
| New Mexico | $119,680 | 3,380 |
| Maine | $113,120 | 2,280 |
| Nebraska | $109,170 | 3,490 |
| North Dakota | $106,880 | 1,050 |
| Kansas | $106,650 | 4,190 |
| Louisiana | $104,100 | 10,200 |
| Montana | $103,720 | 2,380 |
| Idaho | $103,400 | 2,490 |
| Oklahoma | $103,060 | 6,980 |
| West Virginia | $102,420 | 2,440 |
| South Dakota | $102,040 | 1,360 |
| Kentucky | $101,550 | 5,770 |
| Wyoming | $100,130 | 900 |
| Arkansas | $98,880 | 3,430 |
| Mississippi | $91,690 | 3,100 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Lawyer salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Lawyer salary in the US is about $159,328 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 754,500 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Lawyers the most?
- New York has the highest median Lawyer salary at $207,860 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Lawyers the least?
- Mississippi has the lowest median at $91,690 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Lawyers, code 23-1011). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.