What Lawyers Earn in Every State and D.C.

Becoming a lawyer takes years of hard work. The rewards can be immeasurable in terms of career fulfillment and in high earnings.

The latest figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for average attorney pay in the United States are in. The 2019 figures show the national median (average) salary for lawyers was $122,960 per year and lawyers’ pay averaged $59.11 per hour. That’s about triple the average pay — $19.14 per hour — for all occupations in the workforce combined.

Following are lawyers’ average yearly and hourly pay and the number of jobs in the field in each state and Washington, D.C. We ranked the states by annual pay, from lowest average pay to highest.

Note: Delaware is excluded because no lawyer wage data for the state is available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

50. Montana

Average annual wage for lawyers: $83,030

Average hourly wage for lawyers: $39.92

Employment: 2,060

49. Arkansas

Average annual wage for lawyers: $94,000

Average hourly wage for lawyers: $45.19

Employment: 3,160

48. Mississippi

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $95,040

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $45.69

Employment: 3,260

47. Wyoming

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $100,090

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $48.12

Employment: 860

46. West Virginia

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $102,040

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $49.06

Employment: 2,470

45. Kentucky

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $102,980

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $49.51

Employment: 6,030

44. New Mexico

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $103,290

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $49.66

Employment: 3,560

43. Vermont

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $104,790

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $50.38

Employment: 1,090

42. Idaho

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $105,450

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $50.70

Employment: 2,110

41. Maine

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $106,350

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $51.13

Employment: 1,910

40. Louisiana

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $108,070

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $51.96

Employment: 8,070

39. Hawaii

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $109,420

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $52.61

Employment: 2,040

38. Missouri

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $109,820

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $52.80

Employment: 10,840

37. Kansas

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $110,290

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $53.03

Employment: 3,640

36. South Carolina

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $111,090

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $53.41

Employment: 6,350

35. Indiana

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $111,790

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $53.75

Employment: 8,220

34. South Dakota

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $112,810

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $54.23

Employment: 880

33. Nebraska

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $112,860

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $54.26

Employment: 2,930

32. North Dakota

Average annual wage for a lawyer:$113,280

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $54.46

Employment: 1,040

31. Alabama

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $114,240

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $54.92

Employment: 5,900

30. Alaska

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $115,260

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $55.41

Employment: 1,050

29. Oklahoma

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $116,270

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $55.90

Employment: 6,640

28. Michigan

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $116,310

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $55.92

Employment: 14,320

27. Oregon

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $116,860

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $56.19

Employment: 6,480

26. Iowa

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $119,700

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $57.55

Employment: 3,360

25. Ohio

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $124,160

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $59.69

Employment: 18,020

24. Tennessee

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $124,370

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $59.79

Employment: 7,590

23. Minnesota

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $124,510

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $59.86

Employment: 11,420

22. Rhode Island

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $124,600

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $59.90

Employment: 1,780

21. New Hampshire

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $126,220

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $60.68

Employment: 2,000

20. Wisconsin

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $129,440

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $62.23

Employment: 7,970

19. Washington

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $129,550

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $62.28

Employment: 11,910

18. Florida

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $130,010

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $62.50

Employment: 47,900

17. Georgia

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $130,320

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $62.65

Employment: 19,500

16. Nevada

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $131,190

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $63.07

Employment: 4,630

15. North Carolina

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $133,290

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $64.08

Employment: 13,620

14. Utah

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $134,770

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $64.80

Employment: 5,310

13. Maryland

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $135,500

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $65.14

Employment: 12,840

12. Arizona

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $136,170

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $65.47

Employment: 9,960

11. Pennsylvania

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $142,890

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $68.70

Employment: 24,840

10. Virginia

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $143,220

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $68.85

Employment: 16,910

9. Texas

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $144,110

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $69.28

Employment: 44,700

8. New Jersey

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $147,170

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $70.76

Employment: 21,690

7. Colorado

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $150,630

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $72.42

Employment: 14,320

6. Connecticut

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $154,610

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $74.33

Employment: 7,600

5. Illinois

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $157,010

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $75.49

Employment: 31,270

4. Massachusetts

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $164,800

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $79.23

Employment: 18,750

3. New York

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $168,780

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $81.14

Employment: 77,060

2. California

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $173,970

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $83.64

Employment: 83,750

1. Washington, D.C.

Average annual wage for a lawyer: $192,180

Average hourly wage for a lawyer: $92.39

Employment: 30,960