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
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