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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

23-1011 Lawyers

Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.

National estimates for Lawyers
Industry profile for Lawyers
Geographic profile for Lawyers

National estimates for Lawyers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Lawyers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
681,010 1.0 % $ 71.17 $ 148,030 1.1 %

Percentile wage estimates for Lawyers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 29.52 $ 39.24 $ 61.54 $ 93.55 (5)
Annual Wage (2) $ 61,400 $ 81,620 $ 127,990 $ 194,580 (5)

Industry profile for Lawyers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Lawyers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Lawyers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Lawyers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Legal Services 417,300 36.58 $ 72.18 $ 150,130
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 58,510 1.09 $ 54.65 $ 113,680
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 45,360 2.07 $ 48.61 $ 101,110
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 40,400 1.92 $ 70.72 $ 147,100
Management of Companies and Enterprises 20,080 0.79 $ 95.63 $ 198,900

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Lawyers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Legal Services 417,300 36.58 $ 72.18 $ 150,130
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 45,360 2.07 $ 48.61 $ 101,110
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 40,400 1.92 $ 70.72 $ 147,100
Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) 360 1.88 $ 78.01 $ 162,260
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 58,510 1.09 $ 54.65 $ 113,680

Top paying industries for Lawyers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Information Services 1,670 0.46 $ 113.12 $ 235,280
Scientific Research and Development Services 3,730 0.47 $ 110.74 $ 230,330
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 500 0.32 $ 109.28 $ 227,290
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 320 0.07 $ 106.11 $ 220,720
Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing 50 0.06 $ 105.90 $ 220,270

Geographic profile for Lawyers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Lawyers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Lawyers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of lawyers by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Lawyers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 90,120 5.45 1.13 $ 84.91 $ 176,610
New York 81,890 9.45 1.95 $ 86.09 $ 179,060
Florida 54,740 6.36 1.32 $ 62.21 $ 129,390
Texas 43,850 3.59 0.74 $ 72.28 $ 150,350
District of Columbia 30,850 46.60 9.64 $ 95.59 $ 198,820


Map of location quotient of lawyers by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Lawyers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 30,850 46.60 9.64 $ 95.59 $ 198,820
New York 81,890 9.45 1.95 $ 86.09 $ 179,060
Florida 54,740 6.36 1.32 $ 62.21 $ 129,390
Delaware 2,700 6.20 1.28 (8) (8)
Rhode Island 2,680 5.85 1.21 $ 71.52 $ 148,770


Map of annual mean wages of lawyers by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Lawyers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 30,850 46.60 9.64 $ 95.59 $ 198,820
New York 81,890 9.45 1.95 $ 86.09 $ 179,060
California 90,120 5.45 1.13 $ 84.91 $ 176,610
Massachusetts 19,050 5.61 1.16 $ 80.76 $ 167,980
New Jersey 22,480 5.84 1.21 $ 73.94 $ 153,800



Map of employment of lawyers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Lawyers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 85,180 9.82 2.03 $ 88.40 $ 183,870
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 44,250 15.09 3.12 $ 89.72 $ 186,610
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 41,060 7.18 1.49 $ 85.36 $ 177,550
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 26,170 6.18 1.28 $ 74.01 $ 153,930
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 24,760 10.10 2.09 $ 66.53 $ 138,390
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 19,740 7.44 1.54 $ 70.06 $ 145,720
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 16,730 6.47 1.34 $ 82.53 $ 171,660
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 16,570 7.39 1.53 $ 92.05 $ 191,460
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 14,660 4.09 0.85 $ 77.72 $ 161,650
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 14,190 5.48 1.13 $ 69.41 $ 144,380


Map of location quotient of lawyers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Lawyers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 44,250 15.09 3.12 $ 89.72 $ 186,610
Tallahassee, FL 2,060 12.13 2.51 $ 45.13 $ 93,880
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 24,760 10.10 2.09 $ 66.53 $ 138,390
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 85,180 9.82 2.03 $ 88.40 $ 183,870
Santa Fe, NM 530 9.45 1.95 $ 55.60 $ 115,640
Charleston, WV 890 8.94 1.85 $ 57.46 $ 119,520
Trenton, NJ 2,030 8.92 1.85 $ 64.80 $ 134,780
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 11,330 7.74 1.60 $ 69.18 $ 143,890
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 19,740 7.44 1.54 $ 70.06 $ 145,720
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 16,570 7.39 1.53 $ 92.05 $ 191,460