Employment in legal occupations is projected to grow 5 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations, and will result in about 67,600 new jobs. As law firms try to increase the efficiency of legal services and reduce their costs, there is expected to be strong demand to hire more paralegals and legal assistants. Additionally, the demand for lawyers is expected to continue as individuals, businesses, and governments require legal services in many areas.
The median annual wage for legal occupations was $84,910 in May 2020, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $41,950.
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OCCUPATION |
JOB SUMMARY |
ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION  |
2020 MEDIAN PAY |
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Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators facilitate negotiation and dialogue between disputing parties to help resolve conflicts outside of the court system.
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Bachelor's degree
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$66,130
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Court reporters create word-for-word transcriptions at trials, depositions, and other legal proceedings. Simultaneous captioners provide similar transcriptions for television or for presentations in other settings, such as press conferences and business meetings, for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
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Postsecondary nondegree award
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$61,660
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Judges and hearing officers apply the law by overseeing the legal process in courts.
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Doctoral or professional degree
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$124,200
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Lawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses, and government agencies on legal issues and disputes.
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Doctoral or professional degree
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$126,930
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Paralegals and legal assistants perform a variety of tasks to support lawyers.
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Associate's degree
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$52,920
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2020 Median Pay
The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.
Entry-level Education
Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.
Last Modified Date:
Friday, April 9, 2021
United States Department of Labor
