U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

We value your feedback!
Please take a short survey to help us improve the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
START SURVEY

Legal Occupations

Workers in this group interpret the law and support law-related activities.

Overall employment in legal occupations is projected to grow 10 percent from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations; this increase is expected to result in about 131,000 new jobs over the decade. In addition to new jobs from growth, opportunities arise from the need to replace workers who leave their occupations permanently. About 110,000 openings each year, on average, are projected to come from growth and replacement needs.

The median annual wage for this group was $82,430 in May 2021, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $45,760.

BLS employment projections, wage, and other data for related occupations not shown in the following table are available on the Data for Occupations Not Covered in Detail page. Information highlighting physical demands, cognitive and mental requirements, and other qualifications for workers in this group are available in a BLS Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) profile.

  OCCUPATION JOB SUMMARY ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION Help 2021 MEDIAN PAY Help
arbitrators mediators and conciliators image Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators

Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators facilitate negotiation and dialogue between disputing parties to help resolve conflicts outside of the court system.

 Bachelor's degree $49,410
Court reporters Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners

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.

 Postsecondary nondegree award $60,380
Judges, mediators, and hearing officers Judges and Hearing Officers

Judges and hearing officers apply the law by overseeing the legal process in courts.

 Doctoral or professional degree $128,710
Lawyers Lawyers

Lawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses, and government agencies on legal issues and disputes.

 Doctoral or professional degree $127,990
Paralegals and legal assistants Paralegals and Legal Assistants

Paralegals and legal assistants perform a variety of tasks to support lawyers. 

 Associate's degree $56,230

Last Modified Date: Thursday, September 8, 2022