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Updated March 24, 2023: Explore this matrix for a comprehensive overview of U.S. legal professionals’ salaries at the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles. (What does that mean?) To account for regional salary variations, apply the percentage from the Regional Variances chart below.
| Position | Experience | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Attorney | 10+ years | $132,000 | $160,250 | $185,000 |
| Attorney | 4–9 years | $100,250 | $128,000 | $158,500 |
| Attorney | 2–3 years | $90,500 | $114,000 | $140,000 |
| First-Year Associate | <1 year | $75,250 | $92,500 | $120,000 |
| Position | Experience | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Counsel, Chief Corporate Counsel | — | $168,750 | $201,000 | $245,000 |
| In-House Counsel / Assoc. GC | 10+ years | $145,750 | $167,500 | $200,000 |
| In-House Counsel | 4–9 years | $98,250 | $135,250 | $163,000 |
| In-House Counsel | 0–3 years | $84,000 | $108,750 | $130,500 |
| Position | Experience | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Administrator / Executive Director | — | $87,250 | $94,000 | $118,500 |
| Legal Office Manager | — | $57,500 | $65,000 | $80,000 |
| Position | Experience | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior / Executive Legal Secretary | 12+ years | $66,500 | $72,750 | $80,750 |
| Legal Secretary | 7–11 years | $55,750 | $65,250 | $75,250 |
| Legal Secretary | 3–6 years | $50,000 | $55,250 | $64,750 |
| Legal Secretary | 1–2 years | $40,000 | $45,250 | $49,000 |
| Legal Administrative Assistant | — | $38,750 | $43,250 | $46,500 |
| Position | Experience | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal Manager | — | $85,750 | $93,000 | $106,000 |
| Senior / Supervising Paralegal | 7+ years | $69,250 | $77,500 | $98,000 |
| Midlevel Paralegal | 4–6 years | $59,750 | $68,000 | $79,750 |
| Paralegal | 2–3 years | $46,000 | $52,750 | $62,500 |
| Case Clerk | 0–2 years | $43,000 | $46,750 | $51,750 |
| Position | Experience | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calendar or Docket Clerk | — | $43,250 | $50,000 | $63,000 |
| File Clerk | — | $40,750 | $45,250 | $52,750 |
| Legal Assistant | — | $47,750 | $56,500 | $65,250 |
| Legal Assistant (Senior) | — | $68,500 | $75,250 | $82,000 |
| Patent Agent | — | $75,500 | $89,750 | $105,500 |
| Records Manager | — | $70,000 | $81,250 | $92,000 |
| Records Specialist | — | $37,250 | $42,000 | $47,250 |
| Time and Billing Specialist | — | $40,500 | $44,750 | $54,250 |
| Position | Experience | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director, Compliance | 10+ years | $98,750 | $136,000 | $159,750 |
| Manager, Compliance | 7–9 years | $89,000 | $104,250 | $130,500 |
| Compliance Analyst | 4–6 years | $70,750 | $85,250 | $105,000 |
| Compliance Analyst | 1–3 years | $63,500 | $79,250 | $85,250 |
| Position | Experience | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contract Manager | — | $71,500 | $88,000 | $112,750 |
| Contract Administrator | 4–6 years | $63,500 | $79,750 | $97,000 |
| Contract Administrator | 1–3 years | $56,250 | $66,750 | $83,250 |
Listed as percentage of national average. To calculate regional salary, multiply the national figure by the city’s percentage and divide by 100.
| Region | City | Variance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| New England States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont | ||
| Boston, MA | 133.0 | |
| Hartford, CT | 114.0 | |
| Manchester, NH | 108.0 | |
| Milford, CT | 112.0 | |
| Portland, ME | 95.0 | |
| Providence, RI | 101.5 | |
| Springfield, MA | 101.0 | |
| Stamford, CT / White Plains, NY | 130.0 | |
| Middle Atlantic States: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania | ||
| Albany, NY | 96.0 | |
| Buffalo, NY | 93.5 | |
| Harrisburg, PA | 95.0 | |
| Long Island, NY | 125.0 | |
| Mount Laurel, NJ | 115.0 | |
| New York, NY | 138.0 | |
| Paramus, NJ | 128.0 | |
| Philadelphia, PA | 118.0 | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 96.0 | |
| Rochester, NY | 90.0 | |
| Syracuse, NY | 90.5 | |
| Woodbridge, NJ | 125.0 | |
| South Atlantic States: Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia | ||
| Atlanta, GA | 107.5 | |
| Baltimore, MD | 104.0 | |
| Charleston, SC | 96.0 | |
| Charlotte, NC | 103.5 | |
| Columbia, SC | 94.0 | |
| Fort Myers, FL | 93.0 | |
| Greensboro, NC | 100.0 | |
| Greenville, SC | 96.0 | |
| Jacksonville, FL | 97.0 | |
| Macon, GA | 82.0 | |
| Melbourne, FL | 93.0 | |
| Miami / Ft. Lauderdale, FL | 110.0 | |
| Orlando, FL | 101.0 | |
| Raleigh, NC | 103.5 | |
| Richmond, VA | 99.0 | |
| Savannah, GA | 89.0 | |
| St. Petersburg, FL | 102.0 | |
| Tampa, FL | 102.0 | |
| Tysons Corner, VA | 133.0 | |
| Washington, DC | 133.0 | |
| Wilmington, DE | 105.0 | |
| East North Central States: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin | ||
| Akron, OH | 89.0 | |
| Chicago, IL | 115.0 | |
| Cincinnati, OH | 97.0 | |
| Cleveland, OH | 96.0 | |
| Columbus, OH | 98.0 | |
| Detroit, MI | 103.0 | |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 91.0 | |
| Indianapolis, IN | 98.0 | |
| Milwaukee, WI | 101.0 | |
| Minneapolis, MN | 105.0 | |
| West North Central States: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota | ||
| Des Moines, IA | 93.0 | |
| Kansas City, MO | 98.0 | |
| Omaha, NE | 92.0 | |
| St. Louis, MO | 98.0 | |
| Wichita, KS | 88.0 | |
| South Central States: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas | ||
| Baton Rouge, LA | 90.0 | |
| Birmingham, AL | 93.0 | |
| Dallas, TX | 110.0 | |
| Fort Worth, TX | 104.0 | |
| Houston, TX | 114.0 | |
| Little Rock, AR | 87.0 | |
| Memphis, TN | 93.0 | |
| Nashville, TN | 100.0 | |
| New Orleans, LA | 94.0 | |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 90.0 | |
| San Antonio, TX | 96.0 | |
| Tulsa, OK | 90.0 | |
| Mountain States: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming | ||
| Albuquerque, NM | 95.0 | |
| Boise, ID | 98.0 | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 99.0 | |
| Denver, CO | 111.0 | |
| Las Vegas, NV | 105.0 | |
| Loveland, CO | 95.0 | |
| Phoenix, AZ | 110.0 | |
| Pueblo, CO | 85.0 | |
| Reno, NV | 104.0 | |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 108.0 | |
| Tucson, AZ | 107.0 | |
| Pacific States: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington | ||
| Fresno, CA | 100.0 | |
| Honolulu, HI | 107.0 | |
| Irvine, CA | 122.0 | |
| Los Angeles, CA | 131.0 | |
| Oakland, CA | 135.0 | |
| Ontario, CA | 118.0 | |
| Portland, OR | 111.0 | |
| Sacramento, CA | 111.0 | |
| San Diego, CA | 123.0 | |
| San Francisco, CA | 135.0 | |
| San Jose, CA | 132.0 | |
| Santa Barbara, CA | 127.0 | |
| Santa Rosa, CA | 115.0 | |
| Seattle, WA | 129.0 | |
| Spokane, WA | 97.0 | |
| Stockton, CA | 92.0 | |
A percentile is a statistical measure that indicates the value below which a given percentage of observations in a group of observations falls. For example, the 25th percentile is the value below which 25 percent of the observations may be found. The 50th percentile is the median — half of all observations fall below this value. The 75th percentile is the value below which 75 percent of the observations may be found.
The salary data presented above reflects national averages across all firm sizes. Regional variations can significantly affect compensation levels.
Salary and economic data presented on this page come from compensation consultants, industry organizations, and trade publications, as well as from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.