Lawyer pay by city
Across the 48 largest US metros, typical lawyer pay ranges from $103,490 in Oklahoma City, OK to $301,320 in San Jose, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Birmingham, AL, San Francisco, CA.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Lawyers, SOC 23-1011).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $301,320 | $174,100 |
| 2 | Birmingham, AL | $170,230 | $128,500 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $212,500 | $123,400 |
| 4 | Dallas, TX | $168,510 | $122,600 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $208,880 | $121,200 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $195,190 | $121,000 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $157,980 | $120,900 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $177,380 | $118,500 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $153,330 | $118,300 |
| 10 | Boston, MA | $183,350 | $117,900 |
| 11 | Charlotte, NC | $157,180 | $116,100 |
| 12 | Los Angeles, CA | $194,410 | $115,200 |
| 13 | Las Vegas, NV | $150,510 | $113,900 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $170,660 | $113,300 |
| 15 | Sacramento, CA | $178,540 | $113,300 |
| 16 | Nashville, TN | $142,540 | $112,900 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $165,660 | $112,400 |
| 18 | Memphis, TN | $134,440 | $111,900 |
| 19 | Seattle, WA | $164,980 | $111,600 |
| 20 | San Antonio, TX | $137,690 | $111,300 |
| 21 | Hartford, CT | $157,200 | $108,500 |
| 22 | San Diego, CA | $178,220 | $107,900 |
| 23 | St. Louis, MO | $142,690 | $106,800 |
| 24 | Miami, FL | $160,320 | $105,800 |
| 25 | Minneapolis, MN | $159,620 | $105,600 |
| 26 | Richmond, VA | $144,910 | $105,000 |
| 27 | Kansas City, MO | $134,640 | $104,400 |
| 28 | Columbus, OH | $137,810 | $103,700 |
| 29 | Orlando, FL | $136,970 | $103,400 |
| 30 | Cleveland, OH | $134,680 | $103,300 |
| 31 | Cincinnati, OH | $130,980 | $100,200 |
| 32 | Pittsburgh, PA | $133,040 | $99,300 |
| 33 | Jacksonville, FL | $127,920 | $99,200 |
| 34 | Atlanta, GA | $138,210 | $99,100 |
| 35 | Raleigh, NC | $131,920 | $98,500 |
| 36 | Milwaukee, WI | $131,100 | $98,400 |
| 37 | Portland, OR | $155,330 | $98,100 |
| 38 | Buffalo, NY | $130,800 | $98,100 |
| 39 | Salt Lake City, UT | $136,990 | $97,900 |
| 40 | Phoenix, AZ | $135,670 | $97,600 |
| 41 | Virginia Beach, VA | $133,380 | $97,600 |
| 42 | Tampa, FL | $127,490 | $97,500 |
| 43 | Grand Rapids, MI | $129,360 | $96,900 |
| 44 | Louisville, KY | $124,530 | $96,000 |
| 45 | Providence, RI | $133,000 | $95,700 |
| 46 | Detroit, MI | $134,980 | $94,500 |
| 47 | Baltimore, MD | $132,400 | $87,600 |
| 48 | Oklahoma City, OK | $103,490 | $85,800 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays lawyers the most?
Before taxes, San Jose, CA has the highest typical lawyer pay among the 48 largest US metros: $301,320 a year. The lowest is Oklahoma City, OK at $103,490. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does lawyer pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical lawyer pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Birmingham, AL, San Francisco, CA. It goes the least far in Oklahoma City, OK, where it's worth about $85,800 in typical-US-city dollars.