Lawyer pay in Buffalo, NY
Lawyers in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area earn a typical $130,800 a year. The middle half earn $95,490 to $168,560, and the top 10% earn more than $225,100. About 2,930 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Lawyers, SOC 23-1011).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $72,040 |
| 25th percentile | $95,490 |
| Median (typical) | $130,800 |
| 75th percentile | $168,560 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $225,100 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 43 of 48 large metros for lawyers before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $130,800, a single filer keeps about $94,000 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and New York state income tax. Prices in Buffalo are 4% below the US average, so that take-home buys what $98,100 would in a typical US city. That ranks Buffalo No. 38 of 48 large metros for lawyers after cost of living.
Where lawyers’ pay goes furthest
- San Jose, CA$301,320 typical · worth $174k
- Birmingham, AL$170,230 typical · worth $129k
- San Francisco, CA$212,500 typical · worth $123k
- Dallas, TX$168,510 typical · worth $123k
Where does your salary land?
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Common questions
How much does a lawyer make in Buffalo, NY?
The typical (median) lawyer in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area earns $130,800 a year. The middle half earn between $95,490 and $168,560, and the top 10% earn more than $225,100. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a lawyer in Buffalo?
Anything above $130,800 pays more than half of lawyers in Buffalo. $168,560 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $225,100 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a lawyer in Buffalo take home after taxes?
At the typical $130,800, a single filer keeps about $94,000 a year ($7,830 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, New York state income tax. With local prices 4% below the US average, that buys what $98,100 would in a typical US city.
Where do lawyers get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 48 largest US metros, typical lawyer pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in San Jose, CA, Birmingham, AL, San Francisco, CA. Buffalo, NY ranks No. 38.
More: Lawyer pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in Buffalo, NY
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.