Lawyer pay in San Jose, CA
Lawyers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a typical $301,320 a year. The middle half earn $176,840 to $375,400, and the top 10% earn more than $421,000. About 6,040 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 | $129,350 |
| 25th percentile | $176,840 |
| Median (typical) | $301,320 |
| 75th percentile | $375,400 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $421,000 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 1 of 48 large metros for lawyers before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $301,320, a single filer keeps about $192,200 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and California state income tax. Prices in San Jose are 10% above the US average, so that take-home buys what $174,100 would in a typical US city. That ranks San Jose No. 1 of 48 large metros for lawyers after cost of living.
Where lawyers’ pay goes furthest
- Birmingham, AL$170,230 typical · worth $129k
- San Francisco, CA$212,500 typical · worth $123k
- Dallas, TX$168,510 typical · worth $123k
- New York, NY$208,880 typical · worth $121k
Where does your salary land?
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Common questions
How much does a lawyer make in San Jose, CA?
The typical (median) lawyer in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earns $301,320 a year. The middle half earn between $176,840 and $375,400, and the top 10% earn more than $421,000. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a lawyer in San Jose?
Anything above $301,320 pays more than half of lawyers in San Jose. $375,400 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $421,000 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a lawyer in San Jose take home after taxes?
At the typical $301,320, a single filer keeps about $192,200 a year ($16,020 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, California state income tax. With local prices 10% above the US average, that buys what $174,100 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 Birmingham, AL, San Francisco, CA, Dallas, TX. San Jose, CA ranks No. 1.
More: Lawyer pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in San Jose, CA
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.