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How Much Do Lawyers Make?Well,the purpose of this article is to give you an insight into what lawyers make for a living.
The path to becoming a lawyer is extremely challenging, and it takes most aspiring lawyers at least three years to complete law school.
Additionally, law school tuition can be quite expensive in addition to the time commitment that is required.
Despite these challenges and commitment, the average lawyer salary in the United States makes around $145,000 annually.
How much do lawyers make?
People who make the decision to become attorneys do reap the benefits for many years to come.
As of December 2013, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates the average lawyer salary to be $148,910 in the United States.
Attorneys are also ranked among the most highly paid jobs in the United States on Glassdoor’s most recent list.
A lawyer’s salary ranges from $61,490 to more than $208,000, according to the BLS.
What is a typical lawyer starting salary?
Based on Payscale’s most recent statistics, a starting attorney’s salary is just above $60,000.
According to the National Association of Law Placement (NALP), a median starting salary for law graduates is $165,000.
The figure may be much higher depending on your location and the firm’s size.
What type of lawyer has the highest salary?
In order to give a meaningful way into the question of how much an individual attorney actually makes, we must consider the type of law they practice as well.
Aside from their choice of industry, the choice of whether to practice law in the public or private sphere can also heavily influence their earning potential.
A federal executive branch lawyer’s annual salary averages $146,560, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The average lawyer who works for state governments earns 97,440 dollars.
Does it depend on location?
Besides the fact that different types of lawyers earn different amounts, a lawyer’s geographic location can also impact their earnings.
The BLS provides the following information on the average annual wage for attorneys in different regions of the country.
| State | Average Annual Wages |
| Washington, D.C. | $197,100 |
| California | $179,470 |
| New York | $174,060 |
| Massachusetts | $169,120 |
| Colorado | $148,330 |
| Texas | $142,730 |
| Florida | $139,160 |
| Arkansas |
Salaries among attorneys can differ even within the same state.
The average lawyer in major metro areas earns more than those in other parts of the state.
As an example, an attorney working in the North Valley region of California is likely to earn around $133,690, while a lawyer working in San Francisco is likely to earn around $201,920 on average.
