How much do lawyers earn in the US in 2025?
Here's an in-depth look at the latest data.
Average versus median salary
According to recent estimates from Indeed and ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary for lawyers in the US ranges between $100,626 and $105,389. However, the median salary is significantly higher. US News & World Report states that as of 2023, the median salary for lawyers stood at $145,760. This means half of all lawyers earn less than this figure while the other half earns more.
The top 25 percent of lawyers make more than $217,000 annually, while those in the bottom 25 percent earn below $98,030.
What entry-level and senior lawyers earn
Pay varies widely based on experience and location. Entry-level lawyers in smaller markets often start with salaries between $70,000 and $98,000. In contrast, seasoned attorneys practicing in major metropolitan hubs such as New York, California, Illinois and Massachusetts typically earn between $150,000 and $230,000.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around
Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List
Undo
The difference reflects not just seniority but also the cost of living and demand in those regions.
Specialisation can make or break your paycheck
Not all lawyers earn the same, even at similar experience levels. Corporate lawyers and those involved in mergers and acquisitions usually command higher salaries, often ranging from $150,000 to $250,000. Criminal defence attorneys and personal injury lawyers usually earn between $85,000 and $200,000, though those with strong reputations and successful firms can go beyond this range.
Intellectual property lawyers are also among the top earners, given the growing importance of technology and innovation law. On the other hand, public interest lawyers and nonprofit sector attorneys generally earn significantly less, often below $80,000 annually.
Government lawyers face salary caps
Lawyers working for federal agencies, including the Department of Justice, have capped pay scales. In 2025, the maximum allowed salary for government attorneys is $195,100, according to the US Department of Justice.
The rare million-dollar lawyers
At the very top of the profession, the rewards can be staggering. Equity partners at elite law firms routinely earn $1 million or more annually, and in rare instances, star partners at prestigious firms can make up to $10 million a year. These figures, however, represent the exception rather than the rule and require decades of experience, client networks and high-stakes litigation success.
The big picture for aspiring lawyers
When you consider all practice areas and locations, most US lawyers earn between $59,000 and $230,000 per year, with the sweet spot for many falling between $100,000 and $145,000. While the financial rewards are substantial, aspiring lawyers should weigh the cost of law school, which often exceeds $200,000, alongside the competitive job market and demanding hours.
Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
21 minutes ago
- Economic Times
How US alcohol tariffs may hurt some businesses, hike prices for Americans
Synopsis American consumers may soon face higher prices for their favorite alcoholic beverages due to U.S. tariffs on European goods. Scotch whisky could see an average price increase of $1 per drink, with other EU alcohols like champagne and Irish whiskey also affected. Representational Americans keen on a stiff drink at a bar should brace for a sobering rise in prices, with Scotch whisky connoisseurs potentially stomaching an extra $1 on average per drink, thanks to U.S. tariffs on UK and European goods, according to an industry analysis shared exclusively with Reuters. Other EU alcohol, like French champagne, Irish whiskey and Italian prosecco, may see price rises, with the tariffs impacting some $10 billion worth of such imports each year. Brands affected include Diageo's Guinness beer and Pernod Ricard's Jameson Irish whiskey. U.S. President Donald Trump's 15% tariff on European Union imports could raise wholesale prices of wine and spirits by more than 80 cents per gallon on average, with a smaller 3 cent increase for beer, the analysis, commissioned by trade association the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, showed. The levies could rake in $987.1 million in federal revenue, once lost sales are taken into account, it said, with the costs likely passed on to U.S. businesses and consumers over time, causing sales and job losses. The U.S. is, by far, the biggest market for the top spirit makers among Western countries and most European wine and spirit producers. IMPACT ON CONSUMERS The analysis assessed the impact of tariffs if the levies are passed on in full. Spirit imports previously enjoyed zero tariffs. It found that U.S. tariffs, including a 10% levy on UK products like Scotch whisky at the port, could significantly raise the price per bottle at a bar or other venue once additional costs from margins and taxes are added. For a 750 millilitre bottle of Scotch, an average $1.92 tariff at the port could translate to a price increase of more than $12 per bottle at the bar, said the analysis, produced for WSWA by New York economic research firm John Dunham & Associates. Assuming just over 12 two-ounce drinks per bottle, that would mean an additional $1 per drink at the bar on average. Cutter Smith, who takes up the post of WSWA chairman in September, said that in some cases, wholesale prices were already on the rise. "It is a company-by-company and, in some cases, brand-by-brand decision, but one thing is certain, if these tariffs stay in place, they will make their way to the consumer," he said. The tariffs have hit just as the U.S. prepares for the holiday season starting in October, when alcohol sales surge due to celebrations and gifting. Pernod Ricard and Diageo declined to comment on the analysis. SALES ALREADY DECLINING Relatively small tariffs on Irish whiskey and Polish vodka also spiral upward as they make their way to bars or other venues, the analysis found, leading to an average price increase of 26 or 52 cents, respectively, per two-ounce drink. The wine and spirits industries had hoped to win an exemption from EU tariffs, but found no relief in a framework trade deal secured on Thursday. U.S. sales are already in decline as inflation-weary or health conscious consumers cut back. A Gallup survey in August found that reported U.S. alcohol consumption hit its lowest on record, and competition from alternatives and other threats have also raised concerns over longer-term growth. Analysts say higher-end brands preferred by wealthier consumers should be less sensitive to price changes, with cheaper and mid-range labels more likely to see demand decline as prices rise. Some domestic producers may benefit if their wine and spirits are cheaper than those of imported rivals, but others are unsure or worry about retaliatory tariffs. The analysis found that European wine would be hardest hit by the 15% levy, with wholesale prices rising by 86 cents per gallon on average, followed by spirits at 82 cents and beer at 3 cents. Some alcohol producers ramped up U.S. shipments ahead of the tariffs, creating a stockpile of goods to sell tariff-free. And some spirit makers like Campari and Diageo have said they would not raise prices or would take other mitigation measures to prevent tariff costs being passed on for now.
India.com
23 minutes ago
- India.com
Jeffrey Sachs Slams Trump's India Tariffs, Calls Them ‘Stupidest Move' In US Foreign Policy
Prominent US economist Jeffrey Sachs on Thursday strongly criticised President Donald Trump's decision to impose steep punitive tariffs on India, calling it one of the worst blunders in American foreign policy. In an interview on the Breaking Points show with Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti, Sachs said Trump's tariffs were 'not a strategy, but sabotage.' He warned that the move, instead of giving the US leverage, ended up pushing India closer to other emerging economies under the BRICS grouping. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source 'These tariffs on India are not a strategy; they're sabotage. It's the stupidest tactical move in US foreign policy,' Sachs said, adding that the duties had 'unified BRICS like never before' and undermined Washington's own long-term interests in Asia. Calling Trump 'the great unifier of the BRICS,' Sachs noted that the 25 per cent tariff penalty quickly strengthened cooperation between Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. 'The opposite of what Trump's advisers thought would happen is exactly what happened,' he said. The Columbia University professor did not hold back from criticising Trump's allies either. He labelled South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham as 'the worst senator in the US' and 'a fool.' He also targeted Trump's former trade adviser Peter Navarro, calling him 'probably the most incompetent PhD my former department has ever granted.' According to Sachs, the tariffs caused lasting damage to trust between New Delhi and Washington. 'By going after India, a country the US has been cultivating for years, Trump destroyed trust overnight,' he said. He added that even if the tariffs are eventually withdrawn, India has already learned that 'you cannot trust the United States.' The economist stressed that the tariffs brought 'zero practical impact' in terms of negotiations, but 'completely undermined a strand of US foreign policy built up over decades.'
Hindustan Times
23 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
From Moscow, Jaishankar delivers a blunt rebuttal to barbs from US officials
NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Thursday responded to the Trump administration's repeated criticism of India's purchases of Russian crude by dispelling claims by senior American officials and saying the US itself had asked India to help stabilise global energy markets by buying Russian oil. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar calls on Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Moscow on Thursday. (ANI) Jaishankar's remarks, made at a news conference with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, were the first public response by a senior Indian minister to accusations by key figures in the US administration that India was profiteering by buying Russian oil and also helping fund the Russian war in Ukraine. Jaishankar later called on President Vladimir Putin. President Donald Trump has railed in recent weeks against defence and energy cooperation between India and Russia and contended that India sells Russian oil in the open market for profits without caring for people killed in Ukraine by the 'Russian war machine'. On Monday, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro repeated Trump's allegations in an article and accused India of being 'a global clearinghouse for Russian oil'. When Jaishankar was asked about Navarro's accusations, he declined to comment on the person but responded to the issue by rubbishing claims by American officials that India is the largest buyer of Russian energy. 'We are not the biggest purchasers of Russian oil; that is China. We are not the biggest purchasers of Russian LNG. I'm not sure, but I think that is the European Union. We are not the country which has the biggest trade surge with Russia after 2022, I think there are some countries to the south,' he said. Jaishankar clarified that over the past few years, the US had said that India 'should do everything to stabilise the world energy markets, including buying oil from Russia'. He added, 'Incidentally, we also buy oil from America, and that amount has been increasing. So, quite honestly, we are very perplexed at the logic of the argument that you had referred to.' The US is set to impose a 25% punitive tariff on Indian exports from August 28 over Russian oil purchases, which will be in addition to a 25% reciprocal tariff already in place. The external affairs ministry has defended India's purchases of Russian oil and military hardware, saying that these acquisitions are driven by national security and energy security interests and aimed at ensuring predictable and affordable energy for Indian consumers. The ministry has also said US efforts to penalise India are 'unjustified and unreasonable', especially when other countries haven't been targeted for oil purchases from Moscow. India increased the purchase of discounted Russian commodities, especially oil and fertilisers, after the US and its Western partners slapped sanctions on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Russia soon displaced Iraq and Saudi Arabia as the main suppliers of crude to India, the world's third-largest oil importer. Russia jumped from providing less than 1% of India's energy needs to almost 40%. However, China imported Russian petroleum and crude worth $62.6 billion in 2024, while India's imports of the same items were worth $53 billion, according to data aggregated by the UN. On Wednesday, Russian officials dismissed concerns that sanctions and tariffs imposed by the US and the European Union would hit oil supplies to India and said Moscow has a 'very special mechanism' to get around punitive measures imposed by the Trump administration to curb energy trade.
