Entry-Level Lawyer Salary (2026): What First-Year Associates Actually Make

The average entry-level lawyer salary is $87,333 per year ($41.99/hour) in 2026, based on the 10th percentile of BLS wage data. New lawyer starting pay ranges from $18,270 to $187,276 in Sunnyvale, CA — driven by Biglaw Cravath scale ($225,000 first year + $20,000 bonus), federal clerkship bonus, mid-law, public interest PSLF, government honors programs, and specialty premium (tax, IP litigation, M&A).

$87,333

Avg Starting Salary

$41.99

Starting Hourly

$167,174

Median Target

1685+

Cities Tracked

2019 BLS

$59,670

2025 BLS

$78,360

2026 Current Est.

$82,043

2019–2027 Growth

+44.0%

National Entry-Level Lawyer Salary Trend (10th Percentile)

2019–2025: BLS OEWS actual data. 2026+: CAGR 4.70% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Entry-Level Salary (P10)	Status
2019	$59,670	Actual
2020	$61,490	Actual
2021	$61,400	Actual
2022	$66,470	Actual
2023	$69,760	Actual
2024	$72,780	Actual
2025	$78,360	Actual
2026(current)	$82,043	Estimated
2027	$85,899	Projected

Entry-level lawyer salaries (10th percentile) have shown consistent growth over 7 years of BLS data. The 10th percentile represents typical starting pay for new graduates and early-career professionals. At the current 4.70% CAGR, starting salaries are projected to continue rising through 2027.

Note: BLS actual data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Estimated and projected values are calculated using a 4.70% historical CAGR. Actual compensation may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Starting Lawyer Salary by State

Entry-level lawyer pay varies dramatically by state. The top-paying states offer starting salaries well above $87,333, while others fall below the national average. Here are all 52 states ranked by average starting salary for lawyers.

#	State	Avg Starting Pay	Median Target	Growth Potential	Cities
1	District of Columbia	$111,526	$204,364	+$92,838	1
2	Nevada	$101,289	$158,684	+$57,395	9
3	California	$100,520	$208,615	+$108,095	158
4	Washington	$100,294	$164,206	+$63,912	50
5	New Jersey	$97,853	$153,132	+$55,279	61
6	Connecticut	$97,789	$171,260	+$73,471	29
7	New York	$96,696	$210,207	+$113,511	39
8	Delaware	$94,411	$162,778	+$68,367	6
9	Alaska	$92,692	$158,391	+$65,699	5
10	Colorado	$91,859	$173,226	+$81,367	33
11	Vermont	$90,781	$133,012	+$42,231	9
12	Illinois	$89,401	$169,968	+$80,567	65
13	Maryland	$89,385	$139,347	+$49,962	28
14	Minnesota	$88,175	$163,279	+$75,104	44
15	Arizona	$86,164	$137,066	+$50,902	33
16	Massachusetts	$85,805	$183,708	+$97,903	59
17	Rhode Island	$84,432	$140,334	+$55,902	17
18	Texas	$83,658	$161,991	+$78,333	109
19	South Dakota	$82,294	$115,032	+$32,738	11
20	Pennsylvania	$81,917	$161,336	+$79,419	25
21	Michigan	$81,435	$136,714	+$55,279	54
22	Maine	$81,369	$132,365	+$50,996	10
23	New Mexico	$80,798	$122,001	+$41,203	17
24	Tennessee	$80,675	$142,775	+$62,100	30
25	Wisconsin	$80,284	$131,177	+$50,893	46
26	New Hampshire	$80,282	$135,192	+$54,910	16
27	Kansas	$80,097	$120,689	+$40,592	22
28	Hawaii	$79,572	$132,799	+$53,227	10
29	Virginia	$79,533	$144,576	+$65,043	42
30	Florida	$78,986	$148,838	+$69,852	86
31	Oregon	$78,929	$156,558	+$77,629	36
32	Nebraska	$77,016	$128,697	+$51,681	13
33	Ohio	$76,595	$135,168	+$58,573	67
34	North Dakota	$75,377	$116,096	+$40,719	8
35	Missouri	$74,773	$138,888	+$64,115	33
36	Iowa	$71,184	$136,894	+$65,710	26
37	Wyoming	$70,613	$111,197	+$40,584	14
38	South Carolina	$70,591	$121,991	+$51,400	26
39	Indiana	$70,298	$117,361	+$47,063	43
40	North Carolina	$69,275	$141,745	+$72,470	45
41	Idaho	$68,483	$111,050	+$42,567	16
42	Alabama	$67,999	$151,206	+$83,207	24
43	West Virginia	$67,778	$108,269	+$40,491	11
44	Kentucky	$66,905	$120,701	+$53,796	21
45	Montana	$66,687	$109,548	+$42,861	7
46	Georgia	$62,393	$140,974	+$78,581	40
47	Utah	$62,238	$139,256	+$77,018	41
48	Mississippi	$59,475	$105,970	+$46,495	20
49	Oklahoma	$59,139	$110,561	+$51,422	27
50	Arkansas	$57,410	$109,772	+$52,362	21
51	Louisiana	$49,536	$114,706	+$65,170	20
52	Puerto Rico	$45,000	$82,169	+$37,169	2

Beginner Lawyer Pay: Top 20 Cities

These 20 metro areas offer the highest starting salaries for new lawyers. Each figure represents the 10th percentile of local BLS wage data — the typical pay range for professionals with little to no experience.

#	City	Starting Salary	Median Target	vs National
1	Sunnyvale, CA	$187,276	$322,890	+114.44%
2	Santa Clara, CA	$186,047	$320,769	+113.03%
3	San Jose, CA	$135,429	$315,482	+55.07%
4	Oakland, CA	$131,980	$227,551	+51.12%
5	Fremont, CA	$129,069	$222,533	+47.79%
6	Jersey City, NJ	$129,021	$222,450	+47.73%
7	Newark, NJ	$127,033	$219,021	+45.46%
8	Honolulu, HI	$123,085	$212,216	+40.94%
9	Anaheim, CA	$120,159	$207,170	+37.59%
10	Long Beach, CA	$118,449	$204,223	+35.63%
11	Alexandria, VA	$117,531	$202,640	+34.58%
12	Kaneohe, HI	$114,946	$198,183	+31.62%
13	Mililani Town, HI	$114,740	$197,828	+31.38%
14	Kailua, HI	$114,668	$197,704	+31.30%
15	Carson City, NV	$114,353	$149,198	+30.94%
16	East Honolulu, HI	$113,393	$195,506	+29.84%
17	Waipahu, HI	$113,348	$195,429	+29.79%
18	East Orange, NJ	$113,240	$195,242	+29.66%
19	Franklin, NJ	$113,240	$195,242	+29.66%
20	Woodbridge, NJ	$113,209	$195,188	+29.63%

Lawyer Salary With No Experience: First-Year Associate Reality

The 10th percentile of BLS wage data is the standard proxy for entry-level lawyer pay — predominantly first-year associates at mid-law / smaller firms / public interest organizations. Nationally, that sits at $87,333 ($41.99/hour) for 2026. New lawyer compensation is the most bimodal of any major profession — Biglaw associates at Cravath-scale firms earn $225,000+ first year while public interest / small-firm new attorneys earn $50,000–$75,000.

What First-Year Lawyers Actually Earn (Year 1)

Biglaw Cravath-scale (top tier, NLJ 250) — $225,000 base + $20,000 first-year bonus (NYC market scale). Firms: Cravath, Davis Polk, Sullivan & Cromwell, Skadden, Wachtell, Latham, Kirkland, Paul Weiss, Sidley, Cleary, Simpson Thacher, Weil Gotshal, Gibson Dunn. Premium NYC / DC / Chicago / SF / LA / Boston.
Federal clerkship (Article III, 1-year) — $75,000–$95,000 (federal pay) + $50,000–$75,000 post-clerkship Biglaw signing bonus.
State supreme court clerkship — $50,000–$75,000 + smaller post-clerkship bonus.
Mid-law (large regional firms, AmLaw 100–200) — $145,000–$190,000 first year. Strong second tier.
Boutique litigation / IP / appellate firms — varies $145,000–$225,000. Cravath-scale at top boutiques (Boies Schiller, Williams & Connolly, Susman Godfrey).
In-house (typically post-2-4 years; rare new grad) — varies. FAANG, fintech, pharma, banks.
Federal Honors Program (DOJ Honors, SEC, FDIC, FERC, FTC) — GS-12 to GS-13 $90,000–$120,000 + pension + PSLF.
State / local government attorney (AG offices, DA / PD, agency counsel) — $55,000–$85,000 + pension + PSLF.
Public interest (Legal Aid, ACLU, NAACP LDF, EJI, NRDC, ABA-accredited nonprofits) — $50,000–$70,000 + PSLF + LRAP school loan repayment.
Small firm / sole practitioner — $45,000–$70,000 first year. Variable by region + practice area.

JD + Bar Exam + State Licensure

ABA-accredited JD program — 3-year full-time / 4-year part-time program required.
Bar Exam (state-specific or UBE) — Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) used by 39+ jurisdictions; California / Florida / Louisiana have state-specific exams.
MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination) — required for nearly all jurisdictions.
Character & Fitness — state board review.
Bar admission ceremony / oath — required for licensure.
CLE (Continuing Legal Education) — state-specific annual requirement post-admission.
Federal court admission (E.D./S.D./N.D./W.D. district) — separate admission to each federal district.
USPTO patent bar (for IP attorneys) — separate exam; STEM degree required.
LLM (Master of Laws) — Tax / IP / IBL — premium specialty post-JD.
JD + clerkship — substantially boosts Biglaw signing bonus.

Setting Selection: Biglaw / Mid-Law / Boutique / In-House / Government / Public Interest

Biglaw (Cravath-scale) — Cravath, DPW, S&C, Skadden, Wachtell, Latham, Kirkland, Paul Weiss. Highest entry pay.
Mid-law (AmLaw 100-200) — strong second tier.
Boutique (litigation, IP, appellate) — Boies Schiller, Williams & Connolly, Susman Godfrey.
Federal clerkship (Article III) — premier credential. Post-clerkship Biglaw signing bonus.
State supreme court clerkship — strong second tier.
DOJ Honors / SEC / FDIC / FERC / FTC — federal honors program + pension + PSLF.
State / local government (AG, DA, PD, agency) — pension + PSLF.
Public interest (Legal Aid, ACLU, NAACP LDF, EJI) — PSLF + LRAP.
In-house (FAANG, fintech, pharma, banks) — typically post 2–4 years.
Small firm / sole practitioner — flexibility + lower entry pay.

Year-by-Year Progression to Lawyer National Median

Year 0–1 (P10 baseline) — $87,333 national average.
Year 1–4 (Biglaw associate ladder) — Cravath scale: $225K → $245K → $275K → $310K → $355K → $390K → $410K → $420K.
Year 5–8 (senior associate / counsel) — $410K–$435K base + $50K–$100K bonus at Biglaw.
Year 8–10 (partner track / counsel) — equity partner = $1M–$5M+ per year at top firms.
Public interest / government — slower progression but PSLF eligible. Year 10+ supervisor / senior counsel.
In-house exit (typical year 3–6 Biglaw) — $200K–$350K + stock at FAANG / fintech.

2026 New Lawyer Salary Outlook

Entry-level lawyer pay has grown at a compound annual rate of 4.70% nationally — driven by Cravath-scale ratcheting (jumped from $190K to $215K to $225K in recent cycles), Biglaw retention pressure, AI / GenAI legal-tech threat amplifying value of senior strategic counsel, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) stability supporting public interest. The BLS projects lawyer employment growth at 5% through 2033.

Entry-Level to Mid-Career: Lawyer Salary Growth

Lawyer salaries follow a predictable growth curve. Here's how pay typically progresses from entry-level to experienced:

Entry (P10)

$87,333

Year 0-1

Early Career (P25)

$118,203

Year 1-3

Mid-Career (P50)

$167,174

Year 3-7

Experienced (P75-P90)

$246,507–$339,538

Year 7+

$87,333$118,203$167,174$339,538

How to Maximize Your Starting Lawyer Salary

New lawyers who strategically target Cravath-scale Biglaw, pursue federal clerkship, or stack honors program credentials consistently land starting compensation 3–5x the national average. Here's how to maximize your first-year lawyer total comp:

1. Target Cravath-Scale Biglaw Tier

NYC Biglaw (top scale) — Cravath, DPW, S&C, Wachtell, Skadden, Paul Weiss, Simpson Thacher, Cleary, Sullivan.
DC Biglaw — Latham, Kirkland, Gibson Dunn, Sidley, Covington, Williams & Connolly.
Chicago Biglaw — Kirkland, Sidley, Mayer Brown, McDermott, Jenner.
SF / LA / Boston / Houston Biglaw — Cravath-scale at major satellite offices.
Top boutiques (Boies Schiller, Williams & Connolly, Susman Godfrey) — Cravath-scale at premium litigation boutiques.
Highest-paying new lawyer metro — Sunnyvale, CA at $187,276.

2. Top Law School + High Grades + Law Review

T14 law school (Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Chicago, NYU, Penn, Berkeley, UVA, Michigan, Duke, Northwestern, Cornell, Georgetown) — strongest Biglaw / clerkship pipeline.
Top regional law schools (UCLA, Texas, Vanderbilt, USC, Notre Dame, Boston U, Emory, Minnesota) — strong Biglaw pipeline in regional market.
Top 10% / Order of the Coif — required for top Biglaw / clerkship.
Law Review / Journal — strongly preferred for Biglaw / clerkship.
Moot court / mock trial — strong for litigation Biglaw.
Summer associate at target firm — Biglaw hire 90%+ of summer associates. Critical 2L summer.
1L OCI (on-campus interviews) — secondary path for top-tier students.

3. Pursue Federal Clerkship for Premium Signing Bonus

Article III federal clerkship (1 year) — $75,000–$95,000 federal pay + $50,000–$75,000 post-clerkship Biglaw signing bonus.
Federal Court of Appeals clerkship — premium credential. Strongest signing bonus.
Federal district court clerkship — strong second tier.
State supreme court clerkship — premier credential at state level.
SCOTUS clerkship (post-Court-of-Appeals) — premium career path. $400K+ post-clerkship Biglaw signing bonus.
Clerkship application timing — apply 3L year for post-graduation clerkship.
OSCAR portal — official federal clerkship application system.

4. Alternative: DOJ Honors / SEC / Federal Honors

DOJ Honors Program — direct-hire path for new grads. GS-12 to GS-13 $90,000–$120,000.
SEC Honors Program — securities regulation path.
FDIC / FERC / FTC / NLRB / EEOC Honors — financial / energy / antitrust / labor regulation paths.
USPTO Patent Examiner / Trademark Examiner — IP federal path. STEM degree for patent.
JAG Corps (military) — Army / Navy / Air Force / Marines / Coast Guard JAG.
Federal pension + PSLF — premium long-term path.
State Attorney General honors — state-level alternative.
Federal Public Defender — premium criminal defense path + PSLF.

5. Plan Partner / In-House / Public Interest Path

Biglaw partner track (8–10 years) — equity partner = $1M–$5M+ at top firms.
Non-equity partner / counsel — $500K–$1M+ total.
In-house exit (year 3–6 Biglaw) — FAANG / fintech / pharma in-house. $200K–$350K + stock.
General Counsel path (post-15 years) — Fortune 500 GC = $1M–$5M+ total.
Public interest / PSLF (10 years qualifying) — full federal loan forgiveness.
Government attorney pension + PSLF — premium long-term combination.
Solo / boutique practice (post-5-7 years) — premium specialty (IP, tax, M&A, appellate).
Academia / professor path — federal clerkship + scholarly track.

More Salary Resources

National OverviewComplete salary data for 1685+ cities Hourly Pay RatesPer-hour rates, part-time calculations Salary by StateAll 52 states compared Highest Paying StatesTop states ranked by salary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the entry level lawyer salary?

The average entry level lawyer salary is $87,333 per year (approximately $41.99/hour) in 2026. This figure represents the 10th percentile of BLS wage data, which closely approximates what new graduates and first-year lawyers earn.

How much do new lawyers make with no experience?

New lawyers with no experience typically start around $87,333 per year nationally. However, starting pay varies significantly by location — from $18,270 in lower-paying areas to $187,276 in top-paying metro areas like Sunnyvale, CA.

What state pays entry-level lawyers the most?

District of Columbia pays entry-level lawyers the most, with an average starting salary of $111,526 per year across 1 metro areas.

How long does it take to reach the median lawyer salary?

Most lawyers reach the national median salary of $167,174 within 3 to 5 years of clinical practice. Those who pursue specialized certifications (local anesthesia, laser therapy) or work in high-demand settings can reach median pay sooner.

Is legal practice school worth the investment?

Yes. With an average starting salary of $87,333 and program costs typically ranging from $18,000 to $45,000, most legal practice graduates recoup their education investment within 1-3 years. The median salary of $167,174 and strong job growth (9% projected through 2033, faster than average) make it one of the best returns on investment in healthcare education.

Written by Alexandra Chen, JD

Career Analyst

Alexandra has 10 years of experience in corporate law. She specializes in mergers and acquisitions. Alexandra works at a mid-sized law firm in New York City.

Clinically reviewed by Daniel Martinez, JDData verified by Priya Patel, JD

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS 2025, released May 2026.

Compiled and verified by Alexandra Chen, JD, a licensed lawyer with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov

Methodology & Data Source

Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. We applied a 4.70% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS trends, to estimate current 2026 compensation.