Lawyer Hourly Pay in Janesville, WI: $55.56 (2026)
Quick Answer:Hourly pay for a lawyer working in Janesville, WI runs $55.56 at the median for 2026 — annualizing to $115,568 at a standard 2,080-hour year. Figures projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 23-1011). Weighted against Janesville's regional price level (BEA RPP 93.7, 6% below national), each hour of work buys what $59.30 nationally would. A 24-hour part-time schedule grosses $69,344 per year.
Official BLS data · View source
In Janesville, Wisconsin, the projected median hourly pay for lawyers is set at $55.56 for 2026, significantly lower than the national median of $80.37. This disparity highlights the unique characteristics of the local legal market, where many practitioners could work part-time, such as three days a week, creating flexible opportunities to balance client needs with personal life. The range of hourly rates in Janesville varies widely, with entry-level positions typically earning around $36.75 per hour, while top earners can potentially command as much as $167.15 per hour. Such official BLS data reflects the variety of legal settings in which these lawyers operate, from law firms and courtrooms to in-house corporate offices and remote contract drafting roles.
Lawyer Hourly Wage Breakdown
| Percentile | Hourly Rate | Per 8hr Shift |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $36.75 | $294.00 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $42.41 | $339.31 |
| Median (P50) | $55.56 | $444.51 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $80.03 | $640.26 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $167.15 | $1337.23 |
Estimated Annual Income by Work Schedule in Janesville
Based on $55.56/hr median hourly rate · 2026 est.
At $55.56/hr, a lawyer working full-time (40 hr/wk) in Janesville, WI can expect to earn approximately $115,574 per year (2026 est.). Part-time hygienists working 24 hours per week would earn around $66,677. With a cost-of-living index of 93.70 (below the national average), these earnings stretch further in Janesville.
Hourly Rate Calculator
Schedule Comparison in Janesville
| Schedule | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-Time (40 hrs) | $2,222.57 | $9,631 | $115,574 |
| Part-Time (24 hrs) | $1,333.54 | $5,779 | $69,344 |
| Per Diem (16 hrs) | $889.03 | $3,852 | $46,229 |
Compare Esq Wages With Similar Roles
| Role | Median Hourly |
|---|---|
| Lawyer (Janesville) | $55.56 |
| Paralegal (National Avg) | $29.95 |
| Judge / Magistrate (National Avg) | $68.41 |
| Arbitrator / Mediator (National Avg) | $38.60 |
| Court Reporter (National Avg) | $30.10 |
Lawyers in Janesville, WI earn a median of $115,568 per year (2026 est.), which is 30.87% lower than the national median of $167,174 and 4.70% below the Wisconsin state average of $121,267.
Lawyer Hourly Pay vs. Cost of Living
Working 24h/week at $55.56/hr = $69,344/year (purchasing power: $74,004).
Working 40h/week (full-time) = $115,574/year (purchasing power: $123,340).
CoL index: 93.703 (100 = national average). Your dollars stretch further here.
2019 BLS Actual
$43.28/hr
2025 BLS Actual
$53.07/hr
2026 Current Est.
$55.56/hr
2019–2027 Growth
+34.4%
Hourly Rate Trajectory for Lawyers in Janesville (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 4.70% projection.
| Year | Hourly Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $43.28/hr | Actual |
| 2020 | $42.50/hr | Actual |
| 2021 | $45.34/hr | Actual |
| 2022 | $45.64/hr | Actual |
| 2023 | $47.15/hr | Actual |
| 2024 | $54.35/hr | Actual |
| 2025 | $53.07/hr | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $55.56/hr | Estimated |
| 2027 | $58.18/hr | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS metropolitan area data, the median hourly rate for lawyers in Janesville grew 22.6% from $43.28/hr (2019) to $53.07/hr (2025). At a 4.70% projected growth rate, hourly pay is expected to reach $58.18/hr by 2027. Part-time and per-diem lawyers can use this multi-year trend to benchmark future contract negotiations.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Janesville metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 4.70% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Working as an Hourly Lawyer in Janesville
Part-time lawyers working 24 hours a week in Janesville can expect to bring home about $43,101 annually, a significant figure when considering work-life balance compared to full-time roles that would yield far more. Per-diem opportunities in Janesville for contract attorneys often yield lower hourly rates of $25-$50, while experienced professionals engage in 1099 of-counsel arrangements that could charge clients anywhere from $200 to $500 per hour. Legal environments vary, affecting pay scales—BigLaw firms uphold higher compensation but often at the expense of hours, whereas small and mid-sized firms may provide more reasonable hours along with lower pay. The public sector typically falls on the lower end of the scale, though it offers advantages like student loan forgiveness. Lawyers in Janesville should negotiate based on their specific fields and employer types while weighing the trade-offs of accepting lower hourly rates for the added benefits that come with certain positions.
More salary data for Janesville, WI:
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.
Methodology & Data Source
Hourly wage figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 4.70% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to estimate current 2026 hourly rates for lawyers in Janesville. Part-time and full-time income estimates assume consistent weekly hours and do not account for overtime, benefits, or seasonal variation.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (–). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.
2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.70%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for lawyers (SOC 23-1011).
Compiled and verified by Alexandra Chen, JD, a licensed lawyer with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov