Lawyer Salary

Lawyer Salary in Utah: $139,256 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across Utah's 41 metropolitan areas, the average median lawyer pay sits at $139,256/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 23-1011. Because Utah sits at BEA RPP 98.1 (2% below the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $141,953 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: Murray ($137,565), Salt Lake City ($136,990), Provo ($130,370).

Lawyer Salary in Utah - 2025 BLS Data Infographic
Utah lawyer salary overview (2026)
$139,256
Avg Median Salary
$66.95
Avg Hourly Rate
7,064
Metro Employed
41
Cities

In 2026, the average median salary for lawyers in Utah is projected to be $139,256, which is 16.7% lower than the national median of $167,174. The highest paying city in Utah is Murray, with a salary of $144,031, while the lowest is Logan at $107,967, highlighting a significant gap of $36,064. Factors contributing to this disparity include the cost of living variations, local demand for legal services, and the presence of larger firms in metropolitan areas. Utah's legal profession is governed by specific state licensing requirements, including the need to pass the Utah State Bar exam and meet character and fitness standards. The scope of practice laws in Utah allow for a diverse range of legal services, particularly in growing areas such as family law, personal injury, and corporate law. The job market for lawyers in Utah is expected to grow at an annual rate of 4.70%, supported by increasing population and economic activity, which drive demand for legal services. As a result, the outlook for aspiring lawyers remains promising, particularly in urban centers like Salt Lake City, Provo, and Orem, where salaries are also above the statewide average.

Utah Lawyer Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)
$62,238
avg across 41 cities
Median
$139,256
state average
Top Earners (90th %ile)
$349,607
avg across 41 cities

Overall salary range in Utah: $57,292 (lowest entry-level) to $379,485 (highest top earner)

Utah vs National Average

Utah
$139,256
National Median
$167,174

Utah lawyers earn 16.7% less than the national median ($-27,918/year difference).

Utah Lawyer Salary Distribution (2026)

Vertical bar chart showing Utah lawyer salary percentiles: 10th percentile $62,238, 25th $103,127, Median $139,256, 75th $213,947, 90th $349,607. US national median is $167,174.$97.9K$195.8K$293.7K$391.6K$62.2K10thEntry Level$103.1K25thEarly Career$139.3KMedianMid Career$213.9K75thExperienced$349.6K90thTop EarnerUS Median $167.2K

Lawyer salaries in Utah range from $62,238 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $349,607 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $139,256. The Utah median is $27,918 below the US national median of $167,174. The average hourly rate is $66.95/hr. Approximately 7,064 lawyers are employed across 41 cities.

2019 BLS Actual

$114,262

2025 BLS Actual

$133,005

2026 Current Est.

$139,256

2019–2027 Growth

+27.6%

Salary Trajectory for Lawyers in Utah (20192027)

2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 4.70% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected
Salary trajectory chart for lawyers in Utah. Baseline $114,262 in 2025, projected to $145,801 by 2027.$106.2K$117.8K$129.3K$140.9K$152.4K2019202020212022202320242025202620272025 BLS$114.3K$119.8K$112.8K$114.1K$121.0K$126.0K$133.0K$139.3K$145.8K
YearAnnual SalaryStatus
2019$114,262Actual
2020$119,835Actual
2021$112,829Actual
2022$114,135Actual
2023$120,964Actual
2024$126,044Actual
2025$133,005Actual
2026(current)$139,256Estimated
2027$145,801Projected

Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Utah metropolitan area, the median lawyer salary grew 16.4% from $114,262 (2019) to $133,005 (2025). At a 4.70% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $145,801 by 2027 — a total increase of $31,539 (27.60%) from 2019.

Note: Historical values (20192025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Utah metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 20262026 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.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in Utah

#1
Murray
7 employed · $69.25/hr
$144,031
+3.43% vs avg
#2
Salt Lake City
4,830 employed · $68.96/hr
$143,429
+3.00% vs avg
#3
Provo
950 employed · $65.63/hr
$136,497
-1.98% vs avg
#4
Orem
24 employed · $64.93/hr
$135,062
-3.01% vs avg
#5
Lehi
11 employed · $64.32/hr
$133,784
-3.93% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in Utah

CityMedian Salary
Logan$107,967
Clinton$120,429
North Ogden$121,027
Park City$121,369
Payson$122,309

Best Value Cities for Lawyers in Utah

When adjusted for local cost of living, these Utah cities offer the most purchasing power for lawyers.

CityNominal SalaryCoL IndexAdjusted Salary
Murray$144,03198.1$146,821
Salt Lake City$143,429100.868$142,195
Provo$136,49798.232$138,954
Orem$135,06298.1$137,678
Lehi$133,78498.1$136,375

Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.

Salary by Experience Level in Utah

Experience LevelEstimated Annual
Entry Level (0-2 years)$62,238
Mid Career (3-7 years)$139,256
Experienced (7+ years)$349,607

Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across Utah metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.

All 41 Cities in Utah

#CityMedian Salary
1Murray$144,031
2Salt Lake City$143,429
3Provo$136,497
4Orem$135,062
5Lehi$133,784
6West Jordan$132,323
7West Valley City$132,113
8Sandy$131,848
9South Jordan$131,095
10Ogden$130,236
11Draper$129,898
12Layton$129,475
13Holladay$128,972
14Spanish Fork$128,952
15American Fork$128,679
16Saratoga Springs$128,537
17Cedar City$128,497
18Cottonwood Heights$128,063
19Midvale$128,063
20Roy$128,011
21Tooele$127,921
22Herriman$127,876
23Taylorsville$126,938
24Kaysville$126,749
25Syracuse$126,556
26Washington$126,516
27Millcreek$125,803
28Bountiful$124,990
29Clearfield$124,403
30Pleasant Grove$124,323
31Springville$123,555
32Eagle Mountain$123,504
33Riverton$123,373
34Vineyard$123,171
35St. George$123,012
36Highland$122,564
37Payson$122,309
38Park City$121,369
39North Ogden$121,027
40Clinton$120,429
41Logan$107,967

More Utah Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore lawyer hourly pay in Utah cities.

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new lawyers.

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced lawyers.

Explore More Lawyer Salary Data

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do lawyers make in Utah in 2026?

The average median lawyer salary in Utah is $139,256/year across 41 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $107,967 in Logan to $144,031 in Murray. This makes Utah 16.7% below the national median of $167,174. The state employs approximately 7,064 lawyers.

What is the highest paying city for lawyers in Utah?

Murray offers the highest lawyer salary in Utah at $144,031/year ($69.25/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are Murray ($144,031), Salt Lake City ($143,429), Provo ($136,497). Higher pay in these metros is typically driven by cost of living, demand for legal practice services, and competition among employers for licensed lawyers.

How does Utah lawyer pay compare to the national average?

Utah's average lawyer salary of $139,256 is 16.7% below the national median of $167,174 in 2026. The state employs approximately 7,064 lawyers across 41 metropolitan areas. When comparing salaries, consider cost-of-living differences — a lower nominal salary in an affordable area may provide better purchasing power than a higher salary in an expensive metro.

What is the entry-level lawyer salary in Utah?

Entry-level lawyers (10th percentile) in Utah earn approximately $62,238/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $57,292 in lower-paying areas to $83,538 in the highest-paying metros. New graduates should expect salaries at the lower end and can typically reach the area median within 3–5 years of clinical experience.

How many lawyers are employed in Utah?

Utah employs approximately 7,064 lawyers across 41 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. This makes Utah one of the larger employers of lawyers nationally. Demand continues to grow as the legal practice field expands and the population ages.

Which Utah city offers the best value for lawyers?

When adjusted for cost of living, Murray offers the highest purchasing power for lawyers in Utah, with an adjusted salary of $146,821 (nominal: $144,031, CoL index: 98.1). This means your dollar goes 2% further compared to the national average, making it an attractive option for maximizing real income.
AC

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

Methodology & Data Source

Statewide 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. A 4.70% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 lawyer compensation across Utah. State averages are employment-weighted across 41 metro areas — larger metro areas with more lawyerscontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.

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

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