Lawyer Salary in California
Median annual pay in California
$195,080
$93.79/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in California
$176,192
Regional Price Parity: 110.720 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($159,670): +$35,410 (+22.2%)
California ranks 3rd of 51 states by median pay, and 3rd of 51 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $97,950 | $47.09 |
| 25th percentile | $131,120 | $63.04 |
| Median | $195,080 | $93.79 |
| 75th percentile | $277,140 | $133.24 |
| 90th percentile | $369,180 | $177.49 |
Employment
- Employment in California
- 95,770
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Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in California
- $195,080
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $159,670
- Difference
- +$35,410 (+22.2%)
Cost of living
$195,080 ÷ 110.720 × 100 = $176,192
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| New York | ||
| 1st | $207,860 | $192,604 1st |
| District of Columbia | ||
| 2nd | $195,190 | $177,605 2nd |
| California This page | ||
| 3rd | $195,080 | $176,192 3rd |
| Massachusetts | ||
| 4th | $176,680 | $167,062 5th |
| Delaware | ||
| 5th | $173,510 | $173,844 4th |
Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Judicial Law Clerk salary in the U.S.
$64,920/year U.S.
- Administrative Law Judge, Adjudicator, and Hearing Officer salary in the U.S.
$117,860/year U.S.
- Judge, Magistrate Judge, and Magistrate salary in the U.S.
$153,990/year U.S.
- Arbitrator, Mediator, and Conciliator salary in the U.S.
$75,530/year U.S.
- Compliance Officer salary in the U.S.
$80,730/year U.S.
- Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator salary in the U.S.
$78,000/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +4.7%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- Doctoral or professional degree
BLS publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
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Lawyer salary in nearby places
- Lawyer salary in Arizona
$134,260/year Arizona
- Lawyer salary in Nevada
$150,510/year Nevada
- Lawyer salary in Oregon
$138,210/year Oregon
- Lawyer salary in the U.S.
$159,670/year U.S.
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
- Neighboring states: U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024.
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