Lawyer salary
From 4,051 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 23-1011: Lawyers
- Also filed as: Attorney, Associate Lawyer
At a glance
- Mostly Level I (entry-level). 36% of Lawyer filings are Level I, compared with 19% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. 151 filings (4% of the total), median $225,000.
- Pay depends on the city. Among the 6 metro areas with the most filings, the median ranges from $162,400 in Los Angeles, CA to $225,000 in New York, NY.
- Median up 25% since FY2020. From $180,000 in FY2020 to $225,000 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Lawyer H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 4,051 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Lawyer jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 23-1011, Lawyers). The median base salary is $225,000, 83% above the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $148,100 and $260,000. The most common wage level is Level I (entry-level), at 36% of filings. New York, NY has the most filings (2,223), and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison is the employer that files the most (151).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Lawyer
Employers with the most Lawyer filings. Bar: share of all Lawyer filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 36% of filings
Mid-level · 34% of filings
Senior · 19% of filings
Expert · 11% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $125,000 | 1,429 |
| Level II · Qualified | $225,000 | 1,363 |
| Level III · Experienced | $260,000 | 757 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $370,000 | 417 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Lawyer pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 19 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $225,000 | 2,223 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $162,400 | 280 |
| San Francisco, CA | $225,000 | 243 |
| Washington, DC | $225,000 | 228 |
| San Jose, CA | $225,000 | 128 |
| Chicago, IL | $192,750 | 126 |
| Boston, MA | $225,000 | 90 |
| Miami, FL | $150,000 | 85 |
| Houston, TX | $225,000 | 81 |
| Seattle, WA | $155,750 | 62 |
| Dallas, TX | $133,600 | 56 |
| Atlanta, GA | $135,574 | 54 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $126,963 | 27 |
| Austin, TX | $105,000 | 19 |
| San Diego, CA | $225,000 | 19 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $120,000 | 15 |
| Sacramento, CA | $165,000 | 12 |
| Buffalo, NY | $108,862 | 10 |
| Detroit, MI | $195,000 | 10 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Lawyer does
Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.
Typical tasks
- Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
- Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
- Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.
- Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
- Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
- Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
Preparation
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET occupation: Lawyers (23-1011.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Lawyers), the median annual wage was $159,670 in May 2025, with 754,500 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $225,000, 41% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $99,840 | $78,360 |
| 25th percentile | $148,100 | $102,990 |
| Median | $225,000 | $159,670 |
| 75th percentile | $260,000 | $221,370 |
| 90th percentile | $374,500 | $239,200+ |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $99,840 |
| 25th | $148,100 |
| 50th (median) | $225,000 |
| 75th | $260,000 |
| 90th | $374,500 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $180,000 | $101,816 | $210,000 | 1,457 |
| FY2021 | $190,000 | $130,000 | $220,000 | 1,448 |
| FY2022 | $213,500 | $136,032 | $240,060 | 1,596 |
| FY2023 | $215,000 | $136,947 | $250,000 | 1,470 |
| FY2024 | $219,939 | $130,000 | $260,000 | 1,737 |
| FY2025 | $225,000 | $130,000 | $260,000 | 2,161 |
| FY2026 | $225,000 | $160,000 | $272,110 | 1,890 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Lawyer make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Lawyer jobs is $225,000 (4,051 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $148,100 and $260,000.
What does an entry-level Lawyer earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $125,000. Level I accounts for 36% of Lawyer filings.
Which city pays H-1B Lawyers the most?
Among metro areas with at least 100 filings, New York, NY has the highest median base salary for Lawyer jobs: $225,000 (2,223 filings).
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Lawyers?
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison (151), Latham & Watkins (129) and White & Case (118) filed the most Lawyer LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Lawyers earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($225,000) is 41% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($159,670, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.