Entry-level Lawyer salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 163 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Irvine, Newport Beach, Pasadena, Beverly Hills, Brea.
Also listed as: Attorney, Associate Lawyer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $112,070 |
| 25th | $114,400 |
| 50th (median) | $120,000 |
| 75th | $140,449 |
| 90th | $204,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $84,323 | $81,474 | $100,000 | 49 |
| FY2021 | $87,360 | $84,152 | $95,000 | 44 |
| FY2022 | $90,000 | $86,404 | $120,000 | 48 |
| FY2023 | $100,000 | $95,000 | $120,000 | 56 |
| FY2024 | $112,320 | $108,014 | $134,450 | 74 |
| FY2025 | $114,400 | $112,070 | $125,000 | 83 |
| FY2026 | $124,894 | $116,000 | $150,000 | 80 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median entry-level Lawyer salary of $120,000 is worth about $105,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Lawyers in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $194,410 in May 2025 (41,580 employed). The H-1B median here is $120,000, 38% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Quill & Arrow | too few | 5 |
| Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan | too few | 5 |
| Lexint Law | too few | 3 |
| Mino Law Group, A Professional | too few | 3 |
| Black and Rose | too few | 2 |
| Bowman & Brooke | too few | 2 |
| Buchholz, Harris, Levine & Brennan, P.c. | too few | 2 |
| Carlton Fields | too few | 2 |
| Demidchik Law Firm | too few | 2 |
| Gozel Law Firm | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $120,000 | 163 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $206,000 | 67 |
| Senior · Level III | $297,500 | 30 |
| Expert · Level IV | $357,500 | 14 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $115,690 | $120,000 | 163 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $192,774 | $206,000 | 67 |
| Senior · Level III | $219,211 | $297,500 | 30 |
| Expert · Level IV | $272,771 | $357,500 | 14 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.