Senior Lawyer salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 30 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $225,000 |
| 25th | $260,000 |
| 50th (median) | $297,500 |
| 75th | $365,000 |
| 90th | $394,500 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2023 | $215,000 | $195,809 | $241,250 | 14 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2025 | $260,000 | $235,000 | $310,000 | 17 |
| FY2026 | $320,000 | $310,000 | $365,000 | 13 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median senior Lawyer salary of $297,500 is worth about $262,000 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 $297,500, 53% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kirkland & Ellis | too few | 4 |
| Milbank | too few | 3 |
| Cooley | too few | 2 |
| Paul Hastings | too few | 2 |
| White & Case | 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.