Lawyer salary in Washington, DC
Based on 228 certified H-1B filings in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Washington Dc, Alexandria, Mclean, Washington D.c., Arlington.
Also listed as: Attorney, Associate Lawyer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $123,157 |
| 25th | $171,038 |
| 50th (median) | $225,000 |
| 75th | $260,000 |
| 90th | $365,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $190,000 | $150,000 | $216,750 | 138 |
| FY2021 | $190,000 | $150,000 | $226,250 | 96 |
| FY2022 | $205,000 | $145,000 | $240,000 | 121 |
| FY2023 | $215,000 | $153,954 | $295,000 | 108 |
| FY2024 | $225,000 | $165,443 | $277,677 | 112 |
| FY2025 | $225,000 | $167,263 | $260,000 | 124 |
| FY2026 | $225,000 | $175,000 | $279,294 | 104 |
Cost of living
Washington's median Lawyer salary of $225,000 is worth about $206,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Lawyers in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $195,190 in May 2025 (46,840 employed). The H-1B median here is $225,000, 15% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Covington & Burling | $247,500 | 10 |
| Foley Hoag | too few | 8 |
| Latham & Watkins | too few | 8 |
| Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison | too few | 6 |
| Torrez Law Group | too few | 6 |
| Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton | too few | 5 |
| Fish & Richardson P.C. | too few | 5 |
| Jones Day | too few | 5 |
| White & Case | too few | 5 |
| Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner | too few | 4 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $145,000 | 78 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $225,000 | 80 |
| Senior · Level III | $235,000 | 49 |
| Expert · Level IV | $387,500 | 15 |
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 | $118,664 | $145,000 | 78 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $171,038 | $225,000 | 80 |
| Senior · Level III | $218,920 | $235,000 | 49 |
| Expert · Level IV | $266,802 | $387,500 | 15 |
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.