Entry-level Lawyer salary in Washington, DC
Based on 78 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $118,899 |
| 25th | $123,157 |
| 50th (median) | $145,000 |
| 75th | $225,000 |
| 90th | $225,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $111,950 | $100,000 | $172,800 | 44 |
| FY2021 | $136,025 | $106,995 | $190,000 | 24 |
| FY2022 | $111,047 | $107,994 | $186,250 | 40 |
| FY2023 | $140,000 | $111,093 | $215,000 | 33 |
| FY2024 | $127,290 | $119,574 | $172,583 | 32 |
| FY2025 | $133,600 | $120,000 | $225,000 | 46 |
| FY2026 | $207,500 | $123,157 | $225,000 | 32 |
Cost of living
Washington's median entry-level Lawyer salary of $145,000 is worth about $133,200 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 $145,000, 26% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Torrez Law Group | too few | 6 |
| White & Case | too few | 5 |
| Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton | too few | 4 |
| Blank Rome | too few | 3 |
| ArentFox Schiff | too few | 2 |
| Baker Botts | too few | 2 |
| CommLaw Group, PLLC | too few | 2 |
| Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner | too few | 2 |
| Hauptman Ham | too few | 2 |
| Latham & Watkins | 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 | $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.