Attorney Salary Information
Attorneys or lawyers guide businesses and individuals through laws that affect everything from buying houses to criminal prosecution. Many advise their clients on their legal rights and courses of action, while some argue cases in court. Most lawyers are in private practice, though some are on full-time staff of large corporations. The government employs many attorneys to investigate crimes and to ensure adherence to procedures and regulations.
Other People Are Reading
-
Basics
-
According to a report by the PayScale website, attorneys nationally earned a base salary of $57,216 to $106,449 per year, as of May 2010. Add to that bonuses of $2,042 to $12,211, profit sharing of $2,437 to $14,740 and commissions of $2,007 to $15,000 to produce an average total compensation of $59,127 to $119,861.
Experience
-
Experience plays a large part in determining compensation. Attorneys average a starting yearly salary of $46,121 to $70,088, PayScale reported in May 2010. At one to four years of experience, they receive $50,851 to $81,208 and at five to nine years, they get $68,527 to $115,237. At 10 to 19 years, they make $80,316 to $145,674 and at 20 years or more, they earn $88,434 to $155,857.
-
Employer
-
The type of employer affects pay with the self-employed showing the highest range at $57,512 to $122,200 in May 2010, according to PayScale. Those working for the federal government received $70,551 to $119,006 as of May 2010, while those in state and local jurisdictions earned $51,090 to $91,090. Private law firms averaged $56,912 to $104,688, while companies paid $60,450 to $114,565. Those working for colleges and universities received $51,205 to $98,785 while those in school districts earned $47,859 to $75,000. Finally, those working for hospitals made $59,392 to $113,641, while those in nonprofit organizations were paid $45,235 to $71,316.
Location
-
The location of the job can affect salary with Washington, D.C., leading the way at $84,309 to $160,592, followed by New York City at $69,808 to $150,900, according to PayScale's report. On the West Coast, San Francisco averaged $78,910 to $144,875, Los Angeles jobs paid $71,221 to $127,606, and San Diego compensated at $68,502 to $118,268.
Among states, California offered the top salary at $69,821 to $122,396, followed by New York at $59,950 to $119,741. Those in Texas averaged $59,944 to $116,145, while those in Florida received between $52,617 and $95,455. Finally, Ohio attorneys earned $50,607 to $100,430, while those in Illinois were paid $51,088 to $101,284.
Outlook
-
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of attorneys will grow 13 percent from 2008 2018, which is average for all occupations. Population increases will create more legal transactions and criminal cases that demand the services of lawyers. In addition, jobs will come from demand for legal services in the areas of health care, intellectual property, bankruptcy, corporate law and the environment. Competition will be strong, with those having advanced law degrees or an area of specialty, such as taxes or patents, finding the best opportunities.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit young lawyer image by Alexey Stiop from Fotolia.com
