What Is the Salary Range of a Lawyer?
As with most professions, the salary range of a lawyer depends upon experience, geographic location and place of employment. From 1996 to 2007, the average starting salary for a new lawyer rose by 33 percent to 86 percent, with entry-level lawyers employed at large law firms ranking at the highest end of the salary range.
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Entry Level
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According to National Association for Legal Career Professionals (NALP), the salary range for entry level lawyers in public or civil jobs in 2008 was $40,000 to $47,435. Private sector attorney wages were substantially higher with 2007 averages in the $68,000 to $130,000 range.
Private Practice
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In 2007, the median salary for private practice or firm lawyers was $135,000 by the fifth year of employment. Statistically, lawyers working at bigger law firms with a large number of employees have substantially higher salaries than their small-firm counterparts.
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Public Practice
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2008 NALP studies show that lawyers practicing in the public sector, including civil attorneys, state prosecutors and public defenders make between $48,000 to just over $62,000 at the five-year employment mark. State prosecutors are at the higher end of this pay scale with public defenders coming in at a close second.
Geography
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Metropolitan areas usually have a higher salary range than smaller communities. Larger law firms that rank at the high end of the pay scale are commonly located in larger cities. The northeastern U.S. and West Coast lead the nation in median salary and wage increases for lawyers.
Employment Growth
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for lawyers are expected to increase 11 percent by the year 2016 for both public and firm attorneys. Established law firms and government agencies have the most projected job growth.
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