Lawyers Pay Range in Illinois
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$82,160
- 25th Percentile — Junior$103,020
- 50th Percentile — Median$160,800
- 75th Percentile — Senior$224,450
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$330,200
Half of Lawyers in Illinois earn more than $160,800. The top 10% make $330,200 or more, while entry-level workers start around $82,160.
Lawyers in Illinois: Key Facts
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025
- Illinois ranks 11th of 51 states for Lawyers pay, at $181,240 per year (2.5% below the U.S. average of $185,840).
- 33,590 people work as Lawyers in Illinois — 4.5% of all U.S. Lawyers jobs.
- Location quotient 1.14: Lawyers jobs are more concentrated in Illinois than in the U.S. overall.
- Pay range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $82,160; the top 10% earn over $330,200.
- Hourly equivalent: $87.13 per hour (2,080 hours/year).
- The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $242,800.
- Among legal jobs in Illinois, Administrative Law Judges pays the most ($110,300).
Lawyers Job Market in Illinois
Key factors affecting compensation
Illinois's key industries are Finance, Manufacturing, Agriculture, and its job market is rated strong. Lawyers here earn $181,240 on average, placing the state 11th nationally.
With a cost-of-living index of 1.05 (U.S. = 1.00), a Illinois salary of $181,240 is roughly equivalent to $172,610 at the national average cost of living.
Compared with nearby states in the pay ranking, Delaware ($199,970), Georgia ($191,190), Connecticut ($186,170) are the closest alternatives for Lawyers weighing a move.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Other Legal Jobs in Illinois
Related career salary benchmarks
- Administrative Law Judges $110,300/yr Illinois 39.1% vs this role
- Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners $73,260/yr Illinois 59.6% vs this role
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants $72,310/yr Illinois 60.1% vs this role
- Title Examiners Abstractors and Searchers $55,480/yr Illinois 69.4% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average Lawyers salary in Illinois?
The average Lawyers salary in Illinois is $181,240 per year (median $160,800), which is 2.5% below the national average of $185,840.
How does Illinois rank for Lawyers pay?
Illinois ranks 11th out of 51 states. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia ($242,800/yr).
How much do entry-level Lawyers make in Illinois?
The lowest-paid 10% of Lawyers in Illinois earn about $82,160 per year and the 25th percentile is $103,020.
How much do Lawyers make per hour in Illinois?
About $87.13 per hour, based on the $181,240 annual average and 2,080 working hours per year.
How many Lawyers work in Illinois?
BLS counts 33,590 Lawyers jobs in Illinois (OEWS May 2025).
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