Lawyers Pay Range in New York
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$85,200
- 25th Percentile — Junior$127,580
- 50th Percentile — Median$207,860
- 75th Percentile — Senior$322,120
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$391,420
Half of Lawyers in New York earn more than $207,860. The top 10% make $391,420 or more, while entry-level workers start around $85,200.
Lawyers in New York: Key Facts
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025
- New York ranks 3rd of 51 states for Lawyers pay, at $220,180 per year (18.5% above the U.S. average of $185,840).
- 91,870 people work as Lawyers in New York — 12.2% of all U.S. Lawyers jobs.
- Location quotient 1.95: Lawyers jobs are more concentrated in New York than in the U.S. overall.
- Pay range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $85,200; the top 10% earn over $391,420.
- Hourly equivalent: $105.86 per hour (2,080 hours/year).
- The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $242,800.
- Among legal jobs in New York, Judicial Law Clerks pays the most ($126,340).
Lawyers Job Market in New York
Key factors affecting compensation
New York's key industries are Finance, Technology, Media, and its job market is rated very strong. Lawyers here earn $220,180 on average, placing the state 3rd nationally.
With a cost-of-living index of 1.38 (U.S. = 1.00), a New York salary of $220,180 is roughly equivalent to $159,551 at the national average cost of living.
Compared with nearby states in the pay ranking, District of Columbia ($242,800), California ($230,040), Colorado ($206,440) 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 New York
Related career salary benchmarks
- Judicial Law Clerks $126,340/yr New York 42.6% vs this role
- Administrative Law Judges $123,150/yr New York 44.1% vs this role
- Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners $101,280/yr New York 54.0% vs this role
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants $76,890/yr New York 65.1% vs this role
- Title Examiners Abstractors and Searchers $70,040/yr New York 68.2% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average Lawyers salary in New York?
The average Lawyers salary in New York is $220,180 per year (median $207,860), which is 18.5% above the national average of $185,840.
How does New York rank for Lawyers pay?
New York ranks 3rd out of 51 states. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia ($242,800/yr).
How much do entry-level Lawyers make in New York?
The lowest-paid 10% of Lawyers in New York earn about $85,200 per year and the 25th percentile is $127,580.
How much do Lawyers make per hour in New York?
About $105.86 per hour, based on the $220,180 annual average and 2,080 working hours per year.
How many Lawyers work in New York?
BLS counts 91,870 Lawyers jobs in New York (OEWS May 2025).
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