Money · 1 of 5
What lawyers make
Median
$159,670
Bottom tenth
$78,360
Top tenth
$351,600
The national median is $159,670 a year, the bottom tenth earn $78,360 or less and the top tenth $351,600 or more, in the 2025 survey. Be careful with the median: it mixes very different jobs. Large-firm associates and public defenders both count as lawyers.