Money · 1 of 5
What lawyers make
Typical
$159,670
Starting out
$78,360
Top tenth
$351,600
The national median is $159,670 a year, and the bottom tenth start near $78,360. These are the published figures for Lawyers as a whole, because tax lawyers are not counted separately. Tax is one of the better paid specialties inside that number, and partners at firms sit above the top of this range, since equity partners are owners rather than employees.