Attorney Salary, Skills & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 17,015 US job postings by 3,664 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for attorneys: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 17,015 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for attorneys in US job postings is $175,000 a year (7,475 postings from 1,406 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $129,000 to $224,000.
- Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $132,000 a year (759 postings).
- The skills that most set attorney postings apart are legal research, drafting, writing.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 4 years of experience.
Attorney job postings in the US, October 2026
- $175,000
- Median advertised pay (7,475 postings)
- $129,000–$224,000
- Middle 50% of postings
- $132,000
- Starting pay (postings asking up to 1 year)
- 17,015
- US job postings from 3,664 employers
How much does an attorney make?
The median advertised pay is $175,000 a year, from 7,475 US job postings by 1,406 employers that state pay. One in ten postings offers $275,000 or more.
Advertised pay in 7,475 US attorney job postings: median $175,000 a year, middle half $129,000 to $224,000.
- Median: $175,000
- 25th percentile: $129,000
- 75th percentile: $224,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $20K–$30K | 0.0% |
| $30K–$40K | 0.2% |
| $40K–$50K | 0.6% |
| $50K–$60K | 0.4% |
| $60K–$70K | 0.9% |
| $70K–$80K | 1.9% |
| $80K–$90K | 3.2% |
| $90K–$100K | 4.5% |
| $100K–$110K | 4.5% |
| $110K–$120K | 4.3% |
| $120K–$130K | 4.5% |
| $130K–$140K | 5.0% |
| $140K–$150K | 5.1% |
| $150K–$160K | 6.0% |
| $160K–$170K | 6.1% |
| $170K–$180K | 5.6% |
| $180K–$190K | 5.5% |
| $190K–$200K | 4.3% |
| $200K–$210K | 5.1% |
| $210K–$220K | 5.4% |
| $220K–$230K | 4.1% |
| $230K–$240K | 3.0% |
| $240K–$250K | 2.6% |
| $250K–$260K | 3.3% |
| $260K–$270K | 2.2% |
| $270K–$280K | 2.6% |
| $280K–$290K | 0.9% |
| $290K–$300K | 1.4% |
| $300K–$310K | 1.5% |
| $310K–$320K | 1.4% |
| $320K–$330K | 0.9% |
| $330K–$340K | 0.7% |
| $340K–$350K | 0.4% |
| $350K–$360K | 0.6% |
| $360K–$370K | 0.1% |
| $370K–$380K | 0.1% |
| $380K–$390K | 0.1% |
| $390K–$400K | 0.1% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an annual salary | $175,000 | $132K–$223K | 3,443 |
| All pay postings, annualised | $175,000 | $129K–$224K | 7,475 |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Lawyers (23-1011) at $160,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for an attorney?
Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $132,000 a year (759 postings).
| Experience asked | Median advertised pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 years | $132,000 | 759 |
| 2-4 years | $166,000 | 3,606 |
| 5+ years | $208,000 | 2,062 |
Attorney levels and pay
Levels as they appear in job titles, ordered by the median experience asked. Senior attorneys have a median advertised pay of $210,000 a year.
| Level in title | Share of postings | Median experience asked | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate | 15.2% | 3 years | $158,000 |
| Staff | 2.4% | 3 years | $95,000 |
| No level in title | 72.3% | 4 years | $175,000 |
| Senior | 8.3% | 6 years | $210,000 |
Highest-paying attorney jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Counsel | $218,000 | 437 | 222 |
| Corporate Counsel | $213,000 | 785 | 166 |
| Employment Counsel | $208,000 | 397 | 86 |
| Counsel | $195,000 | 906 | 343 |
| Litigation Attorney | $165,000 | 1,456 | 217 |
| Legal Counsel | $148,000 | 2,695 | 546 |
Attorney pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $182,000 | $150,000–$230,000 | 1,917 | 23.2% |
| Washington | $182,000 | $134,000–$239,000 | 189 | 2.3% |
| New York | $180,000 | $133,000–$230,000 | 1,007 | 13.6% |
| Illinois | $175,000 | $132,000–$275,000 | 345 | 4.5% |
| Colorado | $170,000 | $141,000–$235,000 | 152 | 1.9% |
| New Jersey | $165,000 | $129,000–$218,000 | 163 | 2.4% |
| Texas | $160,000 | $124,000–$234,000 | 480 | 8.7% |
| Florida | $145,000 | $99,000–$200,000 | 279 | 7.6% |
Skills employers ask for in attorney job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Communication | 40% |
| Analytical skills | 25% |
| Organizational skills | 18% |
| Interpersonal skills | 16% |
| Attention to detail | 16% |
| Work independently | 13% |
| Writing | 12% |
| Legal research | 11% |
| Problem-solving | 10% |
| Drafting | 10% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set attorneys apart
- Legal research118.4× as often as in all postings · 11%
- Drafting87.2× as often as in all postings · 10%
- Writing17.5× as often as in all postings · 12%
- Research33.3× as often as in all postings · 9%
- Analytical skills3.4× as often as in all postings · 25%
- Negotiation8.3× as often as in all postings · 10%
- Writing skills21.2× as often as in all postings · 7%
- Sound judgment5.8× as often as in all postings · 7%
- Negotiation skills7.7× as often as in all postings · 5%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a attorney job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does an attorney do?
Employers post these jobs as Associate Attorney, Counsel, Senior Counsel, Corporate Counsel, Legal Counsel and other titles. The largest specializations are Legal Counsel (35%), Counsel (12%), General Counsel (6%), Litigation Attorney (20%), Corporate Counsel (8%), Employment Counsel (4%), Commercial Counsel (1%).
The closest official occupation is Lawyers (23-1011.00). Its most important tasks:
- Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
- Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
- Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.
- Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
- Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be an attorney?
Among 5,422 postings that state a minimum, the median is 4 years. 2% say 0 years and 10% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 5,422 US attorney job postings: median 4 years, and 10% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | 2% |
| 1 yr | 8% |
| 2 yrs | 15% |
| 3-4 yrs | 29% |
| 5-7 yrs | 31% |
| 8-9 yrs | 7% |
| 10+ yrs | 8% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 93%, Part-time 7% of the 1,344 postings that state working hours.
Other names for an attorney: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Attorney | 571 (15.6%) |
| Associate Attorney | 342 (9.3%) |
| Counsel | 338 (9.2%) |
| Senior Counsel | 227 (6.2%) |
| Corporate Counsel | 203 (5.5%) |
| Legal Counsel | 189 (5.2%) |
| Associate General Counsel | 182 (5.0%) |
| Staff Attorney | 181 (4.9%) |
| Litigation Attorney | 164 (4.5%) |
| Assistant General Counsel | 157 (4.3%) |
| General Counsel | 120 (3.3%) |
| Litigation Associate | 91 (2.5%) |
| Senior Legal Counsel | 85 (2.3%) |
| Legal Intern | 80 (2.2%) |
| Commercial Counsel | 70 (1.9%) |
| Senior Attorney | 68 (1.9%) |
| Senior Corporate Counsel | 68 (1.9%) |
| Associate Counsel | 67 (1.8%) |
| Law Clerk | 55 (1.5%) |
| Trial Attorney | 50 (1.4%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Attorney job titles compared
The titles people search for most, from the US job postings that use each exact title (October 2026).
| Job title | Open postings | Employers | Median pay | Median experience | Skills named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Counsel | 264 | 189 | – | – | communication, interpersonal skills, attention to detail |
| General Counsel | 135 | 120 | – | – | – |
| Litigation Attorney | 528 | 164 | – | – | communication, analytical skills, legal research |
| Corporate Counsel | 305 | 203 | – | – | communication, analytical skills, interpersonal skills |
Attorney compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attorney | $175K | 4 years | 17,015 | – |
| Paralegal | $78K | 3 years | 4,474 | 14 |
| Policy Analyst | – | 5 years | 402 | 15 |
| Contract Administrator | $110K | 4 years | 2,589 | 15 |
| Claims Adjuster | $78K | 3 years | 2,669 | 15 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | 14 | $78K |
| Policy Analyst | 15 | – |
| Contract Administrator | 15 | $110K |
| Claims Adjuster | 15 | $78K |
| Compliance Specialist | 15 | $113K |
| Fundraiser | 16 | $90K |
Applying for attorney jobs?
- Attorney resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find attorney jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
How much does an attorney make?
What is the starting salary for an attorney?
What are the attorney levels?
What are the highest-paying attorney jobs?
What are other names for an attorney?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 20 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 20 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.