No matter how much you love the practice of law, the fact remains that money also matters—especially if you’re new to the profession and thinking about your first year lawyer salary.
Whether you’re a law student or a recent graduate just starting out (perhaps also handling the costs of your legal education), understanding the scope of potential first year lawyer salaries can give you realistic expectations for how much you can earn.
But what is the average salary for a first year lawyer in the US right now? How much money can you reasonably strive to bring home as a new attorney? In the following guide, we’ll discuss how much first year lawyers typically make in the US—and the key elements that play into salary for recent graduates.
So, taking both the average base salary and average additional pay into account, the estimated total pay for a first year attorney in the US is approximately $89,644 per year.
Keep in mind that the average salary for a first year lawyer depends on multiple factors, such as your geographical location, firm size, and the type of legal work you do (more on this later),
First year lawyer salaries and job prospects
Even before landing your first legal job, you want to consider the bigger picture for current and future salaries and job prospects. Fortunately for lawyers in the US, the legal field is expected to grow.
Specifically, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook projects growth and good prospects for lawyers now and in the years to come, driven by continued demand for legal services paired with a need to replace lawyers who are leaving their roles (for different occupations) or leaving the labor force (for retirement).
According to the BLS, employment of lawyers will grow 10% from 2021 to 2031—which is faster than the average for all occupations. When it comes to employment prospects, the BLS projects that there will be an average of 48,700 job openings for lawyers each year over the 10-year period.
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Starting salaries level off
LawCrossing Salary Survey of Lawyer Salaries in Best Law Firms
Factors impacting first year lawyer salaries
While it’s useful to know the general job prospects and average salary for a first year lawyer in the US, every firm, location, and role is different—and the specific salary for first year lawyers varies depending on your situation.
Here are some of the key factors that impact salary for recent graduates.
Salaries and location
Location is a major driver when it comes to income potential for lawyers. The state (and sometimes even the city) influences average lawyer salaries for attorneys at all stages of their careers. Knowing the typical rates for your geographical location can help you better understand your potential first year lawyer salary.
Salaries and law school
For many students, factors like tuition cost, location, and law school rankings are top of mind when assessing potential law schools, but your school of choice may also be a factor in the equation when considering your first year earning potential.
As this OnlineU analysis of alumni salaries one year after graduation shows, graduating from certain law schools may open up higher-paying positions when you become a lawyer.
For example, while the analysis suggests that attending Ivy League schools like Columbia University (which ranked highest in median salary at $193,362) may offer new law grads higher earning potential, it also shows that certain public universities like UVA Law also show high alumni salaries (the median salary for UVA law grads after one year was $185,710).
No matter where you go to law school, you can always look for ways to help yourself stand out from your classmates when it comes time to get your first lawyer job. When looking for ways to set yourself apart, don’t underestimate the power of skills that go beyond the scope of traditional legal knowledge.
Learning useful “soft skills” and having tech proficiency goes a long way with some firms, and you can work on these skills even prior to graduation.
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If you’re a law student, you can sign up for CAAP here.
Salaries and practice area
Another factor that often impacts earning potential is your chosen practice area. As the 2022 Legal Trends Report outlines, the average hourly rates for lawyers varies by practice area, with more specialized roles typically drawing in higher rates—which likely means higher salaries.
Salaries and law firm
Lastly, the law firm that you join is a key factor when it comes to your first year lawyer salary. Typically, larger law firms offer higher salaries than smaller law firms. However, working for a larger law firm does not always guarantee higher pay, and other factors can influence overall compensation over the longer term.
While it’s true that the biggest entry-level salaries tend to come from “Big Law” firms, new lawyers at small law firms may start with lower pay, but their salary can then scale rapidly as their career advances over time. We cover this in more detail in our piece on what it’s like to work at a law firm.
Final thoughts on first year lawyer salaries
As the above sections demonstrate, factors like geographical location, the law school you graduated from, your chosen practice area, and the law firm your work for all have important roles in determining how much you will make in your first year as a lawyer.
By considering all the variables, you can be prepared to make informed choices when it comes to the direction you take when you start your legal career—ideally finding a position that fits your informed expectations and budget.
And, even if you start out making less than you wanted to from the get-go, you can always look for opportunities to scale your salary as you advance in your career—especially as the job prospects in the legal industry continue to grow.
