In May 2022, the median annual wage for lawyers was $135,740. The 10th percentile of top-earning lawyers makes an annual wage of $66,470, while those in the 90th percentile earn $239,200 or more per year. Average starting salaries for lawyers depend on various factors, such as city and state, industry sector, and level of experience.
The 10th and 90th percentiles are statistical measures used to understand the distribution of data in a given dataset, such as wages. The 10th percentile is the boundary between the lowest-paid 10% and the highest-paid 90% of workers in an occupation. In other words, at the 10th percentile, 10% of workers earn less than all other earners, and 90% of workers earn more. The reverse is true at the 90th percentile: 10% of workers earn more, and 90% earn less.
