In 2022, the median pay for U.S. lawyers was $135,740 per year. But since most of 2023 is already behind us, what field of law makes the most money this year? As of September 2023, medical law is in first place, with a median salary of $161,489. Also, the highest-paid types of lawyers include patent and corporate law, with max wages of up to $279,884.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the salary indicators and identify what lawyers make the most money. Let’s start!
In 2023, the legal field presents some compelling insights:
Looking ahead, these statistics reflect that lawyers’ earnings depend on field, location, industry, and company size. Keep reading to gain further insights into the factors shaping legal salaries and opportunities in 2023.
Medical, patent, and corporate lawyers are the highest-paying law jobs. Salaries range from $119,000 for beginners to over $275,000 for experienced professionals.
Let’s delve deeper into the types of lawyers and salaries per year.
Medical lawyer salary
$147,000
$161,489
$263,000
Patent attorney salary
$124,000
$160,287
$279,884
Corporate lawyer salary
$119,000
$158,546
$217,468
Real estate attorney salary
$103,000
$134,087
$211,388
Tax attorney salary
$115,000
$126,645
$181,000
Trial lawyer salary
$72,867
$118,903
$194,023
Civil litigation attorney salary
$101,000
$114,207
$169,000
Oil and gas attorney salary
$99,000
$111,987
$161,000
Bankruptcy attorney salary
$103,000
$111,101
$169,000
Personal injury lawyer salary
$58,254
$108,979
$203,873
Law associate salary
$58,101
$104,185
$186,822
Family lawyer salary
$59,448
$93,652
$147,535
Immigration lawyer salary
$54,810
$84,990
$131,786
Employment lawyer salary
$68,000
$72,552
$110,000
Source: Glassdoor
The analysis of the 14 highest-paying lawyer jobs shows a wide range of incomes – from $54,810 to $279,884 per year.
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Now, let’s take a closer look at the top 5 highest-paid jobs for lawyers. We will talk about the correlation between salary and experience and key tasks.
A medical lawyer specializes in healthcare law, requiring a law degree and bar exam passage. Some employers also prefer candidates with healthcare backgrounds.
Key tasks of medical lawyers:
How much do medical lawyers make depending on their experience? Beginners earn an average of $149,116 per year, according to Glassdoor, while those with 15+ years of experience earn $183,054.
0-1 years
$149,116
1-3 years
$151,028
4-6 years
$157,519
7-9 years
$163,701
10-14 years
$174,173
15+ years
$183,054
A patent attorney ensures company patents follow standards and defend against infringements.
Patent attorney tasks:
Patent law is a part of intellectual property (IP) law that specializes in protecting and managing intellectual property (IP) assets, including:
Beginners with up to 1 year of experience earn an average of $139,008 per year. In turn, professionals with 15+ years of experience can earn $193,511.
0-1 years
$139,008
1-3 years
$141,671
4-6 years
$159,052
7-9 years
$168,678
10-14 years
$180,552
15+ years
$193,511
Corporate lawyers specialize in corporate law, providing legal guidance to businesses. Becoming a corporate lawyer requires a juris doctor degree and state bar membership.
Corporate lawyers’ tasks:
For example, a corporate lawyer can protect the business rights of the property owner where a slip and fall or injury incident occurs.
Entry-level corporate lawyers (less than 1 year of experience) earn an average of $119,568. In contrast, those in their late career, with 15+ years of experience, have an average salary of $210,302.
0-1 years
$119,568
1-3 years
$133,292
4-6 years
$152,382
7-9 years
$170,630
10-14 years
$188,663
15+ years
$210,302
Real estate attorneys specialize in handling legal aspects of property transactions. They obtain a law degree, pass the state bar exam, and may specialize in real estate law through elective courses and certification.
Real estate attorneys tasks:
Salaries in real estate law for beginners start at $104,039. Seniors with 15+ years of experience can earn an average of $187,642.
0-1 years
$104,039
1-3 years
$109,176
4-6 years
$138,744
7-9 years
$149,356
10-14 years
$167,898
15+ years
$187,642
A tax attorney specializes in helping clients navigate tax laws to make sound financial and legal decisions. To work as a tax attorney, one must hold a law degree, pass the state bar exam, and get certifications if needed.
The core tasks of a tax attorney:
Tax lawyers starting their careers (0-1 year experience) earn $99,610 on average, while those with extensive experience (15+ years) have an average salary of $147,790.
0-1 years
$99,610
1-3 years
$113,086
4-6 years
$128,256
7-9 years
$134,887
10-14 years
$140,726
15+ years
$147,790
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In 2022, lawyers in the US earned the most in the District of Columbia, with an average annual wage of $226,510, while the lowest was in Wyoming at $88,570.
Here are the top 5 highest-paying states for lawyers:
District of Columbia
$108.9
$226,510
California
$96.89
$201,530
Massachusetts
$94.34
$196,230
New York
$90.82
$188,900
Connecticut
$83.91
$174,520
Based on NALP data as of January 1, 2023, here’s a snapshot of lawyer salaries by size and location.
Salary growth by firm size:
Variation by geographic market:
Please keep in mind that salary data can vary due to factors such as location, firm size, and market conditions. The highest-paying industries for lawyers have a rather low concentration of employment. For example, Nonscheduled Air Transportation, with an average salary of $310,250, has only 0.08% of lawyers.
Nonscheduled Air Transportation
0.08
$310,250
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing
0.38
$276,160
Office Administrative Services
0.37
$261,740
Spectator Sports
0.17
$251,260
Sound Recording Industries
0.36
$249,320
Still, the largest concentration of lawyers is in the Legal Services industry (36.8% of employment).
In 2023, the legal profession in the US presents a diverse landscape of earning potential for lawyers. The medical field of law makes the most money, with a median salary of $161,489 and a starting wage for beginners at $147,000. But, patent and corporate law also offer large income opportunities, with max salaries reaching up to $279,884.
Lawyers’ salaries grew by 29.2% from 2021 to 2023, and continue to show a positive trend. Thus, it reflects a profitable career path for both beginners and experienced professionals.
The fields of law most in demand in 2023 include cybersecurity, environmental, and medical law. Lawyers in these fields are likely to see increased demand for their expertise in the coming years.
The best lawyer jobs feature a max salary of $279,884 in patent law and about $263,000 in medical law.
The highest position is a law firm partner, consisting of senior lawyers or firm co-owners. Law firm partners earn an average annual salary of $197,911.
Yes, lawyers can indeed make millions. According to a survey by Ramsey Solutions, lawyer jobs are among the top 5 careers for millionaires.
