How much do u.s. attorneys make
The median salary for U.S. lawyers is $159,670 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' latest available data for May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $78,360, while the highest-paid 10% earned more than $351,600.
| Lawyer salary measure | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Median salary for U.S. lawyers | $159,670 |
| Lowest 10% | Less than $78,360 |
| Highest 10% | More than $351,600 |
| Federal government median | $178,380 |
| Legal services median | $157,870 |
| Local government median | $131,390 |
| State government median | $115,330 |
These figures are gross wages before taxes. They cover lawyers across private firms, government, corporations and other legal settings, not only newly licensed attorneys.
How Much Do Attorneys Make When They Start?
New attorney pay depends heavily on the employer. NALP reported a median first-year associate salary of $200,000 as of January 1, 2025, but large law firms made up most of the survey responses.
Median first-year salaries by firm size were:
- Firms with 250 or fewer lawyers: $150,000
- Firms with 251 to 700 lawyers: $190,000
- Firms with more than 700 lawyers: $215,000
About 87% of NALP's survey responses came from offices in firms with more than 250 lawyers. As a result, the $200,000 median does not represent the typical starting salary for every new attorney.
How Much Do Attorneys Make by Employer?
Federal lawyers had the highest median salary among the BLS employer categories listed above. Private legal services followed, with local and state government positions reporting lower medians.
Government attorneys generally earn less than lawyers at the largest private firms, although government roles may include structured pay increases and federal benefits. Private-firm pay varies widely. Large firms can pay above the national median, while smaller firms, public-interest organizations and some government agencies often pay less than major corporate law firms.
How Much Do Assistant U.S. Attorneys Make?
Assistant U.S. Attorneys, commonly called AUSAs, can earn from approximately $79,667 to $197,100, including locality pay. The exact salary depends on professional attorney experience, the district and the position's pay grade.
An AUSA is a federal prosecutor or civil litigator who works in a U.S. Attorney's Office. A United States Attorney holds a different role. That person leads a federal district office and serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the district.
What Determines an Attorney's Salary?
An attorney's salary depends mostly on the employer, practice area, location, experience, work setting and partnership status.
- Employer size. Large law firms typically pay more than small practices.
- Practice area. Corporate law, securities law, intellectual property and complex litigation can pay more than some other areas.
- Location. Salaries are often higher in New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and other major legal markets.
- Experience. Pay generally rises as attorneys build specialized knowledge, clients and courtroom experience.
- Work setting. Private practice, government, nonprofit and in-house legal roles use different compensation structures.
- Partnership status. Equity partners may earn substantially more than salaried associates, but partner income can vary from year to year.
Bottom Line
The best salary benchmark depends on the job being compared. Use the BLS median for the legal profession as a whole, NALP's figures when reviewing first-year associate offers, and the DOJ announcement for a specific Assistant U.S. Attorney position. Firm size, location, practice area and experience can move actual pay well above or below any national median.