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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

23-0000 Legal Occupations (Major Group)

Legal Occupations comprises the following occupations: Lawyers; Judicial Law Clerks; Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers; Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators; Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates; Paralegals and Legal Assistants; Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers; Legal Support Workers, All Other


National estimates for Legal Occupations
Industry profile for Legal Occupations
Geographic profile for Legal Occupations

National estimates for Legal Occupations:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Legal Occupations:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
1,154,740 0.5 % $ 54.00 $ 112,320 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Legal Occupations:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 18.78 $ 26.39 $ 40.82 $ 71.32 (5)
Annual Wage (2) $ 39,070 $ 54,880 $ 84,910 $ 148,340 (5)


Industry profile for Legal Occupations:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Legal Occupations are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Legal Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Legal Occupations:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Legal Services 696,200 61.20 $ 53.61 $ 111,510
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 100,950 1.87 $ 45.11 $ 93,820
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 92,330 4.20 $ 46.65 $ 97,030
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 73,630 3.54 $ 58.61 $ 121,900
Insurance Carriers 31,090 2.58 $ 45.15 $ 93,920

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Legal Occupations:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Legal Services 696,200 61.20 $ 53.61 $ 111,510
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 92,330 4.20 $ 46.65 $ 97,030
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 73,630 3.54 $ 58.61 $ 121,900
Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) 710 3.35 $ 62.31 $ 129,610
Insurance Carriers 31,090 2.58 $ 45.15 $ 93,920

Top paying industries for Legal Occupations:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Specialized Design Services 90 0.06 $ 108.28 $ 225,210
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 530 0.33 $ 96.42 $ 200,550
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 90 0.08 $ 92.59 $ 192,590
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank 170 0.85 $ 88.98 $ 185,080
Cable and Other Subscription Programming 370 0.73 $ 86.34 $ 179,600


Geographic profile for Legal Occupations:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Legal Occupations are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Legal Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in Legal Occupations:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 137,150 8.35 1.01 $ 66.23 $ 137,770
New York 113,570 13.07 1.57 $ 68.37 $ 142,200
Florida 92,020 10.90 1.31 $ 47.68 $ 99,170
Texas 88,420 7.31 0.88 $ 50.08 $ 104,160
Illinois 49,240 8.75 1.05 $ 58.05 $ 120,740




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Legal Occupations:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 39,700 57.77 6.96 $ 83.03 $ 172,690
New York 113,570 13.07 1.57 $ 68.37 $ 142,200
Delaware 5,030 11.79 1.42 $ 56.08 $ 116,640
Florida 92,020 10.90 1.31 $ 47.68 $ 99,170
Virginia 36,600 9.89 1.19 $ 53.35 $ 110,960




Top paying states for Legal Occupations:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 39,700 57.77 6.96 $ 83.03 $ 172,690
New York 113,570 13.07 1.57 $ 68.37 $ 142,200
California 137,150 8.35 1.01 $ 66.23 $ 137,770
Massachusetts 29,960 8.95 1.08 $ 64.76 $ 134,710
New Jersey 32,920 8.70 1.05 $ 58.74 $ 122,170





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Legal Occupations:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 116,430 13.18 1.59 $ 71.02 $ 147,730
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 68,430 22.64 2.73 $ 72.48 $ 150,760
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 61,240 10.52 1.27 $ 66.29 $ 137,890
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 43,070 9.87 1.19 $ 60.20 $ 125,220
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 36,450 14.53 1.75 $ 55.77 $ 116,000
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 30,560 11.33 1.37 $ 56.73 $ 118,000
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 27,860 10.58 1.27 $ 52.75 $ 109,720
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 27,050 7.54 0.91 $ 55.35 $ 115,140
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 26,320 8.87 1.07 $ 49.69 $ 103,360
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 26,120 10.04 1.21 $ 67.72 $ 140,850




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Legal Occupations:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 68,430 22.64 2.73 $ 72.48 $ 150,760
Tallahassee, FL 3,530 20.80 2.51 $ 40.98 $ 85,250
Charleston, WV 1,800 17.50 2.11 $ 43.07 $ 89,580
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 36,450 14.53 1.75 $ 55.77 $ 116,000
Santa Fe, NM 820 14.23 1.71 $ 40.62 $ 84,500
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 7,210 13.99 1.69 $ 45.38 $ 94,390
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 116,430 13.18 1.59 $ 71.02 $ 147,730
Trenton, NJ 2,900 12.56 1.51 $ 54.16 $ 112,650
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 5,260 12.51 1.51 $ 46.97 $ 97,690
Montgomery, AL 1,910 12.33 1.49 $ 42.43 $ 88,250




Top paying metropolitan areas for Legal Occupations:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 8,370 7.59 0.91 $ 87.13 $ 181,240
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 26,020 11.16 1.34 $ 76.39 $ 158,890
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 68,430 22.64 2.73 $ 72.48 $ 150,760
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 116,430 13.18 1.59 $ 71.02 $ 147,730
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 26,120 10.04 1.21 $ 67.72 $ 140,850
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 61,240 10.52 1.27 $ 66.29 $ 137,890
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 3,820 10.13 1.22 $ 64.77 $ 134,720
Napa, CA 230 3.30 0.40 $ 63.70 $ 132,500
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 9,090 9.39 1.13 $ 61.31 $ 127,520
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 43,070 9.87 1.19 $ 60.20 $ 125,220

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Legal Occupations:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 1,370 3.62 0.44 $ 29.55 $ 61,460
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 1,160 6.87 0.83 $ 26.11 $ 54,300
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 1,150 6.31 0.76 $ 37.03 $ 77,020
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 1,140 8.40 1.01 $ 33.13 $ 68,920
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 910 10.03 1.21 $ 45.86 $ 95,390

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Legal Occupations:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 910 10.03 1.21 $ 45.86 $ 95,390
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 1,140 8.40 1.01 $ 33.13 $ 68,920
West Montana nonmetropolitan area 550 7.37 0.89 $ 30.11 $ 62,620
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 470 7.25 0.87 $ 40.33 $ 83,880
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 1,160 6.87 0.83 $ 26.11 $ 54,300

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Legal Occupations:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 700 5.26 0.63 $ 54.37 $ 113,090
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 740 4.88 0.59 $ 51.49 $ 107,090
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area 880 5.31 0.64 $ 48.19 $ 100,240
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 350 3.52 0.42 $ 47.18 $ 98,120
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 480 4.83 0.58 $ 46.95 $ 97,660


About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(5) This wage is equal to or greater than $100.00 per hour or $208,000 per year.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021