Lawyers
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Lawyers in the United States earn a median salary of $159,670 per year — about $77 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 865K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +4%.
AI & Automation Risk
Lawyers perform high-level knowledge work that is almost entirely digital, involving document drafting, legal research, and complex data analysis—all areas where LLMs excel. While courtroom advocacy and high-stakes interpersonal negotiation provide a protective barrier, the vast majority of billable hours are spent on tasks that AI can now significantly accelerate or automate, leading to major structural changes in the profession.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CABEST VALUE | $301,320 | Above avg (110.4) | $272,878 |
| Birmingham, AL | $170,230 | Below avg (91.6) | $185,751 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $208,880 | Above avg (112.6) | $185,567 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $212,500 | Above avg (115.6) | $183,803 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $195,190 | Above avg (108.9) | $179,264 |
| Peoria, IL | $161,150 | Below avg (91.2) | $176,640 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $194,410 | Above avg (113.6) | $171,187 |
| El Centro, CA | $162,580 | Below avg (95.2) | $170,824 |
| Midland, TX | $163,090 | Below avg (95.8) | $170,270 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $183,350 | Above avg (108.3) | $169,351 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area | $180,610 | Above avg (106.9) | $169,009 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $181,560 | Above avg (107.8) | $168,448 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $185,520 | Above avg (110.5) | $167,840 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $177,380 | Above avg (105.8) | $167,684 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $178,540 | Above avg (106.7) | $167,376 |