State wages ยท Cost of living
Lawyers pay by state
The highest published median is in California, at $197,790. California leads after cost of living, at $178,640. Delaware has the lowest RPP among states paying at least the national median ($151,160).
National median
$151,160
Highest state median
$197,790
California
Best adjusted pay
$178,640
California
States and territories
52
Blank wages are not estimated
Pay at national average prices
Lower: $100,040Higher: $178,640Puerto Rico: No cost of living index
All states
52 rows
| California | $197,790 | +30.8% | 110.72 | $178,640 | 1 |
| District of Columbia | $191,880 | +26.9% | 109.901 | $174,590 | 2 |
| Delaware | $172,710 | +14.3% | 99.808 | $173,040 | 3 |
| Massachusetts | $179,050 | +18.5% | 105.757 | $169,300 | 4 |
| New York | $177,210 | +17.2% | 107.921 | $164,200 | 5 |
| Colorado | $167,970 | +11.1% | 103.052 | $163,000 | 6 |
| Illinois | $157,320 | +4.1% | 99.958 | $157,390 | 7 |
| Virginia | $157,980 | +4.5% | 101.104 | $156,250 | 8 |
| Connecticut | $159,240 | +5.3% | 103.61 | $153,690 | 9 |
| New Jersey | $158,470 | +4.8% | 108.805 | $145,650 | 10 |
| Alabama | $127,660 | -15.5% | 88.823 | $143,720 | 11 |
| Tennessee | $130,570 | -13.6% | 91.87 | $142,120 | 12 |
| Washington | $151,950 | +0.5% | 107.013 | $141,990 | 13 |
| Minnesota | $137,720 | -8.9% | 98.621 | $139,650 | 14 |
| Indiana | $130,120 | -13.9% | 93.329 | $139,420 | 15 |
| Texas | $133,570 | -11.6% | 97.057 | $137,620 | 16 |
| Oregon | $141,520 | -6.4% | 103.361 | $136,920 | 17 |
| Missouri | $124,210 | -17.8% | 90.817 | $136,770 | 18 |
| Maryland | $143,490 | -5.1% | 104.959 | $136,710 | 19 |
| Ohio | $125,450 | -17.0% | 92.774 | $135,220 | 20 |
| Arizona | $133,360 | -11.8% | 100.677 | $132,460 | 21 |
| North Carolina | $124,880 | -17.4% | 94.326 | $132,390 | 22 |
| Michigan | $126,600 | -16.2% | 96.217 | $131,580 | 23 |
| Pennsylvania | $127,940 | -15.4% | 97.572 | $131,120 | 24 |
| Georgia | $126,240 | -16.5% | 96.293 | $131,100 | 25 |
| Alaska | $132,710 | -12.2% | 102.359 | $129,650 | 26 |
| Louisiana | $112,600 | -25.5% | 88.207 | $127,650 | 27 |
| Wisconsin | $119,970 | -20.6% | 94.095 | $127,500 | 28 |
| Utah | $125,710 | -16.8% | 98.864 | $127,150 | 29 |
| Rhode Island | $128,920 | -14.7% | 102.28 | $126,050 | 30 |
| Kansas | $112,000 | -25.9% | 90.068 | $124,350 | 31 |
| Florida | $127,810 | -15.4% | 103.414 | $123,590 | 32 |
| Iowa | $107,870 | -28.6% | 87.762 | $122,910 | 33 |
| New Mexico | $112,500 | -25.6% | 92.212 | $122,000 | 34 |
| North Dakota | $104,940 | -30.6% | 88.959 | $117,960 | 35 |
| New Hampshire | $122,640 | -18.9% | 104.165 | $117,740 | 36 |
| Nebraska | $104,970 | -30.6% | 90.103 | $116,500 | 37 |
| West Virginia | $102,240 | -32.4% | 89.497 | $114,240 | 38 |
| Kentucky | $102,670 | -32.1% | 90.159 | $113,880 | 39 |
| Oklahoma | $98,870 | -34.6% | 87.843 | $112,550 | 40 |
| South Carolina | $104,160 | -31.1% | 93.749 | $111,110 | 41 |
| South Dakota | $96,550 | -36.1% | 88.586 | $108,990 | 42 |
| Wyoming | $100,170 | -33.7% | 92.691 | $108,070 | 43 |
| Idaho | $102,280 | -32.3% | 95.494 | $107,110 | 44 |
| Mississippi | $92,610 | -38.7% | 86.953 | $106,510 | 45 |
| Montana | $100,750 | -33.3% | 94.645 | $106,450 | 46 |
| Hawaii | $116,010 | -23.3% | 109.951 | $105,510 | 47 |
| Maine | $100,340 | -33.6% | 97.05 | $103,390 | 48 |
| Vermont | $101,090 | -33.1% | 97.958 | $103,200 | 49 |
| Arkansas | $86,970 | -42.5% | 86.937 | $100,040 | 50 |
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Ranks are supplied source ranks for published wage observations. Cost of living comparisons exclude Puerto Rico. Some nominal source ranks exceed 52; they are retained without correction.