Median annual wage
$207,860
Official BLS data · Salary Explorer
Lawyer Salary in New York
See the latest Lawyer salary data for New York from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, including median and mean pay, wage percentiles, employment, U.S. comparison, and local-area estimates.
Mean annual wage
$220,180
Median hourly wage
$99.93
Employment
91,870
State vs. U.S.
New York Salary Compared With the U.S.
The median annual wage for Lawyers in New York is 30.2% higher than the national median in the same OEWS release.
New York median$207,860
U.S. median$159,670
This comparison describes the reported wage difference. It does not by itself establish why the difference exists.
Wage distribution
Lawyers Salary Range in New York
Percentiles show positions in the reported wage distribution. They are not direct measures of years of experience.
10th$85,200
25th$127,580
Median$207,860
75th$322,120
90th$391,420
Visual comparison
Wage Distribution at a Glance
This chart uses the same BLS annual wage percentiles shown above. Longer bars represent higher annual wage estimates.
Local comparison
Highest-Paying Areas for Lawyers in New York
These are the highest median annual wages among the 16 matching metropolitan or nonmetropolitan areas available to this page from the same BLS release.
| Area | Median annual | Mean annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $208,880 | $224,840 | 94,610 |
| Rochester, NY | $148,150 | $180,460 | 1,710 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $138,630 | $164,780 | 910 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $136,970 | $149,190 | 70 |
| Ithaca, NY | $135,610 | $160,930 | 130 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $131,310 | $150,520 | 3,180 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $130,800 | $143,440 | 2,930 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $130,100 | $157,560 | 250 |
| Binghamton, NY | $129,480 | $147,600 | 300 |
| Syracuse, NY | $128,910 | $156,340 | 1,190 |
| Elmira, NY | $126,900 | $148,210 | 80 |
| Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $123,550 | $143,170 | 270 |
| Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $119,110 | $131,770 | 340 |
| Kingston, NY | $115,280 | $143,660 | 220 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $109,240 | $148,600 | 160 |
| Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $109,020 | $140,410 | 430 |
#1
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
Median annual$208,880
Mean annual$224,840
Employment94,610
#2
Rochester, NY
Median annual$148,150
Mean annual$180,460
Employment1,710
#3
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY
Median annual$138,630
Mean annual$164,780
Employment910
#4
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
Median annual$136,970
Mean annual$149,190
Employment70
#5
Ithaca, NY
Median annual$135,610
Mean annual$160,930
Employment130
#6
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
Median annual$131,310
Mean annual$150,520
Employment3,180
#7
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
Median annual$130,800
Mean annual$143,440
Employment2,930
#8
Utica-Rome, NY
Median annual$130,100
Mean annual$157,560
Employment250
#9
Binghamton, NY
Median annual$129,480
Mean annual$147,600
Employment300
#10
Syracuse, NY
Median annual$128,910
Mean annual$156,340
Employment1,190
#11
Elmira, NY
Median annual$126,900
Mean annual$148,210
Employment80
#12
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area
Median annual$123,550
Mean annual$143,170
Employment270
#13
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area
Median annual$119,110
Mean annual$131,770
Employment340
#14
Kingston, NY
Median annual$115,280
Mean annual$143,660
Employment220
#15
Glens Falls, NY
Median annual$109,240
Mean annual$148,600
Employment160
#16
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area
Median annual$109,020
Mean annual$140,410
Employment430
Area estimates can include metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Cross-state metropolitan areas may span more than one state.
How Much Do Lawyers Make in New York?
According to the OEWS figures used on this page, the median annual wage for Lawyers in New York is $207,860, while the mean annual wage is $220,180. The employment estimate is 91,870. These measures describe the occupation in the BLS dataset and should not be read as a guaranteed salary for an individual worker.
How New York Compares With the U.S.
The national median in the same release is $159,670. That puts the New York median about 30.2% above the U.S. median. This is a direct comparison of reported wage estimates; the data alone do not establish the reasons for the difference.
How to Read the Wage Percentiles
The annual wage distribution runs from $85,200 at the 10th percentile to $391,420 at the 90th percentile. Percentiles describe positions in the wage distribution. They should not automatically be treated as experience levels, so the 10th percentile is not necessarily an entry-level salary.
How to Use This Data
Use the state median, national comparison, wage percentiles, and local-area estimates together when researching pay. Actual compensation can vary by employer, schedule, specialty, experience, and other factors not directly measured on this page. The calculator provides a simple gross-pay conversion and is an estimate rather than a prediction of take-home pay.
Tool
Salary Calculator
Convert hourly and annual gross pay for a simple 40-hour-week benchmark. This does not estimate taxes, overtime, bonuses, benefits, or deductions.
Calculated annual equivalents may differ slightly from published BLS annual wages because hourly figures are rounded.
Quick answers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median salary for Lawyer in New York?
The median annual wage in the May 2025 OEWS data shown on this page is $207,860.
What is the median hourly wage?
The median hourly wage shown for Lawyers in New York is $99.93.
Is the 10th percentile an entry-level salary?
No. The 10th percentile describes a point in the wage distribution; OEWS does not make it a direct measure of experience level.
How often is this page checked?
Curiworld Data checks the source on a scheduled basis and records the last successful update. New values are validated before they are approved for indexing.
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Methodology & Sources
Primary source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS).
Data period: May 2025
Last successful update: Aug 28, 2026
How it is produced: Curiworld Data retrieves official BLS datasets, validates required fields and unexpected changes, calculates comparisons, and presents the results in a readable format. Automated refreshes do not overwrite human-edited explanatory text.