State comparison · 2025
Lawyers salary: California vs Wisconsin
Lawyers in California earn a median of $195,080. In Wisconsin, $126,760. After cost-of-living, the gap is 30.8% — not 53.9%.
Nominal pay gap
+53.9%
California vs Wisconsin
COL-adjusted gap
+30.8%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
California
Lawyers
- Median
- $195,080
- p25
- $131,120
- p75
- $277,140
- p10
- $97,950
- p90
- $369,180
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 110.7
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- -43%
Wisconsin
Lawyers
- Median
- $126,760
- p25
- $94,890
- p75
- $198,270
- p10
- $76,010
- p90
- $362,040
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 94.1
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.