Salary distribution
Where California lawyers fall on the wage curve.
Distribution not available
The Bureau of Labor Statistics suppresses wage percentiles for this occupation and state when the surveyed cell has too few employers to publish without revealing individual firm pay. National figures and adjacent states below remain a useful reference.
Lawyers in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 480 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $224,353. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 170 | $124,800 |
| Level II — qualified | 143 | $225,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 68 | $305,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 33 | $365,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Lawyers in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP | Associate Attorney | 16 | $285,000 |
| Latham & Watkins LLP | Attorney | 12 | $320,750 |
| Goodwin Procter LLP | Associate | 10 | $260,000 |
| Kirkland & Ellis LLP | Associate | 10 | $310,000 |
| Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, PC | Associate | 9 | $260,000 |
| Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP | Associate | 8 | $230,000 |
| Cooley LLP | Associate | 7 | $260,000 |
| Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP | Associate | 7 | $225,000 |
| INNOVATIVE LEGAL SERVICE, P.C. | SENIOR COUNSEL | 6 | $210,000 |
| Fenwick & West, LLP | Associate | 6 | $267,500 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Legal Counsel at Genedata (USA) Inc$120,000San FranciscoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25357-504319
- Legal Counsel at Salma Health, Inc.$180,000San MateoDecided Dec 29, 2025I-203-25353-499205
- Junior Associate (Lawyer), Strategic Transactions Group at Ropes & Gray LLP$225,000Palo AltoDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-497674
- Legal Consultant at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP$260,000Redwood CityDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-492071
- Associate at CLEARY GOTTLIEB STEEN & HAMILTON LLP$310,000San FranciscoDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25350-487235
- ASSOCIATE at STUBBS ALDERTON & MARKILES, LLP$116,000SHERMAN OAKSDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25350-487241
- Junior Associate Attorney at Cummings & Franck, P.C.$120,000GardenaDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-483295
- Associate at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP$260,000Palo AltoDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-481848
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Lawyers pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Lawyers specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 291 certified offers. The most common variant is Associate Attorney at a median of $150,883.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate Attorney | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP | 166 | $150,883 |
| Law Clerk | Baker & McKenzie LLP | 23 | $225,000 |
| Lawyer | Veatch Carlson, LLP | 20 | $120,840 |
| Legal Counsel | Apple Inc. | 17 | $180,000 |
| SENIOR COUNSEL | INNOVATIVE LEGAL SERVICE, P.C. | 17 | $203,500 |
| Corporate Counsel | Alo LLC | 11 | $200,000 |
| Partner | Kirkland & Ellis LLP | 8 | $405,000 |
| Associate General Counsel | Luxshare Technologies International, Inc. | 7 | $240,000 |
| Senior Director, Compliance | EVgo Services, LLC | 7 | $252,729 |
| Immigration Attorney | Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project | 6 | $118,560 |
| Managing Associate Attorney | Sidley Austin (US) LLP | 5 | $310,000 |
| Corporate Associate | Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin and Hachigian, LLP | 4 | $329,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Lawyers in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 479 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $225,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP | 388 | $225,000 |
| Technology and software | Universal City Studios Productions LLLP | 43 | $228,758 |
| Manufacturing | AESC US LLC | 14 | $226,200 |
| Finance and insurance | Airwallex US, LLC | 10 | $203,700 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 8 | $168,018 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Dream Machine Innovation Lab | 6 | $165,630 |
| Healthcare | Salma Health, Inc. | 2 | $223,973 |
| Government and public sector | County of Monterey | 2 | $146,692 |
| Energy and utilities | EVgo Services, LLC | 2 | $250,000 |
| Real estate | MBS Asset Management LLC | 2 | $138,560 |
| Media and entertainment | The Wende Museum of the Cold War Inc. | 2 | $133,840 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.9 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 4.7 / 5
Law and Government
Knowledge
- 4.6 / 5
Speaking
Basic skill
- 4.6 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 4.5 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 4.5 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.5 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 4.4 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
- 02
Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
- 03
Select jurors, argue motions, meet with judges, and question witnesses during the course of a trial.
- 04
Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
- 05
Present evidence to defend clients or prosecute defendants in criminal or civil litigation.
- 06
Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
- 07
Work in environmental law, representing public interest groups, waste disposal companies, or construction firms in their dealings with state and federal agencies.
- 08
Present and summarize cases to judges and juries.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+4.2%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for lawyers in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Francisco$215,090
- Los Angeles$205,900
- Sacramento$171,120
- San Diego$165,000
- Riverside—
- San Jose—
Compare Lawyers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Lawyers in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Lawyers in California is $197,790.
- How does California compare to the national median for Lawyers?
- The California median is +32.3% versus the BLS national figure of $149,496.
- Is Lawyers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 4.2% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Lawyers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Doctoral or professional degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.