Lawyers in Ohio. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
Ohio lawyers earned a median of $125,450 in 2024, about 16% below the national median of $149,496. That gap is real, but it tells only part of the story.
The spread across the profession is wide. A lawyer near the bottom of the pay range earned around $63,190, while one near the top pulled in $228,400. Top earners made roughly 3.6 times what the lowest-paid did. That kind of range shows up when a profession mixes entry-level public defenders, mid-career corporate associates, and senior partners at large firms under one occupational label.
Cost of living shifts the picture somewhat. Ohio's price index sits at 90.6, meaning goods and services here cost about 10% less than the national baseline. After adjusting for that, the Ohio median of $125,450 translates to roughly $138,500 in national-baseline dollars. The gap with the US median narrows from 16% to around 7%. Lawyers who move to Ohio from a higher-cost state often find the effective difference smaller than the headline numbers suggest.
BLS projects average growth for this occupation between 2024 and 2034, with an estimated 4.2% increase nationally over that period. Ohio's count of about 19,690 employed lawyers already makes it one of the larger state markets by volume, driven in part by the concentration of courts, corporations, and government agencies in Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati.
Salary distribution
Where Ohio lawyers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $90,830 and $191,080, with a median of $131,020.
Lawyers in Ohio: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 11 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $120,740. 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 | 7 | $110,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 3 | $135,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 1 | $148,200 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Lawyers in Ohio. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nemecek Firm, Ltd. | Associate Attorney | 2 | $110,000 |
| Baker, Dublikar, Beck, Wiley & Matthews | Attorney | 1 | $61,485 |
| Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP | Associate Attorney, Patent – Data Science | 1 | $135,000 |
| Dickinson Wright PLLC | Associate Attorney | 1 | $225,000 |
| Dinsmore & Shohl LLP | Associate | 1 | $183,000 |
| ISMAIL LAW OFFICE LLC | ATTORNEY | 1 | $78,000 |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Vice President, Foreign Legal Consultant Offc. | 1 | $120,740 |
| Kohrman Jackson & Krantz LLP | Associate | 1 | $135,000 |
| Law Office of Nazly Mamedova LLC | Associate attorney | 1 | $76,856 |
| Thompson Hine LLP | Corporate Attorney | 1 | $148,200 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Vice President, Foreign Legal Consultant Offc. at JPMorgan Chase & Co.$120,740ColumbusWage Level IIDecided Mar 10, 2026I-200-26062-676236
- Associate Attorney at The Nemecek Firm, Ltd.$110,000ColumbusWage Level IDecided Mar 2, 2026I-200-26054-658257
- Corporate Attorney at Thompson Hine LLP$148,200ClevelandWage Level IIIDecided Dec 8, 2025I-200-25335-447497
- Associate at Kohrman Jackson & Krantz LLP$135,000ClevelandWage Level IDecided Aug 15, 2025I-200-25220-231759
- Associate at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP$183,000CincinnatiWage Level IIDecided Jul 16, 2025I-200-25190-162414
- ATTORNEY at ISMAIL LAW OFFICE LLC$78,000COLUMBUSWage Level IDecided Jun 12, 2025I-200-25156-056094
- Associate Attorney at Dickinson Wright PLLC$225,000ColumbusWage Level IDecided May 23, 2025I-200-25136-984382
- Associate Attorney, Patent – Data Science at Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP$135,000ClevelandWage Level IIDecided Nov 7, 2024I-200-24305-446270
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.
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Lawyers pay by experience level in Ohio
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.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Ohio over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 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 Ohio
Metro-level salary data for lawyers in major Ohio metropolitan areas.
- Columbus$137,810
- Cleveland$134,680
- Cincinnati$130,980
Compare Lawyers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Ohio with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Lawyers in Ohio?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Lawyers in Ohio is $131,020.
- How does Ohio compare to the national median for Lawyers?
- The Ohio median is -17.8% versus the BLS national figure of $159,328.
- What is the salary range for Lawyers in Ohio?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $69,790 and the 90th-percentile at $269,530, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- 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.