23
Lawyers is a notable career in the 23 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Lawyers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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13
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13
| soc | 23-1011 |
| title | Lawyers |
| onet code | 23-1011.00 |
| description | Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law. |
| job zone | 5 |
| major group | 23 |
| tot emp | 747,750 |
| a mean | 182,760 |
| a median | 151,160 |
| a pct10 | 72,780 |
| a pct25 | 99,760 |
| a pct75 | 215,420 |
| a pct90 | N/A |
| h mean | 87 |
| h median | 72 |
The day-to-day work of a lawyers typically centers on interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Speaking, Active Listening, and Critical Thinking. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 4.24 out of 5 — critical for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working lawyers, the most common entry qualification is a Doctoral Degree (77.2%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 100% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in California at $197,790 and lowest in Arkansas at $86,970 — a 2.3× spread. The top five states (California, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New York, Delaware) average $183,728. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $197,790 | $254,170 | $101,070 | — | 92,580 |
| District of Columbia | $191,880 | $236,700 | $128,940 | — | 33,430 |
| Massachusetts | $179,050 | $218,340 | $80,660 | — | 22,020 |
| New York | $177,210 | $208,080 | $82,420 | — | 91,440 |
| Delaware | $172,710 | $196,880 | $94,080 | — | 2,970 |
| Colorado | $167,970 | $208,710 | $81,940 | — | 17,160 |
| Connecticut | $159,240 | $188,990 | $87,420 | — | 7,500 |
| New Jersey | $158,470 | $186,430 | $78,850 | — | 23,360 |
| Virginia | $157,980 | $173,200 | $77,670 | — | 18,420 |
| Illinois | $157,320 | $177,740 | $73,500 | — | 33,430 |
| Washington | $151,950 | $170,650 | $86,840 | — | 13,140 |
| Maryland | $143,490 | $155,930 | $66,430 | — | 16,420 |
| Oregon | $141,520 | $152,580 | $55,350 | — | 7,690 |
| Minnesota | $137,720 | $157,360 | $69,910 | — | 12,880 |
| Texas | $133,570 | $162,840 | $61,930 | — | 54,680 |
| Arizona | $133,360 | $161,480 | $82,880 | — | 12,130 |
| Alaska | $132,710 | $140,520 | $83,570 | $195,830 | 1,040 |
| Tennessee | $130,570 | $155,290 | $66,060 | — | 8,830 |
| Indiana | $130,120 | $158,270 | $69,240 | — | 8,510 |
| Rhode Island | $128,920 | $146,240 | $76,850 | $216,680 | 1,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $127,940 | $155,050 | $62,520 | — | 26,340 |
| Florida | $127,810 | $152,360 | $74,110 | — | 59,010 |
| Alabama | $127,660 | $139,470 | $61,190 | $217,010 | 5,810 |
| Michigan | $126,600 | $148,340 | $64,420 | — | 16,060 |
| Georgia | $126,240 | $185,830 | $52,360 | — | 23,010 |
| Utah | $125,710 | $151,220 | $62,430 | — | 5,850 |
| Ohio | $125,450 | $142,860 | $63,190 | $228,400 | 19,690 |
| North Carolina | $124,880 | $159,830 | $58,820 | — | 17,380 |
| Missouri | $124,210 | $158,200 | $57,560 | — | 11,950 |
| New Hampshire | $122,640 | $170,110 | $76,000 | — | — |
| Wisconsin | $119,970 | $155,270 | $63,300 | — | 8,820 |
| Hawaii | $116,010 | $121,900 | $76,180 | $173,040 | 2,430 |
| Louisiana | $112,600 | $128,020 | $61,000 | $215,990 | 8,610 |
| New Mexico | $112,500 | $135,860 | $71,390 | $219,410 | 3,130 |
| Kansas | $112,000 | $129,530 | $64,980 | $224,240 | 4,270 |
| Iowa | $107,870 | $124,130 | $49,530 | $216,600 | 3,550 |
| Nebraska | $104,970 | $127,010 | $60,580 | $208,100 | 3,470 |
| North Dakota | $104,940 | $122,430 | $75,000 | $189,260 | 1,070 |
| South Carolina | $104,160 | $132,500 | $56,230 | — | 7,270 |
| Kentucky | $102,670 | $116,020 | $53,860 | $193,980 | 6,380 |
| Idaho | $102,280 | $127,340 | $62,400 | $229,800 | 2,070 |
| West Virginia | $102,240 | $117,770 | $60,860 | $197,630 | 2,460 |
| Vermont | $101,090 | $161,990 | $76,250 | — | 1,150 |
| Montana | $100,750 | $109,190 | $56,180 | $192,280 | 2,460 |
| Maine | $100,340 | $122,810 | $59,370 | $209,920 | 2,080 |
| Wyoming | $100,170 | $133,570 | $54,930 | — | 940 |
| Oklahoma | $98,870 | $120,220 | $39,440 | $212,870 | 7,430 |
| South Dakota | $96,550 | $129,500 | $67,580 | $226,520 | 1,130 |
| Mississippi | $92,610 | $112,690 | $44,540 | $199,760 | 3,200 |
| Arkansas | $86,970 | $134,860 | $38,650 | $209,390 | 3,500 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for lawyers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Admiralty Lawyer or Agency Legal Counsel frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Lawyers compares to others in the 23 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Lawyers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.