Lawyers pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $93,980 a year or less, while the top 10% make $375,440 or more. The middle half of lawyers in Los Angeles earn between $128,630 and $271,790.
- $94K10th
- $129K25th
- $194KMedian
- $272K75th
- $375K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $241,500 | $20,125 | $116.11 |
| Median | $194,410 | $16,201 | $93.47 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $128,630 | $10,719 | $61.84 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $271,790 | $22,649 | $130.67 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Lawyers pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Lawyers in Los Angeles earn 5% more than the California average ($230,040) and 30% more than the U.S. average ($185,840). At the median the gap is +22% against the U.S. median of $159,670.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $241,500 | $194,410 | $93,980 | $375,440 | 41,580 |
| California | $230,040 | $195,080 | $97,950 | $369,180 | 95,770 |
| United States | $185,840 | $159,670 | $78,360 | $351,600 | 754,500 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Lawyers salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $241,500, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $159,234 a year, or $13,270 a month and $6,124 every two weeks. Taxes take 34% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for lawyers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $241,500 buys what about $212,652 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 4.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Lawyers salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 3rd of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($288,980).
- San Jose$288,980
- Santa Rosa$248,950
- Los Angeles$241,500
- San Francisco$237,060
- San Diego$203,680
- Modesto$195,450
- San Luis Obispo$193,770
- Hanford$193,170
- Oxnard$191,100
- Sacramento$187,020
Highest-paying cities for lawyers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($288,980).
- San Jose, CA$288,980
- Santa Rosa, CA$248,950
- Los Angeles, CA$241,500
- San Francisco, CA$237,060
- Bridgeport, CT$231,710
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Lawyers salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do lawyers make an hour in Los Angeles?
$116.10 an hour on average, and $93.47 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level lawyers salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $93,980 a year and the 25th percentile is $128,630, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the lawyers take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $159,234 a year ($13,270 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $241,500. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do lawyers earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 30% more than the U.S. average for this job ($185,840).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 23-1011; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 12.7%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.37, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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