Lawyers pay range in Modesto
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $93,120 a year or less, while the top 10% make $300,040 or more. The middle half of lawyers in Modesto earn between $129,370 and $200,990.
- $93K10th
- $129K25th
- $164KMedian
- $201K75th
- $300K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $195,450 | $16,288 | $93.97 |
| Median | $164,010 | $13,668 | $78.85 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $129,370 | $10,781 | $62.20 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $200,990 | $16,749 | $96.63 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Lawyers salary after taxes in Modesto
On the average salary of $195,450, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $131,450 a year, or $10,954 a month and $5,056 every two weeks. Taxes take 33% 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 Modesto a good place for lawyers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $195,450 buys what about $187,738 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 2.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Lawyers salary in other California cities
Modesto ranks 6th 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 Modesto: questions
How much do lawyers make an hour in Modesto?
$93.97 an hour on average, and $78.85 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level lawyers salary in Modesto?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $93,120 a year and the 25th percentile is $129,370, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the lawyers take-home pay in Modesto?
About $131,450 a year ($10,954 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $195,450. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do lawyers earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($188,323).
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 Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 9.6%.
- 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 0.39, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.39).
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