SOC 23-1011 · Winston-Salem, NC metro

Lawyers Salary in Winston-Salem, NC

The average salary for lawyers in Winston-Salem, North Carolina is $151,960 a year ($73.06 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $126,250: half of the 830 people in this job in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 18% less than the U.S. average for this job ($185,840).

$151,960average per year

$73.06 / hourMedian $126,250Take-home ≈ $109,576

  • $45K10th
  • $81K25th
  • $126KMedian
  • $196K75th
  • $318K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

830people in this job
-18%vs U.S. average
#4 of 15North Carolina metros
92cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Lawyers pay range in Winston-Salem

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,010 a year or less, while the top 10% make $317,580 or more. The middle half of lawyers in Winston-Salem earn between $80,570 and $196,310.

  • $45K10th
  • $81K25th
  • $126KMedian
  • $196K75th
  • $318K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$151,960$12,663$73.06
Median$126,250$10,521$60.70
Entry level (25th percentile)$80,570$6,714$38.74
Experienced (75th percentile)$196,310$16,359$94.38

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Lawyers pay in Winston-Salem vs. North Carolina and the U.S.

Lawyers in Winston-Salem earn 5% less than the North Carolina average ($160,340) and 18% less than the U.S. average ($185,840). At the median the gap is -21% against the U.S. median of $159,670.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Winston-Salem$151,960$126,250$45,010$317,580830
North Carolina$160,340$127,710$61,610$323,72017,000
United States$185,840$159,670$78,360$351,600754,500

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Lawyers salary after taxes in Winston-Salem

On the average salary of $151,960, a single filer in Winston-Salem takes home about $109,576 a year, or $9,131 a month and $4,214 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

North Carolina paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Winston-Salem a good place for lawyers? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Winston-Salem area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.0), so the average $151,960 buys what about $165,097 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Winston-Salem ($46,380). A typical home costs $283,871, or 1.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $151,960 is worth in another city

Lawyers salary in other North Carolina cities

Winston-Salem ranks 4th of 15 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Charlotte pays the most ($186,020).

All Lawyers salaries in North Carolina

Highest-paying cities for lawyers

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($288,980).

Lawyers salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Lawyers in Winston-Salem, NC.

Lawyers salary in Winston-Salem: questions

How much do lawyers make an hour in Winston-Salem?

$73.06 an hour on average, and $60.70 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level lawyers salary in Winston-Salem?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,010 a year and the 25th percentile is $80,570, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the lawyers take-home pay in Winston-Salem?

About $109,576 a year ($9,131 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $151,960.

Do lawyers earn more in Winston-Salem than elsewhere?

The average here is 18% less 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 Winston-Salem, NC (49180). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.6%.
  • 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 (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.63, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.63).

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