Occupations · Legal
Lawyers
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.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 23-1011.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 65% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $203,450 | 93,730 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $191,880 | 48,170 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $205,900 | 40,990 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $166,090 | 28,380 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $129,920 | 26,720 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $194,740 | 18,900 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $148,030 | 18,270 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $128,910 | 17,810 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $139,460 | 17,290 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $215,090 | 16,940 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $157,340 | 15,740 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $180,940 | 12,590 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Doctoral or professional degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
- Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
- Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.
- Present and summarize cases to judges and juries.
- Select jurors, argue motions, meet with judges, and question witnesses during the course of a trial.
- Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
- Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
- Present evidence to defend clients or prosecute defendants in criminal or civil litigation.
- Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
- Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit.
- Prepare, draft, and review legal documents, such as wills, deeds, patent applications, mortgages, leases, and contracts.
- Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2024-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2024-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Negotiate contractual agreements.
- Work in environmental law, representing the state, federal agencies, public interest groups, waste disposal companies, or construction firms.
O*NET 28.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 5 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 19
No longer listed 21
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| lawyer | 2611.1 | exact |
| legal consultant | 2619.5 | close |
| legal assistant | 3411.7 | close |
| legal service manager | 1349.21.1 | close |
| intellectual property consultant | 3339.4 | close |
| corporate lawyer | 2611.1.1 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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