NALP Bulletin, September 2003
The table below provides a 13-year overview of law firm starting salaries, based on NALP's annual Employment Report and Salary Survey (now published as Jobs & J.D.'s: Employment and Salaries of New Law Graduates). Median salaries at the largest firms of more than 100 attorneys have remained stable for the past few years, in contrast to the mid to late 1990s, when large law firm starting salaries saw dramatic increases. What is being seen now resembles another period of stability ten years ago. Median salaries at smaller firms have increased by 50% or less over the period, but have increased somewhat in recent years.
Median Starting Salaries by Firm Size — 1990-2002
| Year | FIRM SIZE (Number of Attorneys) | |||||||
| All Sizes | 2-10 | 11-25 | 26-50 | 51-100 | 101-250 | 251-500 | 501+ | |
| 1990 | $50,000 | $30,000 | $40,000 | $45,000 | $53,000 | $60,000 | $70,000 | $70,000 |
| 1991 | 50,000 | 30,000 | 40,000 | 48,000 | 55,000 | 61,000 | 70,000 | 70,000 |
| 1992 | 47,500 | 30,000 | 40,000 | 48,000 | 54,000 | 60,000 | 70,000 | 70,000 |
| 1993 | 48,000 | 30,000 | 40,000 | 48,000 | 54,000 | 61,750 | 70,000 | 70,000 |
| 1994 | 50,000 | 32,000 | 40,000 | 48,000 | 55,000 | 60,080 | 70,000 | 70,000 |
| 1995 | 50,000 | 32,500 | 40,000 | 48,000 | 55,000 | 62,000 | 72,000 | 72,000 |
| 1996 | 50,000 | 34,000 | 40,000 | 49,000 | 55,000 | 62,000 | 74,000 | 77,000 |
| 1997 | 55,000 | 35,000 | 42,000 | 50,000 | 58,000 | 67,000 | 79,000 | 80,000 |
| 1998 | 60,000 | 37,000 | 43,500 | 52,000 | 62,000 | 72,000 | 85,000 | 90,000 |
| 1999 | 70,000 | 40,000 | 46,000 | 55,000 | 70,000 | 80,000 | 92,000 | 97,000 |
| 2000 | 80,000 | 40,000 | 50,000 | 60,000 | 76,000 | 99,500 | 125,000* | 125,000* |
| 2001 | 90,000 | 43,000 | 52,000 | 62,000 | 80,000 | 100,000 | 125,000* | 125,000* |
| 2002 | 90,000 | 45,000 | 52,500 | 65,000 | 80,000 | 100,000 | 125,000* | 125,000* |
| % Change, 1990-2002 |
80% | 50% | 31% | 44% | 51% | 67% | 79% | 79% |
* The median for these categories is technically $125,000 based on a ranking of all reported salaries. However, because about half of the reported salaries were $125,000, the concept of a modal, or prevailing, salary is more useful.
Source: Employment Report & Salary Survey reports/Jobs & J.D.'s reports for the Classes of 1990-2002.
