September 2013
This information is being made available for prospective law school applicants and others interested in the starting salaries of new law school graduates. Want to learn more about the entry-level job market for recent law school graduates? See NALP's annual Jobs & JDs report.
<< Return to complete salary information for the Class of 2012
Reported Salaries by State for Full-Time Jobs Taken by
the Class of 2012
| PERCENTILE | 90% of Reported Salaries Fell in the Range: |
Mean Salary |
# of Salaries Reported |
|||
| 25th | Median | 75th | ||||
| AK | $45,000 | $50,000 | $58,564 | $38,000 - 79,000 | $53,326 | 71 |
| AL | 46,000 | 58,343 | 85,000 | 30,000 - 110,000 | 65,625 | 193 |
| AR | 43,000 | 52,000 | 60,000 | 24,000 - 80,000 | 53,221 | 98 |
| AZ | 52,000 | 58,000 | 75,000 | 34,800 - 120,000 | 67,688 | 239 |
| CA | 60,000 | 80,000 | 160,000 | 37,627 - 160,000 | 98,426 | 2,275 |
| CO | 49,000 | 55,000 | 72,000 | 37,404 - 135,000 | 65,891 | 366 |
| CT | 50,000 | 59,076 | 75,000 | 33,670 - 120,000 | 64,199 | 259 |
| DC | 62,000 | 96,000 | 160,000 | 40,000 - 160,000 | 106,727 | 1,291 |
| DE | 50,000 | 61,245 | 145,000 | 42,500 - 160,000 | 84,587 | 100 |
| FL | 40,163 | 50,000 | 65,000 | 35,000 - 120,000 | 57,555 | 1,213 |
| GA | 50,000 | 59,887 | 80,000 | 36,000 - 135,000 | 70,056 | 555 |
| GU | — | 50,000 | — | — | 50,967 | 9 |
| HI | 50,000 | 53,352 | 65,000 | 40,000 - 90,000 | 59,347 | 63 |
| IA | 44,720 | 51,000 | 60,000 | 35,000 - 90,000 | 55,825 | 127 |
| ID | 42,900 | 48,000 | 51,500 | 27,393 - 90,000 | 52,201 | 53 |
| IL | 50,000 | 63,000 | 150,000 | 34,125 - 160,000 | 87,088 | 1,135 |
| IN | 45,000 | 55,423 | 80,000 | 31,200 - 105,000 | 62,255 | 226 |
| KS | 45,000 | 50,000 | 60,000 | 32,000 - 80,000 | 53,848 | 115 |
| KY | 37,000 | 45,000 | 57,408 | 26,220 - 95,000 | 49,991 | 206 |
| LA | 45,000 | 55,000 | 72,000 | 31,200 - 100,000 | 58,903 | 327 |
| MA | 45,000 | 63,271 | 160,000 | 36,500 - 160,000 | 89,636 | 665 |
| MD | 42,930 | 50,000 | 64,000 | 37,000 - 120,000 | 57,808 | 471 |
| ME | 42,588 | 44,500 | 60,000 | 39,000 - 76,500 | 50,785 | 40 |
| MI | 45,000 | 56,797 | 80,750 | 31,200 - 110,000 | 64,563 | 364 |
| MN | 44,000 | 55,000 | 85,000 | 35,000 - 120,000 | 67,066 | 414 |
| MO | 42,500 | 54,000 | 80,000 | 34,000 - 115,000 | 63,525 | 239 |
| MS | 42,000 | 54,000 | 75,000 | 32,000 - 105,000 | 59,449 | 93 |
| MT | 43,000 | 49,000 | 56,000 | 37,000 - 60,000 | 49,834 | 68 |
| NC | 45,000 | 55,000 | 80,000 | 36,000 - 135,000 | 69,374 | 315 |
| ND | 48,000 | 54,000 | 57,000 | 35,000 - 87,000 | 53,762 | 35 |
| NE | 45,000 | 55,000 | 67,500 | 35,000 - 100,000 | 57,952 | 99 |
| NH | 45,000 | 50,000 | 70,000 | 40,000 - 82,000 | 56,797 | 43 |
| NJ | 44,306 | 45,000 | 58,232 | 43,000 - 130,000 | 58,246 | 621 |
| NM | 42,000 | 50,144 | 60,000 | 36,000 - 75,000 | 52,876 | 114 |
| NV | 58,000 | 64,500 | 80,000 | 47,000 - 115,000 | 72,037 | 146 |
| NY | 60,000 | 145,000 | 160,000 | 40,000 - 160,000 | 112,703 | 3,055 |
| OH | 47,000 | 60,000 | 90,000 | 35,000 - 135,000 | 69,487 | 503 |
| OK | 42,000 | 50,500 | 72,475 | 35,000 - 100,000 | 59,375 | 232 |
| OR | 44,000 | 55,000 | 70,000 | 30,500 - 110,000 | 60,948 | 142 |
| PA | 48,000 | 61,000 | 100,000 | 33,000 - 145,000 | 74,107 | 657 |
| RI | 48,000 | 50,000 | 57,200 | 32,256 - 84,000 | 52,673 | 59 |
| SC | 39,500 | 44,000 | 57,408 | 30,000 - 97,000 | 50,829 | 195 |
| SD | 42,510 | 48,427 | 55,000 | 38,000 - 65,000 | 49,705 | 45 |
| TN | 45,000 | 57,000 | 75,000 | 35,000 - 110,000 | 62,518 | 238 |
| TX | 55,000 | 70,000 | 120,000 | 40,000 - 160,000 | 87,294 | 1,230 |
| UT | 48,000 | 58,000 | 80,000 | 31,500 - 120,000 | 65,256 | 137 |
| VA | 50,000 | 60,000 | 75,000 | 39,840 - 140,000 | 69,402 | 549 |
| VI | — | 65,400 | — | — | 63,528 | 8 |
| VT | 40,000 | 44,400 | 48,000 | 34,000 - 65,000 | 47,757 | 40 |
| WA | 43,870 | 56,000 | 77,000 | 36,000 - 125,000 | 66,506 | 343 |
| WI | 49,300 | 55,000 | 83,000 | 35,000 - 130,000 | 66,792 | 226 |
| WV | 50,000 | 57,000 | 69,000 | 36,000 - 76,000 | 58,481 | 123 |
| WY | 48,000 | 50,000 | 57,000 | 36,000 - 70,000 | 52,138 | 29 |
Note: Average and median
salaries shown in this table are not adjusted for disproportionate coverage. Thus, upward bias in these figures can be expected to varying degrees, depending on the state’s employment profile.
In general, states where the
employment profile most closely matches the national profile have the greatest potential for bias.
Averages and medians for states with few or no large firm jobs will be largely free of bias. Likewise, figures for states where the
percentage of jobs in large law firms is relatively high will be
less subject to bias than states
offering a mix of both large and small firm jobs.
Note: Figures are based on salaries reported for full-time jobs lasting at least a year. Only medians and means are shown if fewer than ten salaries were reported.
Source: NALP Employment Report and Salary Survey for the Class of 2012
