Lawyers salary · District of Columbia
Lawyers Salary in District of Columbia
Lawyers in District of Columbia earn a median of $195,190 a year, which is $93.84 an hour. That is $35,520 above the national median of $159,670, a difference of 22 percent. The state employs 33,070.
District of Columbia against the US May 2025
| Figure | District of Columbia | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $195,190 | $159,670 |
| Median hourly | $93.84 | $76.76 |
| Mean annual | $242,800 | $185,840 |
| 10th percentile | $120,580 | $78,360 |
| 90th percentile | $392,750 | $351,600 |
| Employment | 33,070 | 754,500 |
How District of Columbia compares
By median pay, District of Columbia ranks 2 of the 12 states this site reports for lawyers. Ranking is on the published median only. It says nothing about how far that salary goes once housing, state income tax and commuting are paid, and those differences between states are frequently larger than the pay gap itself.
Other states for lawyers May 2025
| State | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $207,860 | $99.93 | 91,870 |
| California | $195,080 | $93.79 | 95,770 |
| Massachusetts | $176,680 | $84.94 | 23,560 |
| Virginia | $167,210 | $80.39 | 18,580 |
| New Jersey | $161,430 | $77.61 | 23,160 |
| Illinois | $160,800 | $77.31 | 33,590 |
| Pennsylvania | $157,180 | $75.57 | 27,170 |
| Texas | $154,200 | $74.13 | 56,580 |
| Georgia | $134,830 | $64.82 | 23,930 |
| Florida | $133,180 | $64.03 | 55,210 |
| Ohio | $131,020 | $62.99 | 19,950 |
Common questions
How much do lawyers make in District of Columbia?
The median salary for lawyers in District of Columbia is $195,190 a year, or $93.84 an hour. That is $35,520 above the national median of $159,670, a difference of 22 percent. District of Columbia employs 33,070 of them.
Is District of Columbia a good state to work as a lawyer?
On pay alone, District of Columbia ranks 2 of the 12 states this site reports for the occupation, by median salary. Pay is only half the question though: a state with a higher median can still leave you with less once housing and taxes are counted, and this site does not adjust for cost of living.
What is the pay range for lawyers in District of Columbia?
The lowest-paid 10 percent earn $120,580 or less and the highest-paid 10 percent earn $392,750 or more. The middle half falls between $172,060 and $360,310.
Where these numbers come from
Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release, for SOC code 23-1011 in District of Columbia. Nothing on this page is interpolated or averaged by this site. See the national lawyers salary page for the full picture, or how to read these figures for what the survey covers.