Lawyers Salary in California
State wage data from the BLS OEWS survey, May 2025.
Median annual
$195,080
Median hourly
$94
Average annual
$230,040
Employed in state
96K
The median annual salary for Lawyers in California is $195,080, or about $94 an hour. That is 22% higher than the national median.
Pay in California ranges from $97,950 at the 10th percentile to $369,180 at the 90th percentile. Roughly 96K people work as lawyers in the state.
Pay distribution in California
10th$97,950
25th$131,120
Median$195,080
75th$277,140
90th$369,180
Salary calculator
- Hourly
- $93.79
- Daily
- $750
- Weekly
- $3,752
- Bi-weekly
- $7,503
- Monthly
- $16,257
- Annual
- $195,080
$195,080 a year is around the 50th percentile for Lawyerss in California. The median is $195,080.
Lawyers pay by metro area in California
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $301,320 | 6.0K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $212,500 | 18K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $194,410 | 42K |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $185,520 | 1.2K |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $181,560 | 590 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $178,540 | 7.6K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $178,220 | 8.0K |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $175,780 | 290 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $174,880 | 490 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $170,970 | 700 |
| Vallejo, CA | $170,530 | 220 |
| Napa, CA | $168,720 | 110 |
| Salinas, CA | $166,940 | 380 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $164,790 | 350 |
| Modesto, CA | $164,010 | 370 |
Other jobs in California
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,800
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,200
- Retail Salespersons$35,410
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Registered Nurses$97,550
- Cashiers$32,880
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- General and Operations Managers$105,770
- Software Developers$135,980
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,840
- Waiters and Waitresses$35,230
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640
- Security Guards$38,020
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Accountants and Auditors$83,680
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,660
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$69,990