Lawyers — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$159,670
United States, 2025
Employment
754,500
United States, 2025
Typical education
Doctoral Degree
Job Zone 5
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
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 code
- 23-1011.00
- Job zone
- 5
- Experience required
- Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
- Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
- 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.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$78,360
25th percentile
$102,990
75th percentile
$221,370
90th percentile
$351,600
Most important skills
- Speaking4.6
- Reading Comprehension4.5
- Active Listening4.5
- Critical Thinking4.5
- Writing4.3
- Complex Problem Solving4.1
- Judgment and Decision Making4.1
- Persuasion4.0
- Negotiation4.0
- Social Perceptiveness3.8
- Active Learning3.8
- Time Management3.6
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 19 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
19
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.6 | 4.9 | Not selected | 4.9 |
| Active Listening | 4.5 | 5.0 | Not selected | 5.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.5 | 5.0 | Not selected | 5.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.5 | 4.9 | Not selected | 4.9 |
| Writing | 4.3 | 4.9 | Not selected | 4.9 |
| Persuasion | 4.0 | 5.0 | Not selected | 5.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.1 | 4.4 | Not selected | 4.4 |
| Negotiation | 4.0 | 4.4 | Not selected | 4.4 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.1 | 4.3 | Not selected | 4.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.8 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.8 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Time Management | 3.6 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Coordination | 3.5 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.4 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.0 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Instructing | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
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Compare with LawyersSupplemental
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Compare with LawyersSupplemental
National median $55,570
Compare with LawyersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $301,320 | 6,040 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $212,500 | 18,470 | 2025 |
| New York, NY | $208,880 | 94,610 | 2025 |
| NY | $207,860 | 91,870 | 2025 |
| DC | $195,190 | 33,070 | 2025 |
| Washington, DC | $195,190 | 46,840 | 2025 |
| CA | $195,080 | 95,770 | 2025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $194,410 | 41,580 | 2025 |
| Oxnard, CA | $185,520 | 1,220 | 2025 |
| Boston, MA | $183,350 | 20,080 | 2025 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $181,560 | 590 | 2025 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $180,610 | 2,100 | 2025 |
| Sacramento, CA | $178,540 | 7,620 | 2025 |
| San Diego, CA | $178,220 | 8,020 | 2025 |
| Denver, CO | $177,380 | 11,860 | 2025 |
| MA | $176,680 | 23,560 | 2025 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $175,780 | 290 | 2025 |
| Stockton, CA | $174,880 | 490 | 2025 |
| DE | $173,510 | 2,920 | 2025 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $170,970 | 700 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Lawyers to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.