Lawyers
SOC Code: 23-1011Also known as:
Admiralty Lawyer, Agency Legal Counsel, Attorney, Attorney at Law, Attorney General
Median Annual Salary
$151,160
+4.1% growth (2024-2034)
32K
Openings/Year
865K
Current Jobs
What Lawyers Do
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.
💰 Salary
$151,160
Median annual wage (2024)
📈 Job Growth
+4.1%
Faster than average
🎓 Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Typical entry-level requirement
🚀 Annual Openings
32K
Projected average per year
Employment Projections (2024-2034)
Current Employment (2024)
864,800
Projected Employment (2034)
900,700
Related Careers
Compliance officers
$78,420 •
+3.0% growth
Judicial law clerks
$60,400 •
+2.5% growth
Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
$115,230 •
-0.7% growth
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators
$67,710 •
+4.3% growth
Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
$156,210 •
+2.5% growth
Top Skills Required
Speaking
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Writing
Daily Tasks & Responsibilities
- 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.
- Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases.
- Negotiate settlements of civil disputes.
Technology & Tools
📚 Entry-Level Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Most common requirement
🎯 Recommended Education
Doctoral Degree
O*NET recommended level
Degree Programs for Lawyers
These degree programs can prepare you for a career as a lawyers:
Law
39,447 degrees awarded •
210 colleges offer this program
Advanced Legal Research/Studies, General
4,628 degrees awarded •
75 colleges offer this program
Programs for Foreign Lawyers
1,567 degrees awarded •
35 colleges offer this program
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies, Other
1,204 degrees awarded •
42 colleges offer this program
American/U.S. Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence
899 degrees awarded •
41 colleges offer this program
Tax Law/Taxation
760 degrees awarded •
29 colleges offer this program
Health Law
539 degrees awarded •
20 colleges offer this program
Banking, Corporate, Finance, and Securities Law
426 degrees awarded •
23 colleges offer this program
International Law and Legal Studies
414 degrees awarded •
21 colleges offer this program
International Business, Trade, and Tax Law
337 degrees awarded •
16 colleges offer this program
Best Colleges for Becoming a Lawyers
Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees in related programs. These are the top-rated colleges that prepare students to become lawyers.
| # | College | Location | Related Degrees | Repit Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | 598 | A+ |
| 2 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, MI | 358 | A+ |
| 3 | New York University | New York, NY | 998 | A |
| 4 | Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY | 899 | A |
| 5 | University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | 847 | A |
| 6 | Harvard University | Cambridge, MA | 804 | A |
| 7 | University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | 778 | A |
| 8 | Washington University in St Louis | Saint Louis, MO | 685 | A |
| 9 | Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | 571 | A |
| 10 | Boston University | Boston, MA | 516 | A |
| 11 | The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX | 431 | A |
| 12 | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | 407 | A |
| 13 | Cornell University | Ithaca, NY | 400 | A |
| 14 | University of Florida | Gainesville, FL | 350 | A |
| 15 | Emory University | Atlanta, GA | 334 | A |
| 16 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | Charlottesville, VA | 330 | A |
| 17 | Duke University | Durham, NC | 299 | A |
| 18 | Stanford University | Stanford, CA | 287 | A |
| 19 | University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | 281 | A |
| 20 | Yale University | New Haven, CT | 256 | A |
Want this ranking as a spreadsheet? Investor Pro+ members can export any Repit table to CSV. See plans →
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do lawyers make?
The median annual salary for lawyers is $151,160.
What education do lawyers need?
Most lawyers positions require a doctoral or professional degree.
Common degree programs include Law, Advanced Legal Research/Studies, General, Programs for Foreign Lawyers.
Is becoming lawyers a good career choice?
Lawyers is projected to see +4.1% job growth from 2024 to 2034,
which is about average for all occupations. With approximately 31,500 job openings expected annually,
there are good opportunities for those entering the field.
What are the best colleges for lawyers?
Top colleges for aspiring lawyers include
University of California-Los Angeles, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, New York University, Columbia University in the City of New York, University of Southern California.
These schools are ranked based on their Repit grade and the number of graduates in related programs.
What other job titles are similar to lawyers?
Lawyers may also be known as: Admiralty Lawyer, Agency Legal Counsel, Attorney, Attorney at Law, Attorney General, Barrister, Business Lawyer, Chief Counsel, City Attorney, City Solicitor, Civil Lawyer, Civil Litigation Attorney, Civil Rights Attorney, Claim Attorney, Commonwealth Attorney, Contracts Attorney, Conveyancer, Corporate Attorney, Corporate Counsel, Corporate Counselor.
These titles often refer to similar roles with varying responsibilities or specializations.