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Attorney Schools, Salaries, and Job Data

Attorney Job Overview

An attorney practices in a court of law and is legally qualified to prosecute and defend clients or the state. They operate both as advocates and advisors in society. All attorneys investigate the intent of laws and judicial decisions and apply them to the specific situations faced by their clients. Depending on their field of specialization and position, the jobs of attorneys vary. Some represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, while others draw up legal documents and manage or advise clients on legal transactions. They may specialize in a single area or practice broadly in many areas of law.

Attorneys Schools and Degrees

The successful completion of a bar exam is required in order to become a licensed attorney. 7 years of full-time study after high school, including 4 years of undergraduate study and 3 years of law schoo,l is the basic requirement. A bachelor’s degree is a must to qualify for any exam. Admission to law schools depends on the applicant’s demonstrational ability of the aptitude required for the study of law. The quality of the applicant’s undergraduate school record, any prior work experience and a personal interview are all considered as well.

Job Requirements

A lot of responsibility is involved in the practice of law. Attorneys should like to work with people and be able to win the respect and confidence of their clients, associates and the public. Perseverance, creativity, and reasoning ability also are vital since lawyers often analyze complex cases and handle new and unique legal problems. Attorneys may specialize in a number of areas, such as bankruptcy, environmental law, probation, international law and property, to name a few. Some of them work for insurance companies, while most work in private practice, concentrating on criminal or civil law. The government employs many attorneys as well. Knowledge of English, philosophy, public speaking, foreign languages, government, mathematics, history, economics and computer science are all helpful.

Nature of Work

Attorneys mostly work at their offices, law libraries and courtrooms. They might have to travel to attend meetings, to gather evidence and to appear in court. They have to face heavy pressure during case trials. Attorneys who are in private practice may work irregular hours whereas salaried lawyers usually have structured work schedules.

Attorneys Jobs and Outlook

According to research in 2006, attorneys held about 761,000 jobs in the US. This number is expected to grow by 11 percent in the next ten years. Employment is the highest in the following industries:

  • Federal Government
  • Legal services
  • Local government
  • Management of companies and enterprises
  • State government

The mean hourly wage for attorneys in the US is about $56.87, while the mean annual wages are around $118,280.

Job Numbers and Growth

About 761,000 attorneys can be found working in the US. A very low unemployment level has been the case recently. Employees without jobs were about 1%.

Area Job Conditions

Finding employees is easiest in Washington (District of Columbia), Tallahassee (Florida), and New York (New York), and by comparison more challenging in Blacksburg (Virginia), Bakersfield (California), and Merced (California).

The pay is best in Rocky Mount (North Carolina), San Francisco (California), and Santa Rosa (California) and worst in Anniston (Alabama), Terre Haute (Indiana), and Las Cruces (New Mexico).

Training and Education

You'll generally want a first professional degree for this career path. Of current attorneys, 99% graduated from college with degrees. Some 1% of workers attened college but did not go on to get a bachelor's degree. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Attorneys working part-time accounted for 6% of those employed in 2008. Self-employed workers represent an estimated 27% of the total.


Career Video for Attorneys

Attorneys by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anniston$62,00070-63%
Birmingham$130,0002,440+2%
Decatur$62,00070-68%
Dothan$142,000120-51%
Florence$80,000130-36%
Gadsden$121,00070-46%
Huntsville$109,000400-57%
Mobile$112,000520-36%
Montgomery$107,000900+19%
Tuscaloosa$97,000210-45%

Alaska

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anchorage$98,000680-4%
Fairbanks$109,000100-20%

Arizona

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Flagstaff$81,000150-33%
Kingman$91,00060-71%
Phoenix$124,0005,770-33%
Prescott100-61%
Tucson$104,0001,570-6%
Yuma$78,000120-51%

Arkansas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Fayetteville$100,000470-46%
Fort Smith$118,000270-47%
Jonesboro$85,00080-59%
Little Rock$102,0001,460-5%
Pine Bluff$73,00060-53%

California

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bakersfield$131,000240-80%
Chico$125,000210-27%
El Centro$106,00070-66%
Fresno$131,0001,120-26%
Madera110-22%
Merced$98,00040-83%
Modesto$137,000440-39%
Napa100-62%
Oakland$137,0003,540-26%
Oxnard$142,000880-35%
Redding$89,000170-38%
Riverside$116,0002,240-62%
Sacramento$109,0004,610+13%
Salinas$120,000390-42%
San Diego$129,0005,970-3%
San Francisco$156,0009,820+113%
San Jose$182,0004,040-5%
San Luis Obispo$113,000170-60%
Santa Ana$150,0006,110-13%
Santa Barbara$149,000320-57%
Santa Cruz$128,000260-30%
Santa Rosa$157,000440-46%
Stockton$130,000390-59%
Vallejo$108,000210-60%
Visalia$101,000190-68%

Colorado

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Boulder$106,000610-14%
Colorado Springs$88,000650-42%
Denver$128,0007,670+33%
Fort Collins$122,000170-67%
Grand Junction$90,000220-4%
Greeley$79,000140-55%
Pueblo$101,000140-35%

Connecticut

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bridgeport$123,0002,530+27%
Danbury$128,000140-52%
Hartford$127,0003,570+34%
New Haven$126,0001,150-9%
Norwich$123,000300-44%
Waterbury$99,000250-11%

Delaware

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Dover$107,000180-19%
Wilmington$149,0002,080+40%

District of Columbia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Washington$145,00038,000+255%

Florida

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Cape Coral$88,000760-18%
Deltona$100,000570-16%
Fort Lauderdale$106,0004,420+31%
Fort Walton Beach$103,000150-52%
Gainesville$71,000530+7%
Jacksonville$116,0002,030-27%
Lakeland$107,000660-23%
Miami$117,0007,220+58%
Naples$107,000450-13%
Ocala$79,000310-23%
Orlando$132,0003,880-20%
Palm Bay$90,000560-36%
Palm Coast60+28%
Panama City$70,000140-51%
Pensacola$116,000640-2%
Port St Lucie$93,000430-22%
Punta Gorda$86,000140-9%
Sarasota$97,0001,080-8%
Sebastian$111,000160-17%
Tallahassee$97,0001,630+128%
Tampa$115,0005,830+4%
West Palm Beach$141,0003,480+41%

Georgia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albany$114,000160-36%
Athens$64,000120-62%
Atlanta$138,00012,180+11%
Augusta$103,000270-70%
Brunswick$117,000100-40%
Columbus$89,000150-68%
Dalton$61,00070-78%
Gainesville$74,000140-52%
Macon$98,000200-53%
Rome$115,00080-43%
Savannah$102,000360-45%
Valdosta$90,00060-73%
Warner Robins$75,00060-70%

Hawaii

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Honolulu$98,0001,920-4%

Idaho

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Boise$102,0001,080-11%
Coeur Dalene$73,000210-5%
Lewiston$124,00070-17%
Pocatello$81,000150+31%

Illinois

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bloomington$139,000380+30%
Champaign$129,000190-52%
Chicago$143,00025,350+43%
Danville$101,00080-16%
Decatur$104,000100-46%
Kankakee$84,00040-73%
Peoria$83,000370-51%
Rockford$167,000300-55%
Springfield$95,000430-2%

Indiana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anderson$58,000120-23%
Bloomington$82,000190-33%
Columbus$92,00070-58%
Elkhart$81,000120-79%
Evansville$79,000290-62%
Fort Wayne$91,000430-55%
Gary$102,000880-30%
Indianapolis$102,0003,340-19%
Kokomo$79,00070-49%
Lafayette$88,000150-52%
Michigan City$69,00060-65%
Muncie$60,00050-72%
South Bend$74,000300-49%
Terre Haute$60,000120-58%

Iowa

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Ames$83,00060-59%
Cedar Rapids$79,000240-59%
Davenport$109,000380-53%
Des Moines$110,0001,270-14%
Dubuque$102,00070-66%
Iowa City$72,000130-56%
Sioux City$116,000170-42%
Waterloo$71,000150-58%

Kansas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lawrence$90,00080-55%
Topeka$77,000760+60%
Wichita$109,000630-54%

Kentucky

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bowling Green$91,000140-40%
Elizabethtown$101,00080-53%
Lexington$99,000860-21%
Louisville$98,0001,730-39%
Owensboro$81,00070-64%

Louisiana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Alexandria$104,000160-34%
Baton Rouge$84,0001,500-10%
Lafayette$103,0006300%
Lake Charles$102,000180-51%
Monroe$65,000310-5%
New Orleans$105,0003,360+44%
Shreveport$98,000720-7%

Maine

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bangor$70,000190-28%
Lewiston$87,000130-34%
Portland$101,0001,020+13%

Maryland

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Baltimore$129,0005,640-6%
Bethesda$129,0002,720+4%
Cumberland$77,00040-71%
Hagerstown$105,000160-62%
Salisbury$106,000140-34%

Massachusetts

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Barnstable Town$123,000170-60%
Boston$134,00011,990+51%
Brockton$72,000190-49%
Framingham$145,000440-38%
Haverhill$111,000110-66%
Lawrence$116,000130-44%
Leominster$100,00080-60%
Lowell$100,000240-54%
New Bedford$99,000140-47%
Pittsfield70-45%
Springfield$90,000750-45%
Taunton$110,000160-13%
Worcester$115,000620-44%

Michigan

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Ann Arbor$114,000580-20%
Battle Creek$84,00090-54%
Bay City$88,00070-48%
Detroit$125,0003,2600%
Flint$122,000230-61%
Grand Rapids$105,0001,010-41%
Holland$91,000150-65%
Jackson$87,000120-43%
Kalamazoo$115,000360-39%
Lansing$103,000980+15%
Monroe$71,00070-55%
Muskegon$101,000170-31%
Niles$82,000170-33%
Saginaw$89,000270-15%
Warren$125,0005,770+8%

Minnesota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Duluth$100,000330-40%
Minneapolis$128,0008,440+2%
Rochester$138,000140-64%
St Cloud$92,000420-4%

Mississippi

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Gulfport$130,000260-44%
Hattiesburg$59,000200-13%
Jackson$103,0001,230+8%
Pascagoula$82,000100-46%

Missouri

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Columbia$86,000190-45%
Jefferson City$83,000280-1%
Joplin100-70%
Kansas City$109,0005,000+5%
Springfield$90,000450-48%
St Joseph70-65%
St Louis$116,0005,480-12%

Montana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Billings$86,000310-8%
Great Falls$70,000140+6%
Missoula$77,000250+20%

Nebraska

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lincoln$92,000580-19%
Omaha$103,0001,470-31%

Nevada

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Carson City$102,000220+117%
Las Vegas$113,0002,520-41%
Reno$140,000760-18%

New Hampshire

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Manchester$96,000650+45%
Nashua$93,000130-78%
Portsmouth$93,000160-30%

New Jersey

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Atlantic City$117,000430-34%
Camden$122,0002,830+17%
Edison$130,0004,080-14%
Newark$128,0007,100+53%
Ocean City$83,000140-14%
Trenton$104,0001,820+90%
Vineland$85,000190-18%

New Mexico

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albuquerque$91,0001,440-19%
Farmington$75,00070-67%
Las Cruces$59,000200-20%
Santa Fe$104,000270+4%

New York

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albany$104,0003,000+50%
Binghamton$84,000290-36%
Buffalo$107,0002,320-6%
Elmira$98,00080-41%
Glens Falls$83,00070-67%
Ithaca$105,000100-40%
Kingston$84,000190-21%
Nassau$122,0006,790+17%
New York$156,00052,680+122%
Poughkeepsie$104,000740-31%
Rochester$103,0001,610-30%
Syracuse$108,0001,200-14%
Utica$132,000260-53%

North Carolina

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Asheville$84,000330-58%
Burlington$87,00080-67%
Charlotte$122,0003,200-22%
Durham$110,000820-33%
Fayetteville$97,000250-53%
Goldsboro$89,00050-66%
Greensboro$110,000620-63%
Greenville$109,000170-42%
Hickory$99,000160-78%
Jacksonville$80,00090-43%
Raleigh$125,0002,180-7%
Rocky Mount$152,00070-70%
Wilmington$76,000260-59%
Winston Salem$118,000600-38%

North Dakota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bismarck$91,000170-25%
Fargo$121,000270-46%
Grand Forks$91,00080-58%

Ohio

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Akron$105,000870-43%
Canton$85,000320-58%
Cincinnati$109,0003,410-29%
Cleveland$109,0004,820-2%
Columbus$91,0003,190-26%
Dayton$120,000730-59%
Lima$105,00070-67%
Mansfield$65,00080-62%
Sandusky$94,00060-56%
Springfield$71,00050-73%
Toledo$109,0001,070-24%
Youngstown$76,000400-62%

Oklahoma

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lawton$63,00070-51%
Oklahoma City$86,0003,270+26%
Tulsa$108,0001,630-18%

Oregon

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bend$80,000220-22%
Corvallis$90,00040-66%
Eugene$83,000330-49%
Medford$83,000100-72%
Portland$104,0003,470-27%
Salem$86,000680+3%

Pennsylvania

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Allentown$94,000820-47%
Altoona50-79%
Erie$115,000260-52%
Harrisburg$103,0001,860+30%
Johnstown$85,00060-74%
Lancaster$93,000350-67%
Lebanon$91,00040-78%
Philadelphia$132,00012,060+38%
Pittsburgh$115,0004,600-12%
Reading$120,000390-46%
Scranton$97,000540-53%
State College$108,000120-47%
Williamsport$83,000110-46%
York$92,000370-54%

Rhode Island

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Providence$116,0001,910-26%

South Carolina

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anderson$114,00080-67%
Charleston$111,000830-37%
Columbia$107,0001,610+1%
Florence$63,000180-49%
Greenville$121,000840-39%
Myrtle Beach$101,000330-35%
Spartanburg$126,000240-55%
Sumter$95,00060-55%

South Dakota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Sioux Falls$88,000290-52%

Tennessee

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Chattanooga$148,000810-22%
Clarksville$93,00080-74%
Jackson$122,000160-31%
Kingsport$71,000150-69%
Knoxville$99,000900-41%
Memphis$120,0001,780-38%
Morristown$91,00050-73%
Nashville$114,0001,870-47%

Texas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Abilene$96,000120-53%
Amarillo$93,000270-37%
Austin$117,0003,950+13%
Beaumont$118,000600-13%
Brownsville$84,000230-57%
College Station$90,000120-63%
Corpus Christi$108,000540-30%
Dallas$138,0008,780-10%
El Paso$124,000740-37%
Fort Worth$114,0002,200-45%
Houston$136,0009,440-21%
Killeen$81,000120-77%
Laredo190-45%
Longview$109,000150-62%
Lubbock$76,000290-45%
Mcallen$106,000310-68%
Midland$118,000290+7%
Odessa$110,00080-65%
San Angelo$54,00090-43%
San Antonio$108,0003,070-21%
Sherman$109,00070-54%
Texarkana$95,000150-31%
Tyler$127,000240-37%
Victoria$76,00050-73%
Waco$115,000270-34%
Wichita Falls$119,000100-57%

Utah

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Logan$121,00050-72%
Ogden$85,000280-68%
Provo$82,000290-60%
Salt Lake City$125,0002,910+1%
St George$85,00070-64%

Vermont

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Burlington$103,000480+2%

Virginia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Blacksburg$94,00050-80%
Charlottesville$87,000350-11%
Danville$75,00050-62%
Harrisonburg$111,00070-68%
Lynchburg$97,000130-70%
Richmond$128,0002,300-16%
Roanoke$99,000410-41%
Virginia Beach$125,0001,770-49%
Winchester$129,00070-67%

Washington

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bellingham$72,000170-49%
Bremerton$84,000190-45%
Kennewick$92,000140-63%
Longview$69,00040-68%
Olympia$88,000450+14%
Seattle$121,0006,740+1%
Spokane$91,000810-13%
Tacoma$91,000590-51%
Wenatchee$98,00060-61%
Yakima$81,000120-64%

West Virginia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Charleston$92,0001,050+66%
Huntington$85,000230-53%
Morgantown$86,000180-2%
Parkersburg$92,00080-72%
Weirton$115,00050-70%
Wheeling$89,000130-50%

Wisconsin

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Appleton$89,000180-63%
Eau Claire$123,000130-59%
Green Bay$120,000220-70%
Janesville$124,00080-70%
La Crosse$97,000120-58%
Madison$113,0001,160-23%
Milwaukee$113,0003,140-20%
Oshkosh$140,000150-58%
Racine$94,000180-44%
Sheboygan$77,00050-78%
Wausau$128,000170-38%

Wyoming

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Casper$124,00090-39%
Cheyenne$94,000270+59%

Salary and employment data obtained from the United States Department of Labor. Individual salaries depend on location, education and career background. Thanks to CityTownInfo.com for this attorney schools and jobs info.

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