Lawyers salary
in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
- Middle 50%
- $137,380–$320,510
- vs U.S. median
- +33%
- Metro rank
- #2 of 304
Lawyers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro earn a median of $212,500 a year, based on BLS estimates for 18,470 jobs (May 2025). That is 33% above the U.S. median of $159,670 and 9% above the CA statewide median of $195,080. It ranks #2 of 304 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE18,470 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Employers filing for this job in San Francisco
4 employers · DOL
Median of each employer’s DOL LCA filings (5+ filings) in this metro, FY2026 Q3. Visa-sponsored positions only, base pay.
| Employer | Median base | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Kirkland & Ellis | $310,000 | 10 |
| Latham & Watkins | $260,000 | 7 |
| Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan | $225,000 | 6 |
| Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati | $225,000 | 5 |
Lawyers pay in other CA metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $301,320 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $194,410 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $185,520 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $181,560 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $178,540 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $178,220 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $175,780 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $174,880 |
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Questions
What is the average Lawyers salary in San Francisco?
The BLS median is $212,500 a year (May 2025). Half of the 18,470 jobs pay between $137,380 and $320,510. The 10th percentile is $98,280 and the 90th is $375,580.
Is San Francisco a high-paying metro for Lawyers?
That is 33% above the U.S. median of $159,670 and 9% above the CA statewide median of $195,080. It ranks #2 of 304 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Lawyers make an hour in San Francisco?
About $102.16 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $212,500 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $66.05–$154.09 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Which employers pay Lawyers the most in San Francisco?
Among employers with 5+ visa-sponsored filings here, the highest medians were Kirkland & Ellis ($310,000), Latham & Watkins ($260,000), Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan ($225,000). These are base wages for sponsored positions, not all employees.
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.