Best paying legal jobs

The highest-paying occupations in legal, ranked with median wage weighted heaviest.

How this ranking is scored

score = .70·pay + .10·growth + .10·employment + .10·openings

Each factor is scaled to the strongest occupation on this list, then weighted and summed. Weights differ by list type. Full methodology.

Wages — OEWS May 2025

Growth & openings — EP 2024–34

Rank by Overall score ·Pay ·Growth ·Openings

Compare · management·business and finance·technology

#

Occupation

MEDIAN PAY

P25–P75

Growth

Employed

Open/yr

Score

01

Lawyers · Doctoral or professional degree · 23-1011

$159,670

+4.1%

754,500

31,500

100

02

Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates · Doctoral or professional degree · 23-1023

$153,990

+2.5%

24,030

900

76

03

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers · Doctoral or professional degree · 23-1021

$117,860

-0.7%

16,370

500

53

04

Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators · Bachelor's degree · 23-1022

$75,530

+4.3%

9,210

300

44

05

Paralegals and Legal Assistants · Associate's degree · 23-2011

$62,890

+0.2%

392,880

39,300

44

06

Judicial Law Clerks · Doctoral or professional degree · 23-1012

$64,920

+2.5%

13,290

1,000

36

07

Legal Support Workers, All Other · Associate's degree · 23-2099

$72,110

-1.2%

46,760

4,700

34

08

Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers · High school diploma or equivalent · 23-2093

$58,650

+2.0%

48,580

5,400

33

All 8 scored occupations shown.

Fastest-growing legal careers

01 Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators +4.3%

02 Lawyers +4.1%

03 Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates +2.5%

04 Judicial Law Clerks +2.5%

05 Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers +2.0%

legal careers without a four-year degree

01 Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers $58,650

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About legal careers

How many legal careers are there?

Jobs.best ranks 8 legal occupations with published wages, from OEWS May 2025.

What is the highest-paying legal job?

Lawyers, with a national median of $159,670.

Can you enter legal without a degree?

Yes — 1 of the ranked legal occupations typically need no four-year degree, including Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers.