We’ve had a lot of fun as Biglaw firms fell all over themselves — or not — to raise associate salaries to a $180K-$315K (or $325K) scale. It’s been several years coming and, given how many markets have matched, is probably still shortchanging the market.
But here’s where we focus on the sobering fact that only a handful of lawyers practice in Biglaw (or the higher-end boutiques). And of the few who get a Biglaw gig, most will wash out of that life before they see $315K. So what’s a law degree worth, on average, based on the practice you choose to hone?
PracticePanther put together this infographic, based on data compiled by the American Bar Association, along with Glassdoor, Salary.com, LawyerEdu, and NALP, showing attorney salaries by practice area. Here’s a preview of the image… if you want to see the whole thing, check it out here.
Labor and Employment Federal Litigation Trends 2026
Drawing on more than a decade of data, the report equips law firms and corporate legal teams with actionable insights to better assess risk, refine strategy, and anticipate outcomes in today’s evolving workplace disputes.
There’s no harsher reality check on the bimodal salary distribution than knowing we live in a world of PPPs over a million and entry-level associates making $180K and seeing the average for most who practice remains below $100K.