Lawyers
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.
Also called: Admiralty Lawyer, Agency Legal Counsel, Attorney, Attorney at Law, Attorney General, Barrister
Median pay
$159,670
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$78,360 – $351,600
People employed
754,500
Holland code
ECI
Enterprising · Conventional · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 2.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 3.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 4.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 5.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 6.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 7.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 8.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
Lawyers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What lawyers do
- 01Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
- 02Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
- 03Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.
- 04Present and summarize cases to judges and juries.
- 05Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
- 06Select jurors, argue motions, meet with judges, and question witnesses during the course of a trial.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administrative
- Computers and Electronics
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from lawyers
- Chief Executives83% · +34%
- Investment Fund Managers78% · group pay
- Compliance Managers78% · group pay
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologists77% · +21%
- Human Resources Managers77% · −7%
Majors that lead here
- Law
- Advanced Legal Research/Studies, General
- Programs for Foreign Lawyers
- American/U.S. Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence
- Canadian Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence
- Banking, Corporate, Finance, and Securities Law
- Comparative Law
- Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Law
- Health Law
- International Law and Legal Studies
- International Business, Trade, and Tax Law
- Tax Law/Taxation
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.