Lawyers Salary in Charlotte, NC-SC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Median annual salary $137,270 -9.2% vs national
Median hourly $65.99
10th percentile $48,860
90th percentile —
Employed locally 5,290
National median $151,160

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Type a city below to see how Charlotte, NC-SC stacks up on salary and cost of living.

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Lawyers
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Charlotte, NC-SC
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $48,860
    25th
    $77,680
    50th (median)
    $137,270
    75th
    $226,490

    Charlotte economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $80,201 2023 • Census ACS
    Lawyers salary vs area income 171% Median Lawyers salary is 71% above the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Lawyers

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $301,320
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $215,090
    Midland, MI $209,430
    Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $205,900
    New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $203,450
    California $197,790

    Nearby metros — Lawyers salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $215,090
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $161,420
    Trenton-Princeton, NJ $130,330
    Anchorage, AK $128,530
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $128,490
    Raleigh-Cary, NC $128,130

    Related occupations in Charlotte, NC-SC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Paralegals and Legal Assistants $53,550
    Legal Support Workers, All Other $86,710
    Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers $62,080
    Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $74,170
    Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers $137,240

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Lawyers make per hour in Charlotte?

    The median hourly wage for Lawyers in Charlotte, NC-SC is $65.99, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $178.45 or more per hour.

    Is Charlotte above or below average for Lawyers salaries?

    The median Lawyers salary in Charlotte, NC-SC is 9.2% below the national median of $151,160. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Lawyers in Charlotte?

    Entry-level Lawyers (10th percentile) earn around $48,860 per year in Charlotte, NC-SC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $77,680.