Lawyers Salary in Columbia, SC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Columbia, SC

Median annual salary $103,000 -31.9% vs national
Median hourly $49.52
10th percentile $60,230
90th percentile —
Employed locally 2,180
National median $151,160

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Lawyers
in
Columbia, SC
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $60,230
    25th
    $81,990
    50th (median)
    $103,000
    75th
    $169,380

    Columbia economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.00% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $66,146 2023 • Census ACS
    Lawyers salary vs area income 156% Median Lawyers salary is 56% 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
    Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $137,270
    Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $123,590
    Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $119,990
    Wisconsin $119,970
    Spartanburg, SC $116,800

    Related occupations in Columbia, SC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Paralegals and Legal Assistants $49,730
    Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers $48,100
    Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $99,240
    Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers $74,690
    Legal Support Workers, All Other $54,290
    Judicial Law Clerks $73,490

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Lawyers make per hour in Columbia?

    The median hourly wage for Lawyers in Columbia, SC is $49.52, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $141.03 or more per hour.

    Is Columbia above or below average for Lawyers salaries?

    The median Lawyers salary in Columbia, SC is 31.9% 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 Columbia?

    Entry-level Lawyers (10th percentile) earn around $60,230 per year in Columbia, SC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $81,990.