Lawyers Salary
Lawyers in Cleveland, OH make a median of $134,680 a year, or about $64.75 an hour. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $282K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $143,399 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,279/month, or 15.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $135K get you in Cleveland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cleveland’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About lawyers
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What this looks like in Cleveland
Pay for lawyers in Cleveland runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $160K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,279/month, 15.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Cleveland can be a reasonable trade-off for lawyerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for lawyers in metros near Cleveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus | $138K | $144K |
| Cincinnati | $131K | $137K |
| Akron | $126K | $135K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $104K | $112K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cleveland, OH
Entry-level lawyers (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $135K. Top earners bring in $282K or more, a $206K spread from bottom to top.
Lawyers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Lawyers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $208K | +30% | 91,870 |
| District of Columbia | $195K | +22% | 33,070 |
| California | $195K | +22% | 95,770 |
| Massachusetts | $177K | +11% | 23,560 |
| Delaware | $174K | +9% | 2,920 |
| Colorado | $169K | +6% | 16,720 |
| Virginia | $167K | +5% | 18,580 |
| Connecticut | $164K | +2% | 8,420 |
| New Jersey | $161K | +1% | 23,160 |
| Illinois | $161K | +1% | 33,590 |
| Pennsylvania | $157K | -2% | 27,170 |
| Minnesota | $155K | -3% | 12,380 |
| Texas | $154K | -3% | 56,580 |
| Washington | $154K | -3% | 12,770 |
| Nevada | $151K | -6% | 6,490 |
| Alaska | $150K | -6% | 1,120 |
| Maryland | $139K | -13% | 13,810 |
| Rhode Island | $139K | -13% | 1,840 |
| Oregon | $138K | -13% | 7,150 |
| Tennessee | $136K | -15% | 9,010 |
| Georgia | $135K | -16% | 23,930 |
| Arizona | $134K | -16% | 11,640 |
| Missouri | $133K | -16% | 11,560 |
| Florida | $133K | -17% | 55,210 |
| Utah | $133K | -17% | 7,020 |
| Alabama | $132K | -17% | 6,730 |
| Ohio | $131K | -18% | 19,950 |
| Michigan | $131K | -18% | 16,620 |
| North Carolina | $128K | -20% | 17,000 |
| Vermont | $127K | -20% | 1,330 |
| Indiana | $127K | -21% | 8,970 |
| Wisconsin | $127K | -21% | 9,160 |
| Hawaii | $125K | -22% | 2,270 |
| Iowa | $124K | -23% | 3,550 |
| New Hampshire | $121K | -24% | 2,250 |
| South Carolina | $120K | -25% | 7,890 |
| New Mexico | $120K | -25% | 3,380 |
| Maine | $113K | -29% | 2,280 |
| Nebraska | $109K | -32% | 3,490 |
| North Dakota | $107K | -33% | 1,050 |
| Kansas | $107K | -33% | 4,190 |
| Louisiana | $104K | -35% | 10,200 |
| Montana | $104K | -35% | 2,380 |
| Idaho | $103K | -35% | 2,490 |
| Oklahoma | $103K | -35% | 6,980 |
| West Virginia | $102K | -36% | 2,440 |
| South Dakota | $102K | -36% | 1,360 |
| Kentucky | $102K | -36% | 5,770 |
| Wyoming | $100K | -37% | 900 |
| Arkansas | $99K | -38% | 3,430 |
| Mississippi | $92K | -43% | 3,100 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track lawyers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cleveland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a lawyer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cleveland?
Yes — at the median salary of $135K, rent takes 15.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,279/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for lawyers in Cleveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lawyers typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,544/month. At HUD’s $1,279/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is lawyer a high-paying job in Cleveland?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $135K here vs. $160K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Cleveland compare to the national average for lawyers?
Cleveland pays $135K median vs. the U.S. average of $160K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $143K — below the national median.
How much do lawyers make in Cleveland, OH?
The median is $134,680 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $75,740, and experienced lawyers can clear $281,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $135K enough to live in Cleveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,294/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,279/month, which eats 15.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a lawyers salary go in Cleveland?
Cleveland has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median lawyers salary is worth about $143,399 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do lawyers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.