Lawyers Salary
Lawyers in Delaware make a median of $173,510 a year, or about $83.42 an hour. The range runs from $101K at the entry level to $355K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.51), that's roughly $177,941 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,448/month, or 14.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Delaware. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $174K get you in Delaware?
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What this looks like in Delaware
Lawyers pay in Delaware tracks closely to the national median, $174K locally vs. $160K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,448/month, 14.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.51) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Delaware
Entry-level lawyers (10th percentile) start around $101K. Mid-career wages sit at $174K. Top earners bring in $355K or more, a $254K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track lawyers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Delaware numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a lawyer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Delaware?
Yes — at the median salary of $174K, rent takes 14.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,448/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for lawyers in Delaware?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lawyers typically earn — is $101K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,072/month. At HUD’s $1,448/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is lawyer a high-paying job in Delaware?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $174K locally vs. $160K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Delaware compare to the national average for lawyers?
Delaware pays $174K median vs. the U.S. average of $160K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $178K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do lawyers make in Delaware?
The median is $173,510 a year, that works out to about $83 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $101,200, and experienced lawyers can clear $354,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $174K enough to live in Delaware?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,929/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,448/month, which eats 14.6% 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 Delaware?
Delaware has a Regional Price Parity of 97.51 (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 $177,941 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.