Lawyers Salary
Lawyers in Maine make a median of $113,120 a year, or about $54.39 an hour. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $216K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $115,783 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,281/month, or 18.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maine. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $113K actually covers in Maine, month by month
About lawyers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Maine
Pay for lawyers in Maine runs about 29% below the U.S. median of $160K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,281/month, 18.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Maine can be a reasonable trade-off for lawyers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level lawyers (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $113K. Top earners bring in $216K or more, a $139K spread from bottom to top.
Lawyers salary by metro in Maine
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland | $130K | +15% | 1,360 |
| Bangor | $116K | +3% | 210 |
| Lewiston-Auburn | $105K | -7% | 150 |
Compare to other states
Track lawyers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Maine numbers change.
Related careers in Legal
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a lawyer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maine?
Yes — at the median salary of $113K, rent takes 18.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for lawyers in Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lawyers typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,870/month. At HUD’s $1,281/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is lawyer a high-paying job in Maine?
Local pay runs 29% below the national median — $113K here vs. $160K nationally.
How does Maine compare to the national average for lawyers?
Maine pays $113K median vs. the U.S. average of $160K — that’s -29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $116K — below the national median.
How much do lawyers make in Maine?
The median is $113,120 a year, that works out to about $54 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,820, and experienced lawyers can clear $215,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $113K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,782/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 18.9% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (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 $115,783 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.