Lawyers Salary
Lawyers in Texas make a median of $154,200 a year, or about $74.13 an hour. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $349K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $168,543 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 14.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $154K get you in Texas?
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What this looks like in Texas
Lawyers pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $154K locally vs. $160K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,415/month, 14.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level lawyers (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $154K. Top earners bring in $349K or more, a $270K spread from bottom to top.
Lawyers salary by metro in Texas
26 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $169K | +9% | 17,110 |
| Midland | $163K | +6% | 280 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $158K | +2% | 16,810 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $153K | -1% | 7,540 |
| El Paso | $141K | -9% | 780 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $138K | -11% | 4,020 |
| College Station-Bryan | $135K | -13% | 340 |
| Sherman-Denison | $135K | -13% | 90 |
| Odessa | $133K | -14% | 110 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $132K | -15% | 500 |
| Amarillo | $131K | -15% | 410 |
| Tyler | $130K | -15% | 310 |
| Waco | $130K | -16% | 280 |
| Killeen-Temple | $129K | -16% | 260 |
| Corpus Christi | $129K | -16% | 740 |
| Laredo | $126K | -18% | 240 |
| San Angelo | $126K | -18% | 90 |
| Lubbock | $124K | -19% | 470 |
| Victoria | $124K | -20% | 70 |
| Abilene | $123K | -21% | 160 |
| Eagle Pass | $122K | -21% | 60 |
| Texarkana | $118K | -23% | 120 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $116K | -25% | 850 |
| Wichita Falls | $107K | -31% | 80 |
| Longview | $106K | -32% | 240 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $103K | -33% | 390 |
Showing 1–10 of 26 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
Related careers in Legal
Frequently asked questions
Can a lawyer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $154K, rent takes 14.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for lawyers in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lawyers typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,760/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is lawyer a high-paying job in Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $154K locally vs. $160K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for lawyers?
Texas pays $154K median vs. the U.S. average of $160K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $169K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do lawyers make in Texas?
The median is $154,200 a year, that works out to about $74 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,340, and experienced lawyers can clear $349,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $154K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,679/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $168,543 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.