Lawyers pay range in Sacramento
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $80,540 a year or less, while the top 10% make $284,610 or more. The middle half of lawyers in Sacramento earn between $128,420 and $209,650.
- $81K10th
- $128K25th
- $179KMedian
- $210K75th
- $285K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $187,020 | $15,585 | $89.91 |
| Median | $178,540 | $14,878 | $85.84 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $128,420 | $10,702 | $61.74 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $209,650 | $17,471 | $100.79 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Lawyers pay in Sacramento vs. California and the U.S.
Lawyers in Sacramento earn 19% less than the California average ($230,040) and about the same as the U.S. average ($185,840). At the median the gap is +12% against the U.S. median of $159,670.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento | $187,020 | $178,540 | $80,540 | $284,610 | 7,620 |
| California | $230,040 | $195,080 | $97,950 | $369,180 | 95,770 |
| United States | $185,840 | $159,670 | $78,360 | $351,600 | 754,500 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Lawyers salary after taxes in Sacramento
On the average salary of $187,020, a single filer in Sacramento takes home about $125,950 a year, or $10,496 a month and $4,844 every two weeks. Taxes take 33% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Sacramento a good place for lawyers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Sacramento area are 7% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 106.7), so the average $187,020 buys what about $175,326 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Sacramento ($59,750). A typical home costs $582,707, or 3.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Lawyers salary in other California cities
Sacramento ranks 10th of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($288,980).
- San Jose$288,980
- Santa Rosa$248,950
- Los Angeles$241,500
- San Francisco$237,060
- San Diego$203,680
- Modesto$195,450
- San Luis Obispo$193,770
- Hanford$193,170
- Oxnard$191,100
- Sacramento$187,020
Highest-paying cities for lawyers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($288,980).
- San Jose, CA$288,980
- Santa Rosa, CA$248,950
- Los Angeles, CA$241,500
- San Francisco, CA$237,060
- Bridgeport, CT$231,710
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Lawyers salary in Sacramento: questions
How much do lawyers make an hour in Sacramento?
$89.91 an hour on average, and $85.84 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level lawyers salary in Sacramento?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $80,540 a year and the 25th percentile is $128,420, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the lawyers take-home pay in Sacramento?
About $125,950 a year ($10,496 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $187,020. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do lawyers earn more in Sacramento than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($185,840).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 23-1011; area Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA (40900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.2%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.45, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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