SOC 23-1011 · Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA metro

Lawyers Salary in Santa Rosa, CA

The average salary for lawyers in Santa Rosa, California is $248,950 a year ($119.69 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $181,560: half of the 590 people in this job in the Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 34% more than the U.S. average for this job ($185,840).

$248,950average per year

$119.69 / hourMedian $181,560Take-home ≈ $163,432

  • $97K10th
  • $131K25th
  • $182KMedian
  • $226K75th
  • $294K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

590people in this job
+34%vs U.S. average
#2 of 24California metros
108cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Lawyers pay range in Santa Rosa

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $96,860 a year or less, while the top 10% make $294,230 or more. The middle half of lawyers in Santa Rosa earn between $130,840 and $225,740.

  • $97K10th
  • $131K25th
  • $182KMedian
  • $226K75th
  • $294K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$248,950$20,746$119.69
Median$181,560$15,130$87.29
Entry level (25th percentile)$130,840$10,903$62.90
Experienced (75th percentile)$225,740$18,812$108.53

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Lawyers pay in Santa Rosa vs. California and the U.S.

Lawyers in Santa Rosa earn 8% more than the California average ($230,040) and 34% more than the U.S. average ($185,840). At the median the gap is +14% against the U.S. median of $159,670.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Santa Rosa$248,950$181,560$96,860$294,230590
California$230,040$195,080$97,950$369,18095,770
United States$185,840$159,670$78,360$351,600754,500

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Lawyers salary after taxes in Santa Rosa

On the average salary of $248,950, a single filer in Santa Rosa takes home about $163,432 a year, or $13,619 a month and $6,286 every two weeks. Taxes take 34% 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.

California paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Santa Rosa a good place for lawyers? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Santa Rosa area are 8% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 107.8), so the average $248,950 buys what about $230,971 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Rosa ($56,850). A typical home costs $796,761, or 3.2 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $248,950 is worth in another city

Lawyers salary in other California cities

Santa Rosa ranks 2nd of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($288,980).

All Lawyers salaries in California

Highest-paying cities for lawyers

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($288,980).

Lawyers salary by city

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Lawyers salary in Santa Rosa: questions

How much do lawyers make an hour in Santa Rosa?

$119.69 an hour on average, and $87.29 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level lawyers salary in Santa Rosa?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $96,860 a year and the 25th percentile is $130,840, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the lawyers take-home pay in Santa Rosa?

About $163,432 a year ($13,619 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $248,950. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

Do lawyers earn more in Santa Rosa than elsewhere?

The average here is 34% more than 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA (42220). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 14.2%.
  • 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 0.59, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.59).

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.