California, CA · 2026
Lawyers Salary in California (2026)
Average across 17 cities · Based on BLS data · Updated 2026
State Average
$226,047
per year
State Median
$186,709
per year
vs National Average
+28%
national avg: $176,470
25th %ile
$125,570
Entry
Average
$226,047
State avg
75th %ile
$278,425
Senior
Lawyers Salary by City in California
| City | Avg Salary | vs State Avg | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $275,999 | +22% | +5% |
| San Jose, CA | $273,881 | +21% | +2.1% |
| Fremont, CA | $260,116 | +15% | +2.9% |
| Los Angeles, CA | $253,763 | +12% | +6% |
| Irvine, CA | $248,469 | +10% | +5.3% |
| Anaheim, CA | $244,234 | +8% | +4.1% |
| Long Beach, CA | $242,116 | +7% | +2.5% |
| Santa Ana, CA | $237,881 | +5% | +4.5% |
| San Diego, CA | $230,469 | +2% | +2.7% |
| Chula Vista, CA | $223,058 | -1% | +1.9% |
| Sacramento, CA | $206,116 | -9% | +4.6% |
| Riverside, CA | $205,058 | -9% | +4.4% |
| San Bernardino, CA | $195,528 | -14% | +5.6% |
| Stockton, CA | $191,293 | -15% | +5% |
| Modesto, CA | $185,999 | -18% | +6.1% |
| Bakersfield, CA | $184,940 | -18% | +5.2% |
| Fresno, CA | $183,881 | -19% | +2.4% |
Compare cities side by side
See how Lawyers salaries stack up across California cities.