Side-by-side distribution
Contract Manager
$93,600
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 25.8%
- Live roles
- 563
Counsel
$214,750
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 51.8%
- Live roles
- 1,286
Highest-paying jobs
Contracts Administrator
Local Marketing Manager (12-Month Fixed Term Contract)
Campaign Manager (12-Month Fixed Term Contract)
Fractional Growth Product Manager (Part-Time 1099 Contract)
Engineering Manager (fixed term contract)
Contract Proposal Manager- Department of Defense
Contract Lifecycle Manager
Contract Manufacturing Manager
Contract Manager
Contract Technical Sourcing Specialist
Highest-paying jobs
Legal Counsel (corporate / commercial, 3-5 PQE), hybrid/remote
Director, Corporate Counsel
Legal Counsel
General Counsel
Antitrust and Competition Associate / Special Counsel
REIT Special Counsel / Senior Associate
Real Estate Associate / Special Counsel (Lender-Side Focus)
Real Estate Senior Associate / Special Counsel ("Dirt" Focus)
Estate & Tax Planning Legal Counsel
Estate & Tax Planning Legal Counsel
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Remote
|
$79,425 | 6 |
Handshake
|
$83,200 | 5 |
Esri
|
$126,880 | 4 |
Patreon
|
$186,292 | 3 |
Mindgrub
|
$166,400 | 3 |
Blue State
|
$156,000 | 3 |
VML Enterprise Solutions
|
$60,320 | 3 |
VML
|
$60,320 | 3 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| TM Tyson & Mendes LLP | $175,000 | 39 |
Fivetran
|
$214,096 | 23 |
|
Axiom Talent Platform
|
$214,750 | 20 |
Alliance Defending Freedom
|
$159,583 | 12 |
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
|
$275,000 | 10 |
Crusoe
|
$235,000 | 9 |
Clearway Energy
|
$215,000 | 9 |
Harvey
|
$237,500 | 8 |
Contract Manager salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $130,000 | 3 |
| Chicago | $116,698 | 4 |
| Denver | $112,500 | 3 |
| New York | $111,000 | 9 |
| Boston | $99,500 | 3 |
| San Francisco | $87,360 | 8 |
| Toronto | $75,000 | 7 |
| London | $60,320 | 15 |
Counsel salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $228,275 | 126 |
| New York | $222,184 | 165 |
| Seattle | $220,000 | 26 |
| Boston | $219,875 | 12 |
| Los Angeles | $214,750 | 29 |
| Atlanta | $214,750 | 12 |
| Denver | $214,096 | 46 |
| Chicago | $214,050 | 19 |
| Austin | $195,000 | 17 |
| Dublin | $189,072 | 4 |
Contract Manager vs Counsel: which pays more?
The median for Contract Manager is $93,600 per year (typically $75,000–$147,500), versus $214,750 for Counsel ($178,500–$250,000). That puts Counsel about 129% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Contract Manager and Counsel are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.