Side-by-side distribution
Contract Manager
$97,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 27.1%
- Live roles
- 1,589
Counsel
$204,581
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 50.3%
- Live roles
- 2,775
Highest-paying jobs
Contracts Administrator
Principal Product Manager, Search & Contract Understanding
Risk & Independence Contract Specialist Senior Manager - Managed Services
Risk & Independence Contract Specialist Senior Manager - Advisory Consulting Services
Contract Lifecycle Management Lead, Sr. Manager
Senior / Principal Product Manager, Contract Orchestration
Director, Contract Lifecycle Management Product Manager
Marketing Operations Manager (Contract)
CV Invasive Specialist Contract $68/hr
Product Manager — Future Contract Opportunities
Highest-paying jobs
Employment Counsel [6 Month Contract]
Deputy General Counsel and Vice President, Intellectual Property
Litigation Of Counsel - M&A
Senior Counsel - Trial & Defense
Counsel
Senior Counsel - Trial & Defense
Data Protection, Privacy and Security Of Counsel (Palo Alto)
Sr. In-House Counsel
Of Counsel - Litigation (Product Liability)
Sr. In-House Counsel
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Northrop Grumman
|
$117,700 | 21 |
Protiviti
|
$72,652 | 15 |
Loblaw
|
$71,250 | 13 |
| GV GE Vernova | $159,500 | 8 |
CVS Health
|
$96,450 | 8 |
Intel
|
$126,000 | 7 |
CACI
|
$121,950 | 7 |
GDIT
|
$88,174 | 7 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Travelers
|
$147,900 | 46 |
| TM Tyson & Mendes LLP | $175,000 | 32 |
First American
|
$114,000 | 29 |
GEICO
|
$152,725 | 28 |
SpaceX
|
$227,500 | 18 |
Alliance Defending Freedom
|
$179,600 | 18 |
Axiom Talent Platform
|
$190,500 | 17 |
Jackson Lewis
|
$266,250 | 15 |
Contract Manager salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $202,000 | 5 |
| Atlanta | $202,000 | 9 |
| Boston | $182,000 | 10 |
| New York | $165,500 | 23 |
| San Francisco | $160,200 | 17 |
| Los Angeles | $136,225 | 6 |
| Denver | $135,000 | 11 |
| Chicago | $114,400 | 13 |
| Dublin | $93,538 | 3 |
| Toronto | $92,526 | 29 |
Counsel salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $240,000 | 199 |
| Seattle | $234,463 | 66 |
| Los Angeles | $230,000 | 62 |
| Singapore | $227,500 | 5 |
| New York | $215,500 | 311 |
| Austin | $215,000 | 55 |
| Boston | $209,000 | 59 |
| Chicago | $198,325 | 96 |
| Atlanta | $194,100 | 47 |
| Denver | $185,000 | 43 |
Contract Manager vs Counsel: which pays more?
The median for Contract Manager is $97,500 per year (typically $73,500–$132,450), versus $204,581 for Counsel ($167,500–$244,200). That puts Counsel about 110% 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.