Side-by-side distribution
Counsel
$214,750
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 51.8%
- Live roles
- 1,286
Lawyer
$175,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 45%
- Live roles
- 1,431
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
Highest-paying jobs
Corporation Immigration Attorney, Practice Owner
Immigration Attorney, Practice Owner
Legal Counsel (corporate / commercial, 3-5 PQE), hybrid/remote
Legal Counsel
Trial Attorney
Employment Law Attorney
Employment Law Attorney
Trial Attorney
Employment Law Attorney
Nursing Home Attorney
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 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| WE Wilson Elser - Attorneys | $185,000 | 72 |
|
Axiom Talent Platform
|
$214,750 | 63 |
The United Firm | La Liga Defensora, APC
|
$100,000 | 47 |
Parnalllaw
|
$300,000 | 44 |
Modern Family Law
|
$151,000 | 36 |
|
Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
|
$292,500 | 24 |
| TM Tyson & Mendes LLP | $133,750 | 24 |
Michael & Associates, Attorneys at Law
|
$177,500 | 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 |
Lawyer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $214,750 | 29 |
| San Francisco | $203,656 | 34 |
| Boston | $194,875 | 6 |
| London | $188,441 | 5 |
| New York | $185,000 | 99 |
| Toronto | $182,000 | 12 |
| Seattle | $179,500 | 14 |
| Denver | $177,000 | 16 |
| Chicago | $175,000 | 33 |
| Los Angeles | $170,000 | 62 |
Counsel vs Lawyer: which pays more?
The median for Counsel is $214,750 per year (typically $178,500–$250,000), versus $175,000 for Lawyer ($130,000–$214,750). That puts Counsel about 23% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Counsel and Lawyer 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.