Side-by-side distribution
Counsel
$214,750
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 51.4%
- Live roles
- 1,313
Medical Affairs
$216,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 68.6%
- Live roles
- 105
Highest-paying jobs
Associate Counsel, Corporate
Legal Counsel (corporate / commercial, 3-5 PQE), hybrid/remote
Director, Corporate Counsel
Legal Counsel
General Counsel
Real Estate Associate / Special Counsel (Lender-Side Focus)
REIT Special Counsel / Senior Associate
Real Estate Senior Associate / Special Counsel ("Dirt" Focus)
Estate & Tax Planning Legal Counsel
Estate & Tax Planning Legal Counsel
Highest-paying jobs
Medical Science Liaison
Senior Director, Regional Field Medical Science Liaison (MSL) West
Senior Medical Science Liaison (MSL) - Respiratory
Senior Medical Science Liaison (MSL) - Dermatology
Director, Medical Science Liaison, Oncology (Dallas, AR, LA, OK, MS)
Director, Medical Science Liaison (Southern Florida, Puerto Rico)
Director, Medical Science Liaison (Northern California, Hawaii)
Director, Medical Science Liaison (MI, WI, MN)
Director, Medical Science Liaison (Northern Florida, GA, SC, AL, MS)
Director, Medical Science Liaison, (NY, Southern Connecticut)
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| TM Tyson & Mendes LLP | $175,000 | 39 |
Fivetran
|
$214,096 | 25 |
Axiom Talent Platform
|
$214,750 | 22 |
Alliance Defending Freedom
|
$159,583 | 12 |
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
|
$275,000 | 10 |
Crusoe
|
$235,000 | 9 |
Clearway Energy
|
$215,000 | 9 |
Remote
|
$107,725 | 9 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Revolution Medicines
|
$247,500 | 17 |
| AT Axsome Therapeutics | $175,000 | 5 |
Regenxbio
|
$200,000 | 4 |
| PP Praxis Precision Medicines, Inc. | $183,750 | 4 |
|
BridgeBio Pharma
|
$230,000 | 3 |
Vor Bio
|
$224,000 | 3 |
Cogent Biosciences
|
$222,500 | 3 |
Oruka Therapeutics
|
$211,000 | 3 |
Counsel salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $230,000 | 125 |
| Seattle | $225,000 | 25 |
| New York | $220,000 | 167 |
| Boston | $219,875 | 12 |
| Los Angeles | $214,750 | 31 |
| Atlanta | $214,750 | 12 |
| Denver | $214,096 | 49 |
| Chicago | $214,040 | 19 |
| Austin | $193,870 | 14 |
| London | $188,441 | 9 |
Medical Affairs salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $175,000 | 3 |
Counsel vs Medical Affairs: which pays more?
The median for Counsel is $214,750 per year (typically $181,925–$250,000), versus $216,000 for Medical Affairs ($195,000–$247,500). That puts Medical Affairs about 1% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Counsel and Medical Affairs 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.