Side-by-side distribution
General Counsel
$265,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 61.5%
- Live roles
- 192
Investment Banking
$206,250
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 34.8%
- Live roles
- 23
Highest-paying jobs
Chief Legal Officer (CLO) ($1M-$5M salary)
General Counsel
Chief Legal Officer
Chief Legal Officer
General Counsel
Chief Legal Officer (Pacific Northwest or Hybrid) (964-SLS)
Deputy General Counsel
Assistant General Counsel, M&A
Associate General Counsel, Product & Commercial
Deputy General Counsel
Highest-paying jobs
Investment Banker II
Investment Banker I
Associate - Investment Banking - Los Angeles
Investment Banking, Vice President & Associate, Consumer & Retail
Investment Banking, Associate, M&A
Investment Banking, Associate, Private Capital Advisory
Investment Banking, Senior Analyst/Associate, DCM
Analyst - Investment Banking - Los Angeles
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
FutureSight
|
$5,988 | 10 |
| SA Scale AI | $297,900 | 4 |
| TT The Trade Desk | $214,050 | 4 |
Hadrian Automation
|
$312,500 | 3 |
Fireblocks
|
$257,000 | 3 |
Robinhood
|
$236,000 | 3 |
|
STR
|
$355,000 | 2 |
| AX Axon | $311,345 | 2 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| BT BTIG | $185,000 | 4 |
|
OffDeal
|
$486,250 | 2 |
|
Ducera Partners - Experienced Hires
|
$175,000 | 2 |
General Counsel salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $270,000 | 25 |
| New York | $250,000 | 37 |
| Los Angeles | $243,575 | 10 |
| Boston | $231,345 | 4 |
| Chicago | $214,045 | 6 |
| Austin | $180,000 | 3 |
Investment Banking salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $206,250 | 6 |
General Counsel vs Investment Banking: which pays more?
The median for General Counsel is $265,000 per year (typically $214,050–$297,900), versus $206,250 for Investment Banking ($176,250–$228,750). That puts General Counsel about 28% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so General Counsel and Investment Banking 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.