Side-by-side distribution
General Counsel
$225,362
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 56.6%
- Live roles
- 419
Lawyer
$170,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 44%
- Live roles
- 2,486
Highest-paying jobs
Chief Legal Officer
Deputy General Counsel and Vice President, Intellectual Property
Divisional Chief Legal Officer West Florida Division
General Counsel, San Francisco Bay Area (1003-SLS)
Associate General Counsel, Commercial – Infrastructure
Assistant General Counsel, Healthcare Compliance and Investigations
Senior Director, Assistant General Counsel – Market Access Legal
Associate General Counsel, Content, Music, & Marketing
General Counsel
VP of Legal or General Counsel - The Brydon Group
Highest-paying jobs
Associate Attorney
Associate Attorney - Insurance Coverage
Associate Attorney - Idaho
Associate Attorney - Trial & Defense
Insurance Coverage Attorney
Associate Attorney - Montana
Associate Attorney - Utah
Senior Attorney - Insurance Coverage
Property Coverage Attorney
OGC Advisory Counselor Attorney
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| TT The Trade Desk | $214,050 | 5 |
OKX
|
$250,444 | 4 |
| AD AdventHealth | $227,313 | 4 |
|
Solutuslegal
|
$325,000 | 3 |
| CG Cboe Global Markets | $288,750 | 3 |
Roku
|
$270,000 | 3 |
Neuberger Berman
|
$250,000 | 3 |
Booz Allen Hamilton
|
$232,900 | 3 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| WE Wilson Elser - Attorneys | $183,750 | 86 |
Axiom Talent Platform
|
$190,500 | 56 |
Modern Family Law
|
$151,300 | 42 |
The United Firm | La Liga Defensora, APC
|
$100,000 | 39 |
| TM Tyson & Mendes LLP | $130,000 | 26 |
|
Clyde & Co
|
$196,250 | 24 |
micro1
|
$234,000 | 22 |
Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
|
$292,500 | 21 |
General Counsel salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $270,875 | 4 |
| San Francisco | $270,603 | 28 |
| Atlanta | $266,348 | 8 |
| Austin | $265,000 | 6 |
| Los Angeles | $259,000 | 17 |
| Boston | $242,500 | 13 |
| New York | $240,000 | 56 |
| Denver | $225,000 | 5 |
| Chicago | $223,845 | 16 |
| Toronto | $173,998 | 4 |
Lawyer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | $234,000 | 22 |
| Boston | $194,575 | 22 |
| San Francisco | $190,500 | 78 |
| Atlanta | $190,500 | 47 |
| New York | $189,775 | 204 |
| Chicago | $178,438 | 66 |
| Seattle | $178,100 | 40 |
| Los Angeles | $177,500 | 85 |
| Austin | $176,550 | 36 |
| Denver | $160,000 | 21 |
General Counsel vs Lawyer: which pays more?
The median for General Counsel is $225,362 per year (typically $191,000–$275,000), versus $170,000 for Lawyer ($123,200–$207,500). That puts General Counsel about 33% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so General 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.