Side-by-side distribution
Lawyer
$170,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 44%
- Live roles
- 2,486
Privacy Officer
$208,700
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 46.6%
- Live roles
- 148
Highest-paying jobs
Associate Attorney
Associate Attorney - Idaho
Associate Attorney - Utah
Associate Attorney - Insurance Coverage
Senior Attorney - Insurance Coverage
Associate Attorney - Trial & Defense
Associate Attorney - Montana
Property Coverage Attorney
Insurance Coverage Attorney
OGC Advisory Counselor Attorney
Highest-paying jobs
Data Protection, Privacy and Security Of Counsel (Palo Alto)
Sr. Lead Counsel, Privacy
Privacy Counsel
Managing Senior Counsel, Privacy - Caremark
Senior Counsel, Privacy - Blockchain & Digital Assets
Senior Counsel - Privacy, Regulatory & Technology
Senior Privacy & AI Counsel, San Francisco, CA (Hybrid) (963-SLS)
Senior Legal Counsel- Privacy
Associate General Counsel, Privacy & Compliance
Director and Assistant General Counsel, Global Privacy, AI and Cybersecurity
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 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Mastercard
|
$264,500 | 3 |
Centene
|
$153,500 | 3 |
|
Solutuslegal
|
$243,750 | 2 |
Coinbase
|
$223,482 | 2 |
OpenTable
|
$215,000 | 2 |
|
Pinterest
|
$213,178 | 2 |
Premier Inc.
|
$187,500 | 2 |
T-Mobile
|
$172,700 | 2 |
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 |
Privacy Officer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $234,725 | 16 |
| Chicago | $233,650 | 5 |
| San Francisco | $233,200 | 12 |
Lawyer vs Privacy Officer: which pays more?
The median for Lawyer is $170,000 per year (typically $123,200–$207,500), versus $208,700 for Privacy Officer ($172,475–$236,650). That puts Privacy Officer about 23% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Lawyer and Privacy Officer 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.