The 2026 Attorney Salary Report is Here: Essential Compensation Data for Legal Professionals

October 2, 2025

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The 2026 Attorney Salary Report is Here: Essential Compensation Data for Legal Professionals

JDJournal is pleased to announce the release of the 2026 Edition of The Definitive Guide to Attorney Salaries in the U.S., published by BCG Attorney Search. This comprehensive report delivers authoritative, data-driven compensation benchmarks across law firm roles, geographic markets, and legal specialties — an essential resource for attorneys, law students, and firm leadership.

Key Highlights & Findings

The guide draws upon multiple top-tier sources: NALP associate salary surveys, ABA profession profiles, AmLaw/ALM intelligence, Major, Lindsey & Africa partner compensation surveys, and BCG’s own placement data and market intelligence.
At the associate level, first-year BigLaw salaries have stabilized at $225,000 for 2025, with total compensation (including bonuses) reaching $245,000 to $251,000.
Partner compensation shows striking variance by practice area. For example, Corporate/M&A partners average $1,922,000, while Employment/Labor partners average $929,000.
Equity partners significantly outpace non-equity counterparts: equity partners average ~$1.94 million, while non-equity partners average ~$558,000.
Regional differences are pronounced. In New York, average partner compensation hits $2,420,000, whereas in Denver it hovers near $928,000.
The guide also reports on firm-tier pay scales, showing how compensation works across global elite firms, AmLaw 50/100/200, midsize, and boutique firms.
Adjusted for cost of living, attorneys in markets like Houston, Chicago, and Atlanta often enjoy greater purchasing power than counterparts in coastal, high-cost cities.
The report explores compensation systems (lockstep vs. merit-based), bonus structures, signing/retention incentives, and business development rewards.

Projections & Strategic Insights

Forecasts suggest first-year associate salaries may increase modestly to $230,000 by 2026, with estimated annual growth of ~2.2%.
On the partner side, projected average compensation is expected to rise to $1.565 million in 2026, a ~5.7% year-on-year increase.
The report identifies demand drivers (e.g., M&A, regulatory complexity, technology disruption) and risk factors (e.g., recession, AI automation, alternative legal providers).
For attorneys considering lateral moves, the guide recommends focusing on the 3–6 year associate window, evaluating secondary markets, and emphasizing specialization in high-value practice areas.
For law firms, the report emphasizes the importance of competitive compensation, transparent career paths, work-life balance, and investments in technology to attract and retain top talent.

Why This Matters for JDJournal Readers

This guide is a must-have tool for legal professionals seeking clear, up-to-date benchmarks. Associates evaluating job offers, partners negotiating compensation, law students planning their path, and firm administrators devising retention strategies will all find actionable intelligence. The 2026 edition underscores ongoing compensation trends, regional and specialty differentials, and future growth expectations in a highly competitive legal labor market.