Legal · Career brief

Lawyers

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Lawyers at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$159,670

Very high national median pay

2025 national median. Top 10% for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

4.7%

Steady projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

28,700

Lots of annual openings

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Top quarter for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

Professional degree

Long formal preparation is part of the path

Doctoral or professional degree. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Persuasive / leading

Influence, decisions, and results matter

Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

Unknown: review standing, lifting, repetitive movement, and posture with a practitioner. No overall physical-demand rating is assigned.

ChooseField take

The strongest national signals are pay and opening volume; each ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if persuasive or leadership-oriented work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a professional-degree path. Main tradeoff: Unknown: review standing, lifting, repetitive movement, and posture with a practitioner. No overall physical-demand rating is assigned.

Before choosing, compare:Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Judicial Law Clerks Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Lawyers with another field Explore rankings in Legal Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$159,670

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

4.7%employment growth28,700openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Doctoral or professional degree

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

863,700

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Lawyers (23-1011).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.
Represent clients in court or before government agencies.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Getting Information4.6
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.6
Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.6
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.5
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others4.5

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Enterprising5.5
Conventional4.6
Investigative4.4
Social3.5
Artistic2.4
Realistic1.1

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Law and Government Computers and Electronics Communications and Media

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Analyze a public case scenario, identify the governing rules and missing facts, and defend a decision whose consequences matter.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Lawyers nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Speaking, Active Listening, Critical Thinking among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options