Lawyers
Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.
How to read this profile
BLS projects U.S. employment for Lawyers to increase by 4.7% between 2024 and 2034, from 863,700 to 904,300 jobs. Its estimate of 28,700 annual openings includes replacement needs, so it does not represent current vacancies, contract postings, or freelance demand. The wage ($159,670), education (Doctoral or professional degree), and related experience (None) figures on this profile describe typical U.S. employees. O*NET skills describe the occupation; they do not assess an individual worker's proficiency.
Base employment (2024)
863,700
Projected employment (2034)
904,300
Projected change (2024–2034)
5%
Annual openings (projected average)
28,700
Pay & Preparation
$159,670
Doctoral or professional degree
None
None
Essential Skills
Speaking (4.62/5) • Active Listening (4.5/5) • Reading Comprehension (4.5/5) • Critical Thinking (4.5/5) • Writing (4.25/5) • Complex Problem Solving (4.12/5)
O*NET describes occupational requirements; these ratings do not measure current job-posting frequency or an individual worker’s proficiency.
BLS projections are long-term estimates; annual openings include growth and replacement needs and are not current vacancies.
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