Last Updated on August 25, 2022
The amounts of salaries lawyers earn around the world differ. In some countries, lawyers earn high while some earn low in some countries too. Therefore, if you are a lawyer and thinking of relocating to practice in a country that pays a high lawyer salary, this list of highest salary paying countries for lawyers will guide you to make the right choice.
Earning a good salary may depend on several things such as career choice, location or place of residence, experience, and educational level. Lawyers, otherwise known as attorneys, are a very valued set of professionals all around the world. They render great assistance and services in the form of seeking justice for those who have been oppressed in one way or the other.
Depending on the country of residence, the reward for the help rendered by lawyers defers. Here, we shall be comparing the average annual salary of lawyers in ten different countries from the lowest to the highest in US dollars (USD). This is to help in knowing which countries pay their lawyers the highest salary.
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List Of Highest Salary Paying Countries For Lawyers
Below are some of the top countries of the world with the highest salary for lawyers.
1. Ireland – 92,173 USD
Ireland is at the bottom of our list with an average annual salary of $92,173. The lowest salary an Irish lawyer can receive is $42,432 and the highest salary an Irish lawyer receives is $146,156. Salaries can still defer based on experience levels in Ireland. Different years of experience warrant different payments. A lawyer with less than two years of experience will receive about $48,000 yearly. A lawyer with two to five years experience will earn about $64,300 per year, a lawyer with six to ten years of experience will earn about $95,000 annually, a lawyer with eleven to fifteen years of experience will earn about $115,700 per year, a lawyer with sixteen to twenty years of experience will earn about $126,000 yearly and lawyers with above twenty years of experience should earn the highest which is from $136,700 and above. We can see that level of experience is a very important factor in the amount of money received for services as a lawyer in Ireland.
2. The United States of America – 96,257 USD
The United States of America follows the next one of our list with an average annual salary of $96,257. This salary includes benefits such as health insurance, flexible schedule, work from home, dental insurance, and so on. Just like Ireland, experience plays a great role in the salary rate. The higher your experience level, the higher your salary. A lawyer with less than a year of experience will earn about $75,000 per year. A lawyer with one to two years of experience will earn about $86,900 annually; a lawyer with six to nine years of experience will earn about $107,600 yearly and those with an experience level of ten years and above will earn about $124,300 a year. In a country as big as the United States, salary may also depend on what city you live in. For example, lawyers in Washington earn more than lawyers in California.
3. Germany – 101,484 USD
Germany comes in at number eight with an average annual salary of $101,484. The lowest salary a German lawyer receives is $46,675 while the highest salary a lawyer receives is about $161,479 per year. Like Ireland and The United States, experience also plays a role in the increase of a German lawyer’s salary. Lawyers with zero to five years of experience receive a salary of $52,900 to $70,700 per year. Lawyers with fifteen to twenty years of experience earn about $139,000 and lawyers with twenty years of experience and more will earn about $150,800 yearly. Unlike Ireland and The United States, the educational level also determines a lawyer’s starting salary. Lawyers with a bachelors degree earn less than lawyers with masters degree and lawyers with masters degree earn less than lawyers with a PhD.
4. United Kingdom – 118,300 USD
The United Kingdom is number seven with an average annual salary of $118,300. The lowest salary a lawyer receives is $36,485 per year and the highest salary is about $291,606 annually. Like the other countries, experience plays a role in the increase or decrease of salary. Unlike Ireland, The United States, and Germany, gender plays a role in the salary of lawyers in the UK. Female lawyers generally earn four percent (4%) less than male lawyers. It seems like in all careers in the UK, women generally earn less than men.
5. Japan -118,540 USD
Japan comes in as the sixth position with an average annual salary of $118,540. The average salary includes housing, transport, and other benefits. The lowest salary a Japanese lawyer receives is $54,528 per year and the highest salary is $188,753 annually. Like the others, experience plays a role. Lawyers with two to five years of experience will earn about $82,600 per year, lawyers with five to ten years of experience will earn about $122,100 yearly. Lawyers with fifteen to twenty years of experience will earn about $162,300 annually and lawyers with more than twenty years of experience will earn about $175,900 yearly.
6. Norway – 131,041 USD
The average annual salary for a Norwegian lawyer is $131,041. The lowest salary is $60,255 per year and the highest salary is $208,261 yearly. Lawyers with less than two years of experience earn about $68,320 per year, lawyers with two to five years experience will earn about $91,200 yearly, lawyers with six to ten years experience earn about $134,550 yearly, and lawyers with eleven to fifteen years experience earn about $164,900 per year. Lawyers with sixteen to twenty years of experience will earn about $179,000 annually and Norwegian lawyers with more than twenty years of experience will earn the highest which is about $194,200 annually.
7. Netherlands – 134,370 USD
Netherland is number four on our list with an average annual salary of $134,370. The lowest salary is $59,641 per year and the highest salary for a lawyer is $214,520 annually. A lawyer with less than two years experience will earn about $70,300 per year, a lawyer with five to ten years experience will earn about $139,000 yearly, a lawyer with fifteen to twenty years experience will earn about $185,000 per year and a lawyer with more than twenty years experience will the highest which is about $200,300 annually.
8. Australia – 142,033 USD
Australia is in the top three of our list. The average annual salary of an Australian lawyer is $142,033. The lowest salary is $65,289 per year and the highest salary is $226,031 per year. Like the other countries, experience plays a big role in a lawyer’s salary. A lawyer with less than two years experience earns about $74,150 yearly, a lawyer with two to five years experience earns about $99,200 per year, a lawyer with five to ten years experience earns about $146,600 annually, lawyers with eleven to fifteen years experience earn about $178,600 yearly, lawyers with sixteen to twenty years experience earn about $194,700 and lawyers with more than twenty years experience earn about $210,700 per year. The higher your experience, the higher your salary.
9. Canada – 193,796 USD
Canada is number two on our list with an average annual salary of $193,796. The lowest salary for a Canadian lawyer is $88,796 and the highest salary is $308,167 per year. Like others, experience is a key determining factor. Lawyers with less than two years experience earn about $101,600 per year, lawyers with two to five years experience earn about $135,000 yearly, lawyers with six to ten years experience earn about $200,100 yearly, lawyers with eleven to fifteen years experience earn about $243,800 per year, lawyers with sixteen to twenty years experience earn about $266,000 annually and a lawyer with more than twenty years experience earns the most which is about $281,500 annually. Like other countries in our study, the higher your experience, the higher your salary.
10. Switzerland -260,739 USD
Switzerland is at the top of our list of countries that reward their lawyers the best. With an average annual salary of $260,739. The lowest salary for a Swiss lawyer is $120,279 and the highest salary is $414,058 per year. Like the other countries above, experience is the most determining factor in the salary range. A Swiss lawyer with less than two years experience earns about $136,200 per year, lawyers with two to five years experience earn about $182,110 yearly, a lawyer with six to ten years experience earns about $268,300 yearly, lawyers with eleven to fifteen years experience earn about $326,900 per year, lawyers with sixteen to twenty years of experience earn about $356,700 per year and a Swiss lawyer with more than twenty years experience earns the most which is about $386,585 per year. There are other determining factors such as the skill of the lawyer.