BigLaw Salary by Firm and Cost of Living
What first-years earn at each firm, what that salary is worth where you’d live, and how two offers compare once bonus, tax and rent are in.
169 of 207 firms pay exactly $225,000.
First-year base across 207 firms
| First-year base | Firms |
|---|---|
| $260,000+ | 1 Firm |
| $255,000+ | 4 Firms |
| $240,000+ | 3 Firms |
| $235,000+ | 9 Firms |
| $230,000+ | 1 Firm |
| $225,000+ | |
| $220,000+ | 2 Firms |
| $215,000+ | 7 Firms |
| $210,000+ | 2 Firms |
| $205,000+ | 1 Firm |
| $200,000+ | 3 Firms |
| $190,000+ | 1 Firm |
| $180,000+ | 1 Firm |
| $170,000+ | 1 Firm |
| $166,000+ | 1 Firm |
| $105,000+ | 1 Firm |
From each firm’s own announcement or the market scale it follows, as labelled on its profile. Firms that don’t publish a figure are left out. The first-year pay tracker checks the Am Law 100 firm by firm, with sources. The law firm recruiting statistics page puts that pay in context with when programs open, and the 2027 summer associate deadlines page lists when each firm’s summer program applications open and close.
City Move Calculator
See what salary keeps the same buying power after a market change, then compare the tax hit and take-home pay in both cities.
Equivalent Purchasing Power
$199,144
$245,000 in New York needs to be $199,144 in Washington DC to maintain the same standard of living. Washington DC is 19% cheaper overall.
Cost index uses 100 as the U.S. average. New York is indexed at 187; Washington DC is indexed at 152. The tool answers the practical question: what percent more or less cash would make these markets feel financially equivalent?
Relocation Read
Washington DC improves both buying power and take-home.
The market is cheaper than New York, and estimated take-home is up by $437. On this math, the move gives you more room without needing a higher headline salary.
Market Cost Index
New York
187
100 means average. New York is 87% above the U.S. metro average; housing, transportation, food, healthcare, and utilities are folded into the index.
Market Cost Index
Washington DC
152
100 means average. Washington DC is 52% above the U.S. metro average; housing, transportation, food, healthcare, and utilities are folded into the index.
Tax Stack in New York
$245,000 grossbecomes $155,574 take-home (63.5%)
Federal Income Tax
$49,704 (20.3%)
FICA (Social Security and Medicare)
$15,397 (6.3%)
State Income Tax
$14,954 (6.1%)
City Income Tax
$9,371 (3.8%)
Each bar is scaled to your gross. Hover any segment for bracket detail. 2026 single filer, before deductions beyond the standard.
Take-Home
$155,574 (63.5%)
Tax Stack in Washington DC
$245,000 grossbecomes $156,011 take-home (63.7%)
Federal Income Tax
$49,704 (20.3%)
FICA (Social Security and Medicare)
$15,397 (6.3%)
State Income Tax
$23,888 (9.8%)
Each bar is scaled to your gross. Hover any segment for bracket detail. 2026 single filer, before deductions beyond the standard.
Take-Home
$156,011 (63.7%)
Take-Home, Current Market
$155,574
New York · after federal, state and city tax (single filer, estimate)
Take-Home, Move Target
$156,011
Washington DC · after federal, state and city tax (single filer, estimate)
Tax Burden Change
-0.8%
Washington DC taxes 0.8% less on this income
Take-Home Change
+$437
Your take-home goes up 0.3% in Washington DC
Firms open summer 2028 applications on their own schedules, and new ones open every week.
Cost-of-living indices and tax estimates are cited on the methodology page. Estimates, not tax advice.