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Compare BigLaw pay by real working market.
Sort first-year compensation by nominal salary, headquarters, office city, and cost-of-living adjusted purchasing power. Use this when the question is not just who pays market, but what that market salary buys where you would actually live.
Firms without an office here are hidden.
Avg. headline salary
$241,474
Avg. local buying power
$129,130
Cost index, New York
187
U.S. average = 100
Firms in New York
95
How this works: Pick the market where you would work. The table only shows firms with an office there, then converts first-year pay into local purchasing power. The cost index uses 100 as the U.S. average; New York at 187 means roughly 87% above average, so a $245,000 New York salary has about the same purchasing power as $131,016 in an average-cost city.
| Firm | Rank | Nominal | Adjusted (in New York) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz New York officeAbove market | #2 | $460,000+ | $245,989 Cost index 187-47% |
| Susman Godfrey LLP New York officeAbove market | #19 | $345,000+ | $184,492 Cost index 187-47% |
| Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP New York officeMarket | #1 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP New York officeMarket | #3 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Latham & Watkins LLP New York officeMarket | #4 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Sullivan & Cromwell LLP New York officeMarket | #5 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Kirkland & Ellis LLP New York officeMarket | #6 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP New York officeMarket | #7 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP New York officeMarket | #8 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Milbank LLP New York officeMarket | #9 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP New York officeMarket | #10 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP New York officeMarket | #11 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Sidley Austin LLP New York officeMarket | #12 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Covington & Burling LLP New York officeMarket | #13 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP New York officeMarket | #14 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP New York officeMarket | #15 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP New York officeMarket | #16 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| White & Case LLP New York officeMarket | #18 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Ropes & Gray LLP New York officeMarket | #20 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Paul Hastings LLP New York officeMarket | #21 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Cooley LLP New York officeMarket | #22 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Debevoise & Plimpton LLP New York officeMarket | #23 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Perkins Coie LLP New York officeMarket | #24 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP New York officeMarket | #25 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Jones Day New York officeMarket | #26 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Morrison & Foerster LLP New York officeMarket | #27 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| O'Melveny & Myers LLP New York officeMarket | #28 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Hogan Lovells US LLP New York officeMarket | #30 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Goodwin Procter LLP New York officeMarket | #31 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP New York officeMarket | #32 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Proskauer Rose LLP New York officeMarket | #33 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. New York officeMarket | #34 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP New York officeMarket | #35 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| King & Spalding LLP New York officeMarket | #36 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP New York officeMarket | #37 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP New York officeMarket | #38 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Winston & Strawn LLP New York officeMarket | #39 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP New York officeMarket | #40 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Clifford Chance US LLP New York officeMarket | #41 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| DLA Piper LLP (US) New York officeMarket | #42 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Jenner & Block LLP New York officeMarket | #43 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Mayer Brown LLP New York officeMarket | #44 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Baker McKenzie LLP New York officeMarket | #45 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| McDermott Will & Schulte LLP New York officeMarket | #46 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP New York officeMarket | #47 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Holland & Knight LLP New York officeMarket | #48 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| K&L Gates LLP New York officeMarket | #49 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Freshfields US LLP New York officeMarket | #50 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Dechert LLP New York officeMarket | #51 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Linklaters LLP New York officeMarket | #52 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Vinson & Elkins LLP New York officeMarket | #53 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Baker Botts L.L.P. New York officeMarket | #54 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Greenberg Traurig, LLP New York officeMarket | #55 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| A&O Shearman LLP New York officeMarket | #56 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP New York officeMarket | #57 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Alston & Bird LLP New York officeMarket | #58 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Reed Smith LLP New York officeMarket | #59 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP New York officeMarket | #60 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Boies Schiller Flexner LLP New York officeMarket | #61 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Dentons US LLP New York officeMarket | #62 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP New York officeMarket | #64 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Crowell & Moring LLP New York officeMarket | #65 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP New York officeMarket | #66 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Foley & Lardner LLP New York officeMarket | #67 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Fenwick & West LLP New York officeMarket | #71 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Troutman Pepper Locke LLP New York officeMarket | #72 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP New York officeMarket | #73 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Davis Wright Tremaine LLP New York officeMarket | #74 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. New York officeMarket | #77 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP New York officeMarket | #78 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Steptoe LLP New York officeMarket | #79 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Gunderson Dettmer LLP New York officeMarket | #83 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Fish & Richardson P.C. New York officeMarket | #84 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Seyfarth Shaw LLP New York officeMarket | #89 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Foley Hoag LLP New York officeMarket | #90 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP New York officeMarket | #93 | $245,000+ | $131,016 Cost index 187-47% |
| Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP New York office | #98 | $225,000 | $120,321 Cost index 187-47% |
| Littler Mendelson P.C. New York office | #100 | $225,000 | $120,321 Cost index 187-47% |
| Baker & Hostetler LLP New York officeBelow market | #63 | $215,000 | $114,973 Cost index 187-47% |
| McGuireWoods LLP New York officeBelow market | #68 | $215,000 | $114,973 Cost index 187-47% |
| Venable LLP New York officeBelow market | #69 | $215,000 | $114,973 Cost index 187-47% |
| ArentFox Schiff LLP New York officeBelow market | #80 | $215,000 | $114,973 Cost index 187-47% |
| Haynes and Boone, LLP New York officeBelow market | #81 | $215,000 | $114,973 Cost index 187-47% |
| Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP New York officeBelow market | #85 | $215,000 | $114,973 Cost index 187-47% |
| Polsinelli PC New York officeBelow market | #87 | $215,000 | $114,973 Cost index 187-47% |
| Akerman LLP New York officeBelow market | #95 | $215,000 | $114,973 Cost index 187-47% |
| Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP New York officeBelow market | #97 | $215,000 | $114,973 Cost index 187-47% |
| Nixon Peabody LLP New York officeBelow market | #75 | $210,000 | $112,299 Cost index 187-47% |
| Blank Rome LLP New York officeBelow market | #91 | $210,000 | $112,299 Cost index 187-47% |
| Ballard Spahr LLP New York officeBelow market | #92 | $210,000 | $112,299 Cost index 187-47% |
| Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP New York officeBelow market | #82 | $200,000 | $106,952 Cost index 187-47% |
| Cozen O'Connor P.C. New York officeBelow market | #88 | $200,000 | $106,952 Cost index 187-47% |
| Duane Morris LLP New York officeBelow market | #94 | $200,000 | $106,952 Cost index 187-47% |
| Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP New York officeBelow market | #99 | $200,000 | $106,952 Cost index 187-47% |
| Fox Rothschild LLP New York officeBelow market | #76 | $190,000 | $101,604 Cost index 187-47% |
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
New York office#2Above market
$245,989
in New York-47%
Nominal $460,000+Cost index 187
Susman Godfrey LLP
New York office#19Above market
$184,492
in New York-47%
Nominal $345,000+Cost index 187
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
New York office#1Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
New York office#3Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Latham & Watkins LLP
New York office#4Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
New York office#5Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
New York office#6Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
New York office#7Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
New York office#8Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Milbank LLP
New York office#9Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
New York office#10Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
New York office#11Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Sidley Austin LLP
New York office#12Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Covington & Burling LLP
New York office#13Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
New York office#14Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
New York office#15Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
New York office#16Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
White & Case LLP
New York office#18Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Ropes & Gray LLP
New York office#20Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Paul Hastings LLP
New York office#21Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Cooley LLP
New York office#22Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
New York office#23Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Perkins Coie LLP
New York office#24Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
New York office#25Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Jones Day
New York office#26Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Morrison & Foerster LLP
New York office#27Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
New York office#28Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Hogan Lovells US LLP
New York office#30Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Goodwin Procter LLP
New York office#31Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP
New York office#32Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Proskauer Rose LLP
New York office#33Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.
New York office#34Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
New York office#35Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
King & Spalding LLP
New York office#36Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
New York office#37Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
New York office#38Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Winston & Strawn LLP
New York office#39Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
New York office#40Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Clifford Chance US LLP
New York office#41Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
DLA Piper LLP (US)
New York office#42Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Jenner & Block LLP
New York office#43Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Mayer Brown LLP
New York office#44Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Baker McKenzie LLP
New York office#45Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
McDermott Will & Schulte LLP
New York office#46Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
New York office#47Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Holland & Knight LLP
New York office#48Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
K&L Gates LLP
New York office#49Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Freshfields US LLP
New York office#50Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Dechert LLP
New York office#51Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Linklaters LLP
New York office#52Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Vinson & Elkins LLP
New York office#53Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Baker Botts L.L.P.
New York office#54Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
New York office#55Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
A&O Shearman LLP
New York office#56Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
New York office#57Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Alston & Bird LLP
New York office#58Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Reed Smith LLP
New York office#59Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
New York office#60Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Boies Schiller Flexner LLP
New York office#61Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Dentons US LLP
New York office#62Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
New York office#64Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Crowell & Moring LLP
New York office#65Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
New York office#66Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Foley & Lardner LLP
New York office#67Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Fenwick & West LLP
New York office#71Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Troutman Pepper Locke LLP
New York office#72Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP
New York office#73Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
New York office#74Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
New York office#77Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
New York office#78Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Steptoe LLP
New York office#79Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Gunderson Dettmer LLP
New York office#83Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Fish & Richardson P.C.
New York office#84Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
New York office#89Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Foley Hoag LLP
New York office#90Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
New York office#93Market
$131,016
in New York-47%
Nominal $245,000+Cost index 187
Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP
New York office#98
$120,321
in New York-47%
Nominal $225,000Cost index 187
Littler Mendelson P.C.
New York office#100
$120,321
in New York-47%
Nominal $225,000Cost index 187
Baker & Hostetler LLP
New York office#63Below market
$114,973
in New York-47%
Nominal $215,000Cost index 187
McGuireWoods LLP
New York office#68Below market
$114,973
in New York-47%
Nominal $215,000Cost index 187
Venable LLP
New York office#69Below market
$114,973
in New York-47%
Nominal $215,000Cost index 187
ArentFox Schiff LLP
New York office#80Below market
$114,973
in New York-47%
Nominal $215,000Cost index 187
Haynes and Boone, LLP
New York office#81Below market
$114,973
in New York-47%
Nominal $215,000Cost index 187
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
New York office#85Below market
$114,973
in New York-47%
Nominal $215,000Cost index 187
Polsinelli PC
New York office#87Below market
$114,973
in New York-47%
Nominal $215,000Cost index 187
Akerman LLP
New York office#95Below market
$114,973
in New York-47%
Nominal $215,000Cost index 187
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
New York office#97Below market
$114,973
in New York-47%
Nominal $215,000Cost index 187
Nixon Peabody LLP
New York office#75Below market
$112,299
in New York-47%
Nominal $210,000Cost index 187
Blank Rome LLP
New York office#91Below market
$112,299
in New York-47%
Nominal $210,000Cost index 187
Ballard Spahr LLP
New York office#92Below market
$112,299
in New York-47%
Nominal $210,000Cost index 187
Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
New York office#82Below market
$106,952
in New York-47%
Nominal $200,000Cost index 187
Cozen O'Connor P.C.
New York office#88Below market
$106,952
in New York-47%
Nominal $200,000Cost index 187
Duane Morris LLP
New York office#94Below market
$106,952
in New York-47%
Nominal $200,000Cost index 187
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
New York office#99Below market
$106,952
in New York-47%
Nominal $200,000Cost index 187
Fox Rothschild LLP
New York office#76Below market
$101,604
in New York-47%
Nominal $190,000Cost index 187
Salary data from firm websites and Chambers Associate (2026). Cost of living data from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) and BLS. Adjusted salary = (headline salary / city cost index) x 100. This is an approximation and does not account for state income tax differences.