estate-planning Lawyer Salary

estate-planning lawyers earn $62,000 to $175,000+ annually in the United States

$108,000 Average Salary
$96,000 Median Salary
-39% vs National Avg
Medium Demand

estate-planning Salary Snapshot

  • ● Average: $108,000 (-39% vs national)
  • ● Entry → Senior: $62K → $175K
  • ● Top 10%: $220,000+
  • ● Top State: Massachusetts ($179K)
  • ● Best Employer: BigLaw (500+ attorneys) ($295K)

Source: BLS, NALP, BCG Research • 2026

Estate planning attorneys draft wills, trusts, and handle probate matters. High-net-worth clients require sophisticated planning. The practice offers excellent work-life balance.

Key Industries: Wealth Management, Finance

Requirements: LLM in Estate Planning helpful

estate-planning Salary by Experience Level

How compensation grows with years of practice

Experience Level Years Average Median Growth
Entry Level 0-2 $62,000 $55,800 —
Mid-Level 3-5 $82,950 $77,025 +34%
Senior 6-10 $175,000 $157,500 +111%
Partner 10+ $220,000 $187,000 +26%
💡
Career Growth Insight: estate-planning attorneys can increase their salary by 255% from entry-level to partner track, going from $62,000 to $220,000+ over a typical 10-15 year trajectory.

estate-planning Salary by Employer Type

How compensation varies by firm size and sector

BigLaw (500+ attorneys) $295,000
$225K - $435K
Midsize (50-500 attorneys) $185,000
$155K - $275K
Small Firm (2-49 attorneys) $110,000
$75K - $165K
Solo Practice $85,000
$50K - $150K
In-House Counsel $195,000
$115K - $319K
Government $98,000
$65K - $148K
Public Interest $72,000
$55K - $95K
💡
Employer Insight: BigLaw firms pay 201% more than government positions for estate-planning attorneys. However, government roles offer job security, pension benefits, and PSLF eligibility for student loan forgiveness.

Top Paying States for estate-planning Lawyers

Based on real salary data from attorneys in this practice area

1
Massachusetts 1 entries
$178,750
+66%
2
North Carolina 1 entries
$153,400
+42%
3
Illinois 1 entries
$130,000
+20%
4
Maryland 1 entries
$126,000
+17%
5
Kentucky 1 entries
$107,000
-1%
6
Hawaii 1 entries
$80,500
-25%
7
Indiana 1 entries
$77,000
-29%
8
South Carolina 1 entries
$76,300
-29%
9
Oklahoma 1 entries
$73,500
-32%
10
Arkansas 1 entries
$72,100
-33%

estate-planning Lawyer Salary by State

Estimated salaries across all 50 states based on cost of living and market data

1

New York

$121,329
Entry: $70K +12%
2

District of Columbia

$120,626
Entry: $69K +12%
3

California

$112,302
Entry: $64K +4%
4

Massachusetts

$102,204
Entry: $59K -5%
5

Connecticut

$97,002
Entry: $56K -10%
6

Texas

$94,860
Entry: $54K -12%
7

Illinois

$93,024
Entry: $53K -14%
8

New Jersey

$91,494
Entry: $53K -15%
9

Virginia

$90,576
Entry: $52K -16%
10

Washington

$90,270
Entry: $52K -16%
11

Colorado

$88,740
Entry: $51K -18%
12

Maryland

$88,128
Entry: $51K -18%
13

Georgia

$87,516
Entry: $50K -19%
14

Pennsylvania

$86,292
Entry: $50K -20%
15

Delaware

$85,680
Entry: $49K -21%
16

Florida

$84,762
Entry: $49K -22%
17

Nevada

$83,232
Entry: $48K -23%
18

Minnesota

$82,620
Entry: $47K -24%
19

Arizona

$80,784
Entry: $46K -25%
20

Oregon

$79,560
Entry: $46K -26%
21

North Carolina

$78,336
Entry: $45K -27%
22

Ohio

$76,500
Entry: $44K -29%
23

Michigan

$75,276
Entry: $43K -30%
24

Hawaii

$74,664
Entry: $43K -31%
25

Utah

$73,440
Entry: $42K -32%
26

Tennessee

$72,216
Entry: $41K -33%
27

Rhode Island

$72,216
Entry: $41K -33%
28

Alaska

$72,216
Entry: $41K -33%
29

Missouri

$70,380
Entry: $40K -35%
30

New Hampshire

$70,380
Entry: $40K -35%
31

Wisconsin

$69,768
Entry: $40K -35%
32

Indiana

$68,544
Entry: $39K -37%
33

Louisiana

$68,544
Entry: $39K -37%
34

South Carolina

$67,320
Entry: $39K -38%
35

Alabama

$66,096
Entry: $38K -39%
36

New Mexico

$66,096
Entry: $38K -39%
37

Kentucky

$64,872
Entry: $37K -40%
38

Iowa

$64,260
Entry: $37K -41%
39

Vermont

$64,260
Entry: $37K -41%
40

Nebraska

$63,648
Entry: $37K -41%
41

Kansas

$63,036
Entry: $36K -42%
42

Oklahoma

$62,424
Entry: $36K -42%
43

Maine

$62,424
Entry: $36K -42%
44

Idaho

$61,200
Entry: $35K -43%
45

Arkansas

$59,976
Entry: $34K -44%
46

North Dakota

$59,364
Entry: $34K -45%
47

Montana

$58,752
Entry: $34K -46%
48

Wyoming

$58,140
Entry: $33K -46%
49

West Virginia

$58,140
Entry: $33K -46%
50

South Dakota

$57,528
Entry: $33K -47%
High Paying Average Below Average

Estimates based on BLS state wage data and cost of living adjustments. Actual salaries may vary by firm, experience, and specialization.

estate-planning Market Facts

Key information about this practice area

📈
Medium
Demand Level
📈
+5%
Job Growth (10yr)
🏢
Wealth Management
Top Industry
🌞
Flexible
Work-Life Balance

Law School ROI for estate-planning

How long to pay off student loans in this practice area

🎓
$130,000 Avg Law School Debt
📅
8 years Payoff at Practice Avg
💰
$1,480/mo Standard Payment

Payoff Timeline by Employer Type

Assuming 15% of gross income allocated to loan repayment

BigLaw
2.9 years
estate-planning Avg
8 years
Government
8.8 yrs (PSLF: 10 yrs)

Similar Practice Areas

Compare salaries in related legal specialties

Tax Law

$175,000
+62% vs estate-planning
$110K - $280K

Elder Law

$92,000
-15% vs estate-planning
$55K - $145K

Family Law

$103,761
-4% vs estate-planning
$58K - $165K

Frequently Asked Questions About estate-planning Salaries

How much do estate-planning lawyers make?

estate-planning lawyers earn an average salary of $108,000 per year in the United States. Entry-level estate-planning attorneys start at around $62,000, while experienced senior attorneys can earn $175,000 or more. The top 10% of earners make over $220,000 annually.

What is the starting salary for a estate-planning lawyer?

Entry-level estate-planning lawyers typically earn between $43,400 and $225,000 depending on employer type. BigLaw firms pay around $225,000 for first-year associates, while smaller firms and government positions start lower at $65,000 to $75,000.

Which states pay estate-planning lawyers the most?

The highest-paying states for estate-planning lawyers based on our salary data are Massachusetts ($178,750 average), North Carolina ($153,400), and Illinois ($130,000). Major legal markets like New York, California, and Washington D.C. typically offer the highest compensation.

Is estate-planning law in demand?

estate-planning law is currently in medium demand with projected job growth of 5% over the next decade. Key industries driving demand include Wealth Management, Finance. Note: This practice area requires LLM in Estate Planning helpful.

How much do estate-planning partners make?

estate-planning partners at major law firms can earn $220,000 or more annually. Equity partners at top BigLaw firms may earn $1 million to $5 million or more, while partners at smaller firms typically earn $300,000 to $600,000. Partner compensation varies significantly based on firm size, location, and origination credit.

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