Handles cases on appeal, writing briefs and arguing before appellate courts to reverse or defend a lower court's decision. BLS does not publish separate figures for lawyers; it counts them within lawyer (SOC 23-1011), whose median pay is $159,670 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
- SOC 23-1011
- Legal
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Appellate Lawyer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $159,670a year, or $76.76/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $78KTop 10% $352K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.7%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 28,700863,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025863.7K
- Projected 2035904.3K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 863.7K Projected 2035 904.3K - Typical education
- Doctorateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Professional degree22.8%
- Doctorate77.2%
Highest education held by lawyers Segment Value Professional degree 22.8% Doctorate 77.2%
Also advertised as: Appellate Attorney, Appellate Litigator, Supreme Court and Appellate Counsel, Appellate Advocate.
Pay
How much do Lawyers make?
Every appellate lawyer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$159,670
Middle half earn $102,990 to $221,370
- 10th
- $78,360
- 25th
- $102,990
- 75th
- $221,370
- 90th
- $351,600
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $78,360 |
| 25th | $102,990 |
| Median | $159,670 |
| 75th | $221,370 |
| 90th | $351,600 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $159,670
- Median hourly wage
- $76.76/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $185,840
- People employed
- 754,500
Versus all US occupations
At $159,670, Lawyers earn 213% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $108,690 a year.
Versus legal occupations
The median is typical for the Legal group, where the middle occupation pays $159,670.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $351,600 or more while the bottom 10% earn $78,360, a gap of 4.5×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 93% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New York pays the most at $207,860, and still leads at $192,604 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Lawyers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New York | $207,860 | $192,604 | 91,870 |
| 2District of Columbia | $195,190 | $177,605 | 33,070 |
| 3California | $195,080 | $176,192 | 95,770 |
| 4Massachusetts | $176,680 | $167,062 | 23,560 |
| 5Delaware | $173,510 | $173,844 | 2,920 |
| 6Colorado | $168,520 | $163,529 | 16,720 |
| 7Virginia | $167,210 | $165,384 | 18,580 |
| 8Connecticut | $163,600 | $157,900 | 8,420 |
| 9New Jersey | $161,430 | $148,366 | 23,160 |
| 10Illinois | $160,800 | $160,868 | 33,590 |
Job outlook
Is Appellate Lawyer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +4.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Lawyers | +4.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Lawyers to change 4.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 40,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 28,700 openings are projected each year, 3.3% of the 863,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Appellate Lawyer
Appellate lawyers earn a JD from an ABA-accredited law school and pass a bar exam. A clerkship with a federal or state appellate judge is the most common launch point, and many leading practitioners also clerked at the US Supreme Court. Strong legal writing, law review and moot court experience help.
After clerking, lawyers join appellate groups at firms or government offices and build experience through briefs and arguments. Some states certify appellate specialists, and the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers recognizes senior practitioners.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Doctoral or professional degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as lawyers.
- Doctoral Degree77.2%
- First Professional Degree22.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Doctoral Degree | 77.2% |
| First Professional Degree | 22.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Appellate Lawyer do?
Appellate lawyers take over a case after a trial court has ruled. Instead of examining witnesses or presenting evidence, they study the record, identify legal errors, and persuade a panel of judges in writing and at oral argument that the decision should be reversed or affirmed.
The craft is legal writing and argument at the highest level. Appellate specialists also help trial teams preserve issues for appeal, draft petitions to state supreme courts and the US Supreme Court, and write amicus briefs for organizations. They work in law firm appellate groups, state and federal solicitor general offices, the Department of Justice and public interest organizations.
Day-to-day tasks
- Review trial records to identify issues for appeal
- Research case law and draft opening, response and reply briefs
- Prepare for and deliver oral arguments before appellate panels
- Draft petitions for review to state supreme courts or the US Supreme Court
- Advise trial teams on preserving issues for appeal
- Write amicus briefs for trade groups and nonprofits
- Hold moot courts to rehearse arguments
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Appellate lawyers spend most of their time in offices researching and writing, with periodic trips to courthouses for oral argument. Deadlines are set by court rules, so schedules are more predictable than trial work, though briefing crunches still bring long days.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking4.6
- Reading Comprehension4.5
- Active Listening4.5
- Critical Thinking4.5
- Writing4.3
- Active Learning3.8
- Monitoring3.4
- Learning Strategies3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.6 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.5 |
| Active Listening | 4.5 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.5 |
| Writing | 4.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.8 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving4.1
- Judgment and Decision Making4.1
- Persuasion4.0
- Negotiation4.0
- Social Perceptiveness3.8
- Time Management3.6
- Coordination3.5
- Systems Analysis3.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.1 |
| Persuasion | 4.0 |
| Negotiation | 4.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.8 |
| Time Management | 3.6 |
| Coordination | 3.5 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
- Analytical or scientific software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Appellate Lawyer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IEA) built on O*NET's Lawyer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Appellate Lawyer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 6 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Enterprising5.5
- Investigative4.9
- Conventional4.5
- Social3.5
- Artistic3.1
- Realistic1.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Appellate Lawyer
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More legal careers
Median annual pay, with lawyers highlighted
- Lawyer$159,670
- BigLaw Equity Partner$159,670
- Non-Equity Partner$159,670
- BigLaw Senior Associate$159,670
- Public Company General Counsel$159,670
- Mergers and Acquisitions Attorney$159,670
- Appellate Lawyer$159,670
- Judge$153,990
- Paralegal$62,890
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Lawyer | $159,670 |
| BigLaw Equity Partner | $159,670 |
| Non-Equity Partner | $159,670 |
| BigLaw Senior Associate | $159,670 |
| Public Company General Counsel | $159,670 |
| Mergers and Acquisitions Attorney | $159,670 |
| Appellate Lawyer | $159,670 |
| Judge | $153,990 |
| Paralegal | $62,890 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Appellate Lawyer appears on
Questions
Appellate Lawyer: frequently asked questions
How much do Lawyers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for lawyers. It counts them within lawyer, whose median pay is $159,670 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $102,990 and $221,370, and the top 10% earn $351,600 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Appellate Lawyer?
Yes, and beyond a bachelor's: BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry requirement for Lawyers. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 77.2% hold doctoral degree.
Is Appellate Lawyer a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4.7% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 28,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Appellate Lawyer do?
Appellate lawyers take over a case after a trial court has ruled. A typical task: review trial records to identify issues for appeal. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Data mining software, Document management software.
Which states pay Lawyers the most?
The highest state medians for Lawyers are New York ($207,860), District of Columbia ($195,190), California ($195,080) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Appellate Lawyer?
O*NET scores Lawyers highest on the Enterprising, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ENTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.