Ranked list · 48 careers
48 Jobs in Law, Ranked by Fit and Pay (2026)
Appellate Lawyer tops this list at $159,670 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with +4.7% projected employment change over 2025–2035. Below are 48 careers that meet the criteria, each with its real median wage, outlook and entry requirement.
- Careers on this list
- 48From 1,731 in the bank
- Median pay on the list
- $105,420BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Projected to grow
- 38 of 48BLS EP, 2025–2035
- Openings a year
- 1,561,900Combined, BLS EP
Method
How we built this list
Careers in and around the legal system: lawyers, judges, paralegals, mediators, court staff and the specialists who support litigation and compliance. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages.
- Careers in and around the legal system: lawyers, judges, paralegals, mediators, court staff and the specialists who support litigation and compliance. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages.
- Occupations with no BLS wage or projection data are excluded rather than estimated.
- The list is regenerated from source data on every bank refresh. It is not hand-picked and no editorial ranking is applied.
The list
The top 48 jobs in law
100% of these careers already have a full profile page; the rest publish with the next tranche and show the same bank data here in the meantime.
- 1
1. Appellate Lawyer
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $159,670median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
Handles cases on appeal, writing briefs and arguing before appellate courts to reverse or defend a lower court's decision.
- 2
2. BigLaw Equity Partner
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $1,095,465typical, The American Lawyer, Am Law 100 and Am Law 200 (2025 rankings), as reported by Above the Law and Legal.io
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
Co-owns one of the largest US law firms, brings in and leads major client matters, and shares directly in the firm's annual profits.
- 3
3. BigLaw Senior Associate
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $390,000typical, Cravath/Milbank market salary scale, as reported by ABA Journal and Above the Law
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
An experienced associate at a large law firm who runs the day-to-day work on major deals or cases under partner supervision.
- 4
4. Capital Markets Attorney
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $159,670median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
Advises companies and investment banks on raising money through stock and bond offerings and on the securities law rules that govern them.
- 5
5. Entertainment Attorney
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $159,670median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
Negotiates and drafts deals for musicians, actors, writers, studios and labels, and handles rights, copyright and contract disputes.
- 6
6. Lawyer
Legal
- Median pay
- $159,670median a year
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions.
- 7
7. Litigation Finance Underwriter
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $159,670median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
Evaluates lawsuits as investments for litigation funders that pay legal costs in exchange for a share of any recovery.
- 8
8. Mass Tort Attorney
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $159,670median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
Represents large groups of people injured by the same drug, device or product, often in consolidated federal litigation.
- 9
9. Mergers and Acquisitions Attorney
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $159,670median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
Structures, negotiates and documents the purchase and sale of companies for buyers, sellers, private equity funds and boards.
- 10
10. Non-Equity Partner
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $558,000typical, Major, Lindsey & Africa 2024 Partner Compensation Survey
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
A partner-titled lawyer at a large law firm who is paid a fixed salary and bonus rather than a share of firm profits.
- 11
11. Patent Attorney
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $159,670median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
A lawyer with a technical background who obtains, licenses and litigates patents and advises clients on intellectual property strategy.
- 12
12. Privacy Attorney
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $159,670median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
Advises companies on how they collect, use and protect personal data under privacy and data security laws, and handles breaches and investigations.
- 13
13. Public Company General Counsel
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $3,400,000typical, Equilar and BarkerGilmore, 2025 General Counsel Pay Trends
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
The top lawyer at a publicly traded company, leading its legal department and advising the CEO and board on legal and governance risk.
- 14
14. Restructuring Attorney
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $159,670median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
Represents distressed companies, lenders and creditors in Chapter 11 cases and out-of-court debt restructurings.
- 15
15. White-Collar Defense Attorney
Specialty within lawyer
- Median pay
- $159,670median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 28,700
- Education
- Doctorate
Defends companies and executives in fraud, bribery, securities and other government investigations and criminal prosecutions.
- 16
16. Federal Judge
Specialty within judge
- Median pay
- $249,900typical, Administrative Office of the US Courts, judicial compensation table
- Growth
- +2.8%
- Openings / yr
- 800
- Education
- Doctorate
A judge appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to decide cases in the US district courts or courts of appeals.
- 17
17. Judge
Legal
- Median pay
- $153,990median a year
- Growth
- +2.8%
- Openings / yr
- 800
- Education
- Doctorate
Arbitrate, advise, adjudicate, or administer justice in a court of law.
- 18
18. State Supreme Court Justice
Specialty within judge
- Median pay
- $214,935typical, National Center for State Courts, Survey of Judicial Salaries (January 2025)
- Growth
- +2.8%
- Openings / yr
- 800
- Education
- Doctorate
A judge on a state's highest court who decides final appeals on state law and sets precedent for every court in the state.
- 19
19. Law Teacher, Postsecondary
Educational Instruction and Library
- Median pay
- $128,500median a year
- Growth
- +2.6%
- Openings / yr
- 1,800
- Education
- Doctorate
Teach courses in law.
- 20
- Median pay
- $117,860median a year
- Growth
- 0.0%
- Openings / yr
- 500
- Education
- Doctorate
Conduct hearings to recommend or make decisions on claims concerning government programs or other government-related matters.
- 21
21. Legal Operations Manager
Specialty within general and operations manager
- Median pay
- $105,770median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +5.0%
- Openings / yr
- 285,000
- Education
- Bachelor's
Runs the business side of a corporate legal department: budgets, outside law firms, technology, data and process improvement.
- 22
22. Cannabis Compliance Manager
Specialty within compliance officer
- Median pay
- $80,730median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +3.8%
- Openings / yr
- 32,700
- Education
- Bachelor's
Keeps licensed cannabis growers, manufacturers and dispensaries in line with state rules on tracking, testing, packaging, security and sales.
- 23
23. Export Compliance Specialist
Specialty within compliance officer
- Median pay
- $80,730median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +3.8%
- Openings / yr
- 32,700
- Education
- Bachelor's
Makes sure a company's products, software and technical data are exported legally under U.S. export control laws such as the EAR and ITAR.
- 24
24. Title IX Coordinator
Specialty within equal opportunity representative and officer
- Median pay
- $80,730median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +3.8%
- Openings / yr
- 32,700
- Education
- Bachelor's
Oversees a school or university's response to sex discrimination, sexual harassment and assault reports under federal Title IX law.
- 25
25. Trial Consultant
Specialty within market research analyst and marketing specialist
- Median pay
- $78,760median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +7.0%
- Openings / yr
- 82,000
- Education
- Bachelor's
Uses social science research to help attorneys select juries, test arguments with mock juries and prepare witnesses for trial.
- 26
26. Construction Claims Consultant
Specialty within cost estimator
- Median pay
- $78,740median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- −3.1%
- Openings / yr
- 17,600
- Education
- Bachelor's
Analyzes delays, disruptions and cost overruns on troubled construction projects and prepares or defends the claims that follow.
- 27
27. Claims Litigation Manager
Specialty within claims adjuster, examiner, and investigator
- Median pay
- $78,000median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- −5.5%
- Openings / yr
- 20,900
- Education
- High school
Manages insurance claims that have become lawsuits, directing defense attorneys, setting reserves and deciding when to settle or go to trial.
- 28
28. Public Adjuster
Specialty within claims adjuster, examiner, and investigator
- Median pay
- $78,000median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- −5.5%
- Openings / yr
- 20,900
- Education
- High school
Represents homeowners and businesses, not insurers, in property insurance claims after fires, storms and floods, documenting losses and negotiating settlements.
- 29
29. Landman
Specialty within purchasing agent, except wholesale, retail, and farm products
- Median pay
- $136,791typical, American Association of Professional Landmen compensation survey
- Growth
- +6.0%
- Openings / yr
- 47,200
- Education
- Bachelor's
Researches who owns mineral rights and negotiates the leases, contracts and agreements that let energy companies drill, mine or build.
- 30
30. Workplace Investigator
Specialty within human resources specialist
- Median pay
- $75,940median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +6.4%
- Openings / yr
- 73,700
- Education
- Bachelor's
Investigates complaints of harassment, discrimination, retaliation and misconduct at work, then writes findings employers rely on.
- 31
- Median pay
- $75,530median a year
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings / yr
- 300
- Education
- Bachelor's
Facilitate negotiation and conflict resolution through dialogue.
- 32
32. Court Reporter and Simultaneous Captioner
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Median pay
- $72,420median a year
- Growth
- −0.1%
- Openings / yr
- 1,800
- Education
- Certificate
Use verbatim methods and equipment to capture, store, retrieve, and transcribe pretrial and trial proceedings or other information.
- 33
33. Law Librarian
Specialty within librarian
- Median pay
- $68,270median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +2.6%
- Openings / yr
- 12,600
- Education
- Master's
Manages legal research collections and databases and teaches lawyers, judges, students and the public how to find the law.
- 34
34. Right-of-Way Agent
Specialty within appraiser and assessor of real estate
- Median pay
- $67,960median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +3.5%
- Openings / yr
- 5,200
- Education
- Bachelor's
Negotiates with property owners to acquire land and easements for highways, pipelines, power lines and other public infrastructure.
- 35
- Median pay
- $64,920median a year
- Growth
- +2.8%
- Openings / yr
- 1,500
- Education
- Doctorate
Assist judges in court or by conducting research or preparing legal documents.
- 36
36. DOJ Accredited Representative
Specialty within paralegal
- Median pay
- $62,890median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- −0.3%
- Openings / yr
- 40,800
- Education
- Bachelor's
A non-attorney authorized by the Justice Department to give immigration legal help through a recognized nonprofit organization.
- 37
37. E-Discovery Specialist
Specialty within paralegal
- Median pay
- $62,890median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- −0.3%
- Openings / yr
- 40,800
- Education
- Associate's
Manages the collection, processing, review and production of electronic evidence such as email, chat and documents in lawsuits and investigations.
- 38
38. Paralegal
Legal
- Median pay
- $62,890median a year
- Growth
- −0.3%
- Openings / yr
- 40,800
- Education
- Associate's
Assist lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents, or researching legal precedent.
- 39
39. Patent Agent
Specialty within paralegal
- Median pay
- $62,890median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- −0.3%
- Openings / yr
- 40,800
- Education
- Bachelor's
A scientist or engineer registered with the USPTO who drafts and prosecutes patent applications, without needing a law degree.
- 40
- Median pay
- $58,650median a year
- Growth
- +2.1%
- Openings / yr
- 5,300
- Education
- High school
Search real estate records, examine titles, or summarize pertinent legal or insurance documents or details for a variety of purposes.
- 41
41. Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant
Office and Administrative Support
- Median pay
- $55,570median a year
- Growth
- −5.2%
- Openings / yr
- 18,100
- Education
- High school
Perform secretarial duties using legal terminology, procedures, and documents.
- 42
42. Chief Restructuring Officer
Specialty within chief executive
- Median pay
- $213,990median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +3.2%
- Openings / yr
- 19,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
An interim executive brought into a struggling company to stabilize cash, restructure debt and lead it through or around bankruptcy.
- 43
43. Privacy Engineer
Specialty within information security engineer
- Median pay
- $116,580median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +5.1%
- Openings / yr
- 27,000
- Education
- Bachelor's
Builds privacy protections into software and data systems, such as consent handling, data deletion and de-identification, to meet laws like GDPR and CCPA.
- 44
44. Trust Officer
Specialty within financial advisor
- Median pay
- $105,070median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +1.4%
- Openings / yr
- 17,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Manages trusts and estates for families at a bank or trust company, carrying out the terms of the trust and protecting beneficiaries' interests.
- 45
45. Forensic Engineer
Specialty within mechanical engineer
- Median pay
- $104,110median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +11.2%
- Openings / yr
- 17,800
- Education
- Bachelor's
Investigates failures of machines, products, structures and vehicles to find the cause, usually for insurers, attorneys and courts.
- 46
46. Legislative Director
Specialty within management analyst
- Median pay
- $101,860median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +10.1%
- Openings / yr
- 94,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Leads policy and legislation for a member of Congress or a state legislator, advising on votes, drafting bills and managing policy staff.
- 47
47. Responsible AI Specialist
Specialty within management analyst
- Median pay
- $101,860median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +10.1%
- Openings / yr
- 94,100
- Education
- Bachelor's
Assesses AI systems for bias, safety, privacy and legal risk, and builds the policies and review processes that govern how an organization uses AI.
- 48
48. Forensic Psychologist
Specialty within clinical psychologist
- Median pay
- $100,580median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +11.7%
- Openings / yr
- 4,100
- Education
- Doctorate
A licensed psychologist who applies psychological assessment and research to legal questions in courts, prisons, and law enforcement.
Questions
Jobs in Law: FAQ
What is the top career on the jobs in law list?
Appellate Lawyer leads the list with a median wage of $159,670 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025) and projected employment change of +4.7% over 2025–2035. Typical entry-level education is doctorate.
How was this list put together?
Careers in and around the legal system: lawyers, judges, paralegals, mediators, court staff and the specialists who support litigation and compliance. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages. Careers in and around the legal system: lawyers, judges, paralegals, mediators, court staff and the specialists who support litigation and compliance. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages. Every figure comes from BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and O*NET 31.0 Database.
How much do jobs in law pay?
Across the 48 careers on this list the middle occupation pays $105,420 a year, from $55,570 at the bottom to $3,400,000 at the top (BLS OEWS May 2025 and the industry compensation sources cited on each career page). The median across all US occupations is $50,980.
How many of these careers can you enter without a degree?
5 of the 48 careers on this list have a typical entry requirement below an associate's degree: a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or no formal credential (BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035).