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Lawyers salary in Pittsburgh, PA

Median pay for lawyers in Pittsburgh, PA: $138,100/yr

Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $62,850 – $239,200 · about 4,980 employed locally

Above the typical metro median ($119,840) by +$18,260 (+15%).

What it's really worth in Pittsburgh

With Pittsburgh's cost of living at 95 (US=100), that $138,100 has the buying power of about $145,820 in an average-cost US metro.

Local context: median household income $71,283 · median home $231,356 · median rent $1,527/mo.

Full Pittsburgh cost of living & taxes →

How Pittsburgh ranks for this job

On raw pay, Pittsburgh, PA is 34th of the 183 metros we hold lawyers wages for. Once Pittsburgh's cost of living is applied, it ranks 22nd.

Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Pittsburgh sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.

What that salary buys in Pittsburgh

A median home in Pittsburgh, PA costs $231,356 — about 1.7× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.

Median rent of $1,527/mo works out at 13% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.

Where lawyers earn more

Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Pittsburgh.

MetroMedian payvs PittsburghRent vs Pittsburgh
San Jose, CA $239,200 +73% 2.4×
San Francisco, CA $217,340 +57% 2.1×
Los Angeles, CA $194,020 +40% 1.9×
New York, NY $185,790 +35% 2.3×

Same job elsewhere in PA

MetroMedian payvs PittsburghRent vs Pittsburgh
Philadelphia, PA $137,350 −1% 1.3×
Harrisburg, PA $130,270 −6%
York, PA $127,130 −8% 0.9×
Allentown, PA $124,130 −10% 1.2×

Staying in PA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.

Who hires lawyers around Pittsburgh

Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.

Other jobs in Pittsburgh

Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 183 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.