Becoming an attorney can be a lucrative and rewarding career. For these reasons and others, it’s no surprise that being a lawyer is among the most popular professions, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. From Family Law to Antitrust, International Law to Probate, there are many legal specialties and many more law firms to match.
With the industry on the rise, many attorneys are curious to know exactly how fierce the competition is and how many other players are in the space. In this guide, we’re covering recent statistics and growth trends pertaining to the legal industry, answering the question of exactly HOW many lawyers are there in 2024.
2024 Statistics on the Number of Lawyers in the U.S.
The total number of lawyers in the United States increases year after year, but the exact growth rate can fluctuate, as can the saturation of attorneys in certain sectors and states.
Here are the latest stats for the legal industry in 2024.
- Total Count of Lawyers (Latest Figures): According to the ABA National Lawyer Population Survey conducted by the American Bar Association, there are over 1,330,000 active lawyers in the United States.
- Industry Growth: The same survey reports that over the past decade, the number of lawyers nationwide has grown by more than 63,000 (5% from 2013).
- Location & Density: The states with the most lawyers are New York (with 9.6 lawyers per 1,000 residents), Massachusetts (with 6.1 lawyers per 1,000 residents), and Connecticut (with 5.8 lawyers per 1,000 residents).
- Average Salary: The average lawyer salary in the USA is $110,000 per year.
- Job Outlook: About 35,600 new job openings for lawyers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
- Leading Sectors: The industries with the highest levels of employment for lawyers include Legal Services, Local Government, and State Government.
Jobs for Lawyers are Expected to Grow in 2024
According to multiple sources, the job outlook for lawyers is looking positive in 2024. The total number of jobs for lawyers is expected to grow by 5-8% over the next decade.
The most popular jobs in the legal industry include:
- Lawyer (with leading specialties including Criminal Law, Estate Law, Immigration Law, Tax Law, Real Estate Law, Trial Law, Family Law, Employment and Labor Law, and Personal Injury Law)
- Mediator
- Paralegal
- Legal Assistant
- Court Reporter
- Office Administrator
- Caseworker
- Legal IT
Top-Paying Cities for Lawyers
The average salary for a lawyer can vary widely depending on the state, local market, level of experience, and specialty.
The following metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas offer the highest annual mean wage:
Metropolitan area | Annual mean wage |
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $ 268,570 |
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | $ 252,210 |
Boulder, CO | $ 251,490 |
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $ 235,940 |
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $ 223,890 |
Midland, MI | $ 220,780 |
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $ 219,740 |
Fort Collins, CO | $ 216,770 |
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $ 213,420 |
Corpus Christi, TX | $ 212,830 |
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | $ 103,640 |
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $ 87,870 |
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $ 97,730 |
Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $ 94,120 |
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $ 130,140 |
Factors Contributing to Legal Industry Growth
In 2024, there are several factors driving the growth of the legal industry. These shape not only the number of lawyers in the US but also the breadth of legal services and specialties.
1. Increasing Demand for Specialized Services
As modern industries (like tech, healthcare, and intellectual property) evolve, the need for specialized legal expertise grows. Lawyers now often need familiarity with fields like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, or environmental science to address increasingly complex legal problems.
This has caused many law firms and corporate legal departments to expand their services and hire specialized talent.
2. Technology and Data Privacy Regulations
Technological advancements have led to new laws and regulations around data privacy, cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Companies must ensure compliance to avoid penalties and infringing on consumers’ rights. Lawyers who specialize in technology law, privacy law, and compliance are in higher demand.
3. Increased Litigation and Demand for Dispute Resolution
As the U.S. remains one of the most litigious societies globally, there’s a consistent demand for legal professionals in civil litigation, class actions, and alternative dispute resolution. The rise in antitrust issues, product liability cases, and large-scale class action lawsuits has spurred growth in firms focused on litigation and dispute resolution.
4. Rise in Corporate Legal Needs
Companies, especially in tech and finance, are increasingly reliant on legal support for compliance, mergers, intellectual property, and labor issues. This has led to expanded in-house legal teams and the growth of law firms that specialize in corporate law, employment law, and intellectual property.
5. Increased Accessibility in Legal Education
Online law programs, alternative legal certifications, and bar exam adaptations have made legal education more accessible to diverse students and working professionals. According to the ABA, more than a dozen law schools now offer online or hybrid J.D. programs. This accessibility has fueled industry growth, increasing the number of individuals able to enter the profession. It has also led to more diversity in the field, in terms of gender, ethnicity, ability, and specializations.
More Lawyers in the Workforce: Good or Bad?
The increasing number of lawyers in the workforce is a double-edged sword, with both positive and perhaps not-so-positive implications.
On one hand, more lawyers mean more access to justice through the presence of more affordable and specialized legal services. In particular, the emergence of more public interest-focused attorneys has given more access to legal resources for underrepresented populations. There has also been expansion into more complex fields, like technology and healthcare law, which brings a diverse array of skill sets.
However, an oversupply of lawyers can saturate the job market, leading to stiffer competition, lower starting salaries, and fewer stable positions, especially for recent graduates.
This surplus may also drive some legal professionals toward high-volume, lower-fee work, potentially impacting service quality. Small and/or growing law firms might face fiercer competition compared to previous generations.
Ultimately, whether the number of lawyers in the US growing is beneficial depends on how one adapts to these challenges. There is an increasing demand for lawyers to meet the diverse needs of clients, across industries, locations, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Stay Ahead of the Curve in a Growing Industry
Even with more lawyers in the profession than ever before, there are still creative ways to carve out your place in the industry. For one, if law school is the immediate goal, consider venturing into unique specializations in corporate law, technology, healthcare, or international law. If you are job hunting, look to areas with a higher median wage for attorneys.
And if you currently work for a firm (or own one), Legal Marketing is the way to go. Implement Digital Marketing strategies like law firm SEO, Paid Ads, and Social Media to stand out from the competition and attract new clients. Whether you create a marketing plan yourself or work with an agency, having an active online presence is one of the best ways to keep your firm ahead of your competitors.