Lawyer vs Accountant Salary (2026)
Side-by-side salary comparison based on BLS OES data. Updated 2026.
Higher paying occupation
Lawyer
$134,712/yr median(+$52,115 · 63.1% more)
Higher pay
Lawyer
Median$134,712
Mean$160,797
10th %ile$74,576
25th %ile$97,600
75th %ile$191,969
90th %ile$286,051
Employed755K+
Accountant
Median$82,597
Mean$90,112
10th %ile$55,126
25th %ile$66,613
75th %ile$106,014
90th %ile$134,991
Employed1.4M+
Salary Distribution Comparison
Lawyer
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $74,576 |
| 25th percentile | $97,600 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $134,712 |
| 75th percentile | $191,969 |
| 90th percentile | $286,051 |
Accountant
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $55,126 |
| 25th percentile | $66,613 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $82,597 |
| 75th percentile | $106,014 |
| 90th percentile | $134,991 |
Top Paying States
Lawyer
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $207,860 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $195,190 |
| 3 | California | $195,080 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $176,680 |
| 5 | Delaware | $173,510 |
Accountant
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $111,530 |
| 2 | New York | $102,640 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $100,830 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $99,460 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $97,550 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which pays more, Lawyer or Accountant?
- Lawyer pays more with a median salary of $134,712/year, which is 63.1% more than Accountant at $82,597/year.
- What is the salary difference between Lawyer and Accountant?
- The median salary difference is $52,115/year (63.1%).