Lawyer Salary: Boston, MA vs San Francisco, CA
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Lawyers in Boston, MA and San Francisco, CA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $183,350 | $212,500▲ | -$29,150 |
| 25th Percentile | $128,670 | $137,380▲ | -$8,710 |
| 75th Percentile | $309,920 | $320,510▲ | -$10,590 |
| 90th Percentile | $379,350▲ | $375,580 | +$3,770 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 108.3 | 115.6 | -7.3 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $169,351 | $183,803▲ | -$14,452 |
| Total Employment | 20,080 | 18,470 | +1,610 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, San Francisco, CA pays $29,150 more (median: $183,350 vs $212,500). BEA's regional price parity is 108.3 in Boston, MA and 115.6 in San Francisco, CA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $169,351 and $183,803, so San Francisco, CA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
4More Lawyer City Comparisons
5Reading This Comparison
The $29,150 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $169,351 for Boston and $183,803 for San Francisco, a difference of $14,452.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 20,080 Lawyer jobs in the Boston area and 18,470 in the San Francisco area. For broader context, see our Massachusetts overview and the full Lawyer city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lawyer salary higher in Boston, MA or San Francisco, CA?
San Francisco, CA has the higher median wage for Lawyers ($212,500 per year, against $183,350 in Boston, MA; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $169,351 in Boston, MA and $183,803 in San Francisco, CA.
How do prices compare between Boston, MA and San Francisco, CA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 108.3 for the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area and 115.6 for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 8.3% above the national level for Boston, MA and 15.6% above the national level for San Francisco, CA.
Which city pays Lawyers more once local prices are counted?
San Francisco, CA: at national-average prices its median Lawyer wage is $183,803, against $169,351 for Boston, MA. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.