Lawyer Salary: New York, NY vs Chicago, IL
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Lawyers in New York, NY and Chicago, IL, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | New York, NY | Chicago, IL | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $208,880▲ | $165,660 | +$43,220 |
| 25th Percentile | $131,240▲ | $106,980 | +$24,260 |
| 75th Percentile | $324,310▲ | $232,270 | +$92,040 |
| 90th Percentile | $391,620▲ | $331,140 | +$60,480 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 112.6 | 103.6 | +9.0 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $185,567▲ | $159,911 | +$25,656 |
| Total Employment | 94,610 | 28,320 | +66,290 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, New York, NY pays $43,220 more (median: $208,880 vs $165,660). BEA's regional price parity is 112.6 in New York, NY and 103.6 in Chicago, IL (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $185,567 and $159,911, so New York, NY comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
4More Lawyer City Comparisons
5Reading This Comparison
The $43,220 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: $185,567 for New York and $159,911 for Chicago, a difference of $25,656.
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 (New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 94,610 Lawyer jobs in the New York area and 28,320 in the Chicago area. For broader context, see our New York overview and the full Lawyer city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lawyer salary higher in New York, NY or Chicago, IL?
New York, NY has the higher median wage for Lawyers ($208,880 per year, against $165,660 in Chicago, IL; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $185,567 in New York, NY and $159,911 in Chicago, IL.
How do prices compare between New York, NY and Chicago, IL?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 112.6 for the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area and 103.6 for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 12.6% above the national level for New York, NY and 3.6% above the national level for Chicago, IL.
Which city pays Lawyers more once local prices are counted?
New York, NY: at national-average prices its median Lawyer wage is $185,567, against $159,911 for Chicago, IL. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.