How much does an Attorney make in Madison, WI?

Updated Oct 29, 2023

Experience

Industry

Total Pay Range
$103K - $183K/yr
Base Pay
$95K - $168K/yr
Additional Pay
$8K - $15K/yr

$137K

/yr
$103K$183K
Most Likely Range

The estimated total pay for a Attorney is $136,950 per year in the Madison, WI area, with an average salary of $126,340 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $10,609 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.

How accurate is this most likely Total Pay range (base + additional) of $103K-$183K/yr?

Total Pay Trajectory

For Attorney in Madison, WI

$136,950 /yr
Attorney
$169,774 /yr
Senior Attorney
$152,503 /yr
Attorney IV
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Attorney?

Job TitleSalary
Attorney$136,950 /yr
Senior Attorney$169,774 /yr
Attorney IV$152,503 /yr

Related Job Titles

For Attorney in Madison, WI

Some related job titles are Attorney (In-house Counsel) Salaries with median pay of $169,512, Contract Attorney Salaries with median pay of $144,473, In-House Counsel Salaries with median pay of $194,352, Lawyer Salaries with median pay of $146,973.

Total Pay Trajectory

For Attorney in Madison, WI

$136,950 /yr
Attorney
$169,774 /yr
Senior Attorney
$152,503 /yr
Attorney IV
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Attorney?

Job TitleSalary
Attorney$136,950 /yr
Senior Attorney$169,774 /yr
Attorney IV$152,503 /yr

What are total pay estimates for an Attorney at different companies in Madison, WI?

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Company
Jobs
Total Pay Range
State of Wisconsin
3.9
AttorneySee 10 salaries from this location

$94,985

 / yr
Murphy Desmond Lawyers
4.8
AttorneySee 4 salaries from this location

$184,423

 / yr
DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C.
3.4
AttorneySee 3 salaries from this location

$147,304

 / yr
Alliant Energy
2.6
AttorneySee 3 salaries from this location

$157,890

 / yr
University of Wisconsin
4
AttorneySee 2 salaries from this location

$86,168

 / yr
Wisconsin Department of Justice
3.3
AttorneySee 2 salaries from this location

$92,866

 / yr
Department of Safety and Professional Services
3.1
AttorneySee 2 salaries from this location

$94,101

 / yr

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Grams & Christoffersen
5
AttorneySee 1 salary from this location

$136,244

 / yr
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
3.9
AttorneySee 1 salary from this location

$43

 / hr
US Navy
3.7
AttorneySee 1 salary from this location

$105,922

 / yr
Russell Law OfficesAttorneySee 1 salary from this location

$98,801

 / yr
Mobility Quest
4.1
AttorneySee 1 salary from this location

$136,901

 / yr
Citi
3.9
LawyerSee 1 salary from this location

$203,861

 / yr
Wilson Law Group
2.6
AttorneySee 1 salary from this location

$117,481

 / yr
Husch Blackwell
4.1
AttorneySee 1 salary from this location

$190,426

 / yr
Berk Merchant & Sims
4.1
AttorneySee 1 salary from this location

$61

 / hr
Hupy and Abraham, S.C.
3.8
AttorneySee 1 salary from this location

$126,495

 / yr
Hometown Legal ServicesAttorneySee 1 salary from this location

$108,764

 / yr
Nagel Law
5
AttorneySee 1 salary from this location

$88,975

 / yr
Foley & Lardner
3.7
AttorneySee 1 salary from this location

$152,346

 / yr
Download as data table

Attorney in Madison, WI Salaries

Job TitleLocationSalary
State of Wisconsin Attorney salaries - 10 salaries reportedMadison, WI$94,985/yr
Murphy Desmond Lawyers Attorney salaries - 4 salaries reportedMadison, WI$184,423/yr
DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C. Attorney salaries - 3 salaries reportedMadison, WI$147,304/yr
Alliant Energy Attorney salaries - 3 salaries reportedMadison, WI$157,890/yr
University of Wisconsin Attorney salaries - 2 salaries reportedMadison, WI$86,168/yr
Wisconsin Department of Justice Attorney salaries - 2 salaries reportedMadison, WI$92,866/yr
Department of Safety and Professional Services Attorney salaries - 2 salaries reportedMadison, WI$94,101/yr
Grams & Christoffersen Attorney salaries - 1 salaries reportedMadison, WI$136,244/yr
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Attorney salaries - 1 salaries reportedMadison, WI$43/hr
US Navy Attorney salaries - 1 salaries reportedMadison, WI$105,922/yr
Russell Law Offices Attorney salaries - 1 salaries reportedMadison, WI$98,801/yr
Mobility Quest Attorney salaries - 1 salaries reportedMadison, WI$136,901/yr
Citi Lawyer salaries - 1 salaries reportedMadison, WI$203,861/yr
Wilson Law Group Attorney salaries - 1 salaries reportedMadison, WI$117,481/yr
Husch Blackwell Attorney salaries - 1 salaries reportedMadison, WI$190,426/yr
Berk Merchant & Sims Attorney salaries - 1 salaries reportedMadison, WI$61/hr
Hupy and Abraham, S.C. Attorney salaries - 1 salaries reportedMadison, WI$126,495/yr
Hometown Legal Services Attorney salaries - 1 salaries reportedMadison, WI$108,764/yr
Nagel Law Attorney salaries - 1 salaries reportedMadison, WI$88,975/yr
Foley & Lardner Attorney salaries - 1 salaries reportedMadison, WI$152,346/yr
Viewing 1 - 20 of 40

Top Paying Industries

For an Attorney in Madison, WI

The top paying industry for an Attorney in Madison, WI is Government & Public Administration with a median total pay of $94,985.

IndustryTotal PayTotal Pay Insight
  • Government & Public AdministrationGovernment & Public Administration$94,985

    0% Lower than other industries

Government & Public Administration

The top paying company in Government & Public Administration for Attorney is State of Wisconsin.

State of WisconsinState of Wisconsin$94,985/yr

Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview

What is the pay outlook for Legal?

The legal field is expected to see continued demand to meet increased regulatory and tax compliance needs in the future. Employees will increasingly work with artificial intelligence and automated services, with workers shifting towards advisory roles rather than document review. Companies are expected to shift more work to in-house legal staff and away from law firm partnerships due to the high cost of outside counsel. Most work in the field requires higher education and offers above-median pay.

Attorney pay FAQ in Madison, WI

The average salary for an Attorney is $136,950 per year in Madison, WI. Salaries estimates are based on 25055 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by an Attorney employees in Madison, WI.

The highest salary for an Attorney in Madison, WI is $183,091 per year.

The lowest salary for an Attorney in Madison, WI is $102,834 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming an Attorney or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of an Attorney.

Pay for attorneys remains high, as they typically face tight deadlines, long hours, and significant barriers to entry. Prospective lawyers must hold a Juris Doctorate degree and pass their state’s bar exam. Partners at law firms receive partial ownership of the firm, which entitles them to a portion of its profits. Other firm employees, as well as corporate in-house counsel and government employees, are usually paid a standard salary. Some attorneys receive further contingency fees when they win a case.

Powered by Glassdoor Economic Research

Compensation for attorneys varies dramatically depending on factors like geographic location and type of legal practice. Approximately 72% say they're satisfied with how much they earn in the field. A potential additional pay of $10,609.39 for attorneys can come from benefits like profit-sharing.

Attorneys make approximately $126,340.21, which increases to $136,949.60 after bonuses and profit-sharing benefits. Brand-new attorneys lean more toward a minimum total pay of $79,488.18, and you'll have the potential to reach $237,072.59 after gaining experience and showing your litigation skills. As you progress through your career as an attorney, you can earn certifications and expand to new practice areas to increase your salary.

Staying on top of legal trends can help you decide where to focus your energy to make more money as an attorney. Some of the highest-paid specialty areas include patents and intellectual property law, mergers and acquisitions, and health care. In many states, you can pass a special bar exam to get certified in various practice areas, which will increase your earnings as you illustrate your ability to bring more business to your practice. You can also work as a staff attorney and work your way up to an executive role as a chief legal officer.

You can negotiate a higher salary by understanding how much attorneys jobs pay in the city where you plan to practice. As a new graduate of law school, emphasize volunteer work and leadership roles that reflect your commitment to serving your clients as an attorney. If you've sought board certification in specialty areas, make sure you factor the additional preparation and education into your salary expectations. Since first-year associates usually get about a 7% raise, ask for about 15% if you're switching to a new firm and you've already been an attorney for a few years.

Additional Resources

Attorney Job Description Template

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