National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Lawyers earn a national median of $145,760/year vs Human Resources Managers at $136,350/year. Lawyers earn 6% more nationally. The gap is $9,410 per year — or $784 per month.
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Lawyer
$145,760
national median/year
$12,147/mo • $70/hr
VS
Human Resources Manager
$136,350
national median/year
$11,363/mo • $66/hr
Annual salary gap
$9,410
Lawyers earn 6% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $106,665.
Best states for Human Resources Managers
vs Lawyers
Oregon+$16,030
Utah+$16,030
Washington+$14,030
Hawaii+$10,030
North Carolina+$10,030
Best states for Lawyers
vs Human Resources Managers
New York+$19,970
Texas+$13,970
Illinois+$11,970
California+$5,970
Delaware+$5,970
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Lawyers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Lawyers is $145,760 versus $136,350 for Human Resources Managers — a difference of $9,410 per year or $784 per month.
The national median salary gap between Lawyers and Human Resources Managers is $9,410 per year. Lawyers earn 6% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $106,665.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, New York pays Lawyers the highest median salary at $188,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Human Resources Managers the highest median salary at $172,350 per year.
Salary is one factor — Lawyers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Lawyers and Human Resources Managers both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Lawyers earn approximately $70 per hour nationally and Human Resources Managers earn approximately $66 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
