Cities indexed
10
Hourly range, avg
$309–$567/hr
National median
$438/hr
Attorney rates are indexed across 10 cities in 9 states, with hourly rates spanning $88.04/hr (Louisville, KY) to $1000/hr (San Francisco, CA). The national median is $438/hr across all indexed cities. California has the broadest coverage with 2 cities indexed.
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, adjusted for local cost of living. Read the methodology.
The national median rate is $438/hr across 10 indexed cities, with hourly ranges spanning $309/hr at the affordable end to $567/hr at the premium end. Rates vary based on local BLS OEWS wage data and cost of living.
San Francisco, California sits at the top of the index for attorney services with rates of $600–$1000/hr. High-cost coastal metros consistently command the highest rates.
Louisville, Kentucky has the lowest typical attorney rates at $88.04–$146.73/hr. Lower cost of living and wage levels in this metro flow through to consumer prices.
Consumer rates track local wage data and cost of living. The same service in a high-cost coastal metro can cost 2–3× what it costs in a lower-cost inland city. The full geographic precision note explains how MSA-level data is applied per city.
California has the broadest coverage for attorney services with 2 indexed cities, reflecting both consistent BLS wage data and broad market presence in that state.
Consumer-facing rates. We apply industry-standard 1.5–2.5× multipliers to BLS hourly wages to account for business overhead, insurance, licensing, employer costs, and profit margin. The full calculation is documented in the wage-to-price methodology.
Pricing reflects the BLS OEWS May 2024 release. The next refresh lands when May 2025 data is published in April 2026. Cadence is documented in the update schedule.
Data: BLS OEWS May 2024 · Methodology · Last refreshed January 2026