Lawyers - Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, and manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.
The national average annual salary for this occupation is $129,440 per year. Nationally, the average hourly wage for this occupation is $62.23. The average wage in New Mexico is well below the national average. In New Mexico, the average hourly wage is $44.91 and most workers in this occupation earn between $27.36 and $53.68 per hour.
In the table click on the "+" sign to expand/collapse areas.
| Area | Entry Wage | Average Wage | Experienced Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Annual | $129,440 | ||
| National Hourly | $62.23 | ||
| Statewide Annual | $56,911 | $93,407 | $111,656 |
| Statewide Hourly | $27.36 | $44.91 | $53.68 |
| Metro Areas | |||
| Albuquerque Annual | $62,724 | $95,076 | $111,253 |
| Hourly | $30.16 | $45.71 | $53.49 |
| Farmington Annual | - | - | - |
| Hourly | - | - | - |
| Las Cruces Annual | $38,223 | $68,466 | $83,587 |
| Hourly | $18.38 | $32.92 | $40.19 |
| Santa Fe Annual | $67,734 | $117,188 | $141,915 |
| Hourly | $32.56 | $56.34 | $68.23 |
| Regions | |||
| Central Annual | $62,724 | $95,076 | $111,253 |
| Hourly | $30.16 | $45.71 | $53.49 |
| Eastern Annual | $60,018 | $92,157 | $108,226 |
| Hourly | $28.86 | $44.31 | $52.03 |
| Northern Annual | $53,228 | $101,595 | $125,779 |
| Hourly | $25.59 | $48.84 | $60.47 |
| Southwestern Annual | $36,225 | $66,169 | $81,141 |
| Hourly | $17.42 | $31.81 | $39.01 |
A dash '-' indicates that information is not available for this occupation or area.
Metro Areas refer to Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
Regions refer to Workforce Investment Areas.
For more detailed information about New Mexico wages visit the Occupational Employment Statistics program website.
Information displayed represents annual 2010 wages.
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New Mexico
2008 to 2018
In 2008 there were about 3,050 workers in this occupation in New Mexico. The Department of Workforce Solutions estimates that by 2018 this number will decrease by about -3 percent and an estmated 2,960 will be employed in this occupation. Compared to other occupations, employment growth in this occupation is declining. Job opportunities indicate few and keen competition, as there should be about 0 openings each year for workers in this occupation.
In the Table click on the "+" sign to expand/collapse areas
| Area | Estimated Employment 2008 | Projected Employment 2018 | Annual Percent Change | Total Annual Average Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 3,050 | 2,960 | -0.30% | 0 |
| + Metro Areas | ||||
| Albuquerque | 1,860 | 1,740 | -0.66% | 0 |
| Farmington | - | - | - | - |
| Las Cruces | 310 | 320 | 0.54% | 2 |
| Santa Fe | 350 | 370 | 0.56% | 2 |
| + Regions | ||||
| Central | 1,860 | 1,740 | -0.66% | 0 |
| Eastern | 180 | 180 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Northern | 610 | 630 | 0.34% | 2 |
| Southwestern | 410 | 440 | 0.69% | 3 |
A dash '-' indicates that information is not available for this occupation or area.
Metro Areas refer to Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
Regions refer to Workforce Investment Areas.
Lawyers usually need Doctoral Degree.
| Education Level | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Doctoral Degree | 76% |
| First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession | 16% |
| Master's Degree | 8% |
Information based on O*NET data and is the result of a national survey.
Use this list to find educational opportunities for this occupation. Contact the specific schools directly to find out application requirements and program availability.
In the table click on the "+" sign to expand/collapse areas.
| + Central New Mexico Community College | ||
|---|---|---|
| Website:http://www.cnm.edu/ | ||
| Type | Standardized Program Title | |
| Postsec. Awards/Cert./Diplomas; 1-2 yrs. | Legal Professions and Studies, Other (NEW) | |
| + Central New Mexico Community College-Mon | ||
| Website:http://www.cnm.edu/campus/montoya/index.php | ||
| Type | Standardized Program Title | |
| Postsec. Awards/Cert./Diplomas; 1-2 yrs. | Legal Professions and Studies, Other (NEW) | |
| + Central New Mexico Community College-Sou | ||
| Website:http://www.cnm.edu/svc/index.php | ||
| Type | Standardized Program Title | |
| Postsec. Awards/Cert./Diplomas; 1-2 yrs. | Legal Professions and Studies, Other (NEW) | |
| + Central New Mexico Community College-Wes | ||
| Website:http://www.cnm.edu/campus/westside/index.php | ||
| Type | Standardized Program Title | |
| Postsec. Awards/Cert./Diplomas; 1-2 yrs. | Legal Professions and Studies, Other (NEW) | |
| + Central New Mexico Community College-Wo | ||
| Website:http://www.cnm.edu/campus/wtc/index.php | ||
| Type | Standardized Program Title | |
| Postsec. Awards/Cert./Diplomas; 1-2 yrs. | Legal Professions and Studies, Other (NEW) | |
| + University of New Mexico Main Campus-UNM | ||
| Website:http://www.unm.edu | ||
| Type | Standardized Program Title | |
| First-professional Degrees | Law (LL.B., J.D.) | |
This list is updated once a year and is compiled from the NM Department of Higher Education and other sources.
| License Title | Contact | Year | Number issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| License to Practice Law in New Mexico | New Mexico Board of Bar Examiners 9420 Indian School N.E, Albuquerque, NM 87112 (505) 527-9706 www.nmexam.org/ | 2010 | 274 |
Other available certificates or credentials may also be desirable. Additional local licenses or permits may be required, and individual businesses may have specific employment requirements. Licensing information is collected through a variety of New Mexico-based resources and does NOT include federal licensing requirements.
No WorkKeys scores are available for this particular occupation.
For further information on WorkKeys please visit the ACT-WorkKeys website. Skill levels are provided for individuals who know thier scores.
| Industry | Percent of Employed |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 57.5% |
| Self-Employed Workers, Primary Job | 25.4% |
| Social Assistance | * |
* Data is confidential.
Source: NMDWS, Economic Research and Analysis Bureau
- Agency Legal Counsel
- Arbitrator, Legal
- Assistant Attorney General
- Assistant Corporation Counsel
- Assistant Counsel
- Associate
- Associate Attorney
- Attorney
- Attorney General
- Attorney at Law
- Bar Examiner
- Barrister
- Business Lawyer
- City Attorney
- City Solicitor
- Civil Lawyer
- Claim Attorney
- Closing Agent
- Commonwealth Attorney
- Consumer Advocate
- Conveyancer
- Corporate Attorney
- Corporate Counsel
- Corporate Counselor
- Corporate Lawyer
- Corporation Counsel
- Corporation Lawyer
- Counsel
- Counselor at Law
- County Attorney
- Criminal Defense Lawyer
- Criminal Justice Lawyer
- Criminal Lawyer
- Defense Attorney
- Deputy Attorney General
- Deputy Chief Counsel
- District Attorney
- Divorce Lawyer
- Entertainment Lawyer
- Enviromental Attorney
- Environmental Lawyer
- Family Lawyer
- Foreign Law Consultant
- Foreign Legal Consultant
- General Counsel
- General Counselor
- Immigration Lawyer
- Immigration Specialist
- Insurance Attorney
- Insurance Counselor
- Law Clerk, with Professional Degree
- Law Writer
- Lawyer
- Lawyer, Admiralty
- Lawyer, Corporation
- Lawyer, Real Estate
- Legal Adviser
- Legal Advisor
- Legal Consultant
- Legal Counsel
- Legal Examiner
- Legal Research Analyst (Lawyer)
- Legal Researcher
- Manager, Legal Department
- Military Lawyer
- Partner
- Patent Attorney
- Patent Lawyer
- Patent Solicitor
- Probate Lawyer
- Prosecutor
- Public Defender
- Rating Board Specialist
- Rating Specialist
- Real Estate Attorney
- Real Estate Closer
- Regulatory Analyst
- Solicitor
- Sports Attorney
- Sports Lawyer
- Staff Attorney
- Tariff Counsel
- Tax Agent
- Tax Attorney
- Tax Lawyer
- Title Attorney
- Title Lawyer
- Trial Attorney
- Trial Lawyer