Modesto, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a lawyer make in Modesto, CA?

In the Modesto, CA metropolitan area, lawyers earned a median of $164,010 a year ($78.85 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 370 of these jobs there. That is 224% above the $50,610 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $93,120 and $300,040; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $112,359 in take-home pay.

Lawyer pay in Modesto, CA at a glance

Median salary

$164,010$78.85 per hour · $13,668 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$93,120$44.77/hr
25th percentile$129,370$62.20/hr
75th percentile$200,990$96.63/hr
90th percentile$300,040$144.25/hr
Jobs in this metro370Location quotient 0.39 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here224% aboveAll-jobs median $50,610
Against California16% belowStatewide median $195,080
Against the U.S.3% aboveNational median $159,670

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Lawyer salary in Modesto, CA after taxes

$164,010
$65,000$330,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$164,010
Net 69%
Fed 17%
CA 7%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$112,359After all taxes
Monthly deposit$9,363Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$4,322Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate31.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$28,096 / yr
California state income tax$11,008 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$12,547 / yr

Lawyers pay range in Modesto, CA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Modesto, CA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What lawyers earned in the Modesto, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$44.77/hr$7,760$93,120$69,925
25th percentile$62.20/hr$10,781$129,370$91,904
MedianMedian$78.85/hr$13,668$164,010$112,359
75th percentile$96.63/hr$16,749$200,990$135,209
90th percentile$144.25/hr$25,003$300,040$191,423

Is $164,010 a good salary in Modesto, CA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for lawyers next to both.

Median household income$81,468Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)104.14.1% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household201.3%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Lawyer pay in Modesto, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for lawyers in Modesto, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for lawyers in the Modesto, CA metro area was $164,010 in May 2025, about $13,668 a month or $78.85 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $195,080, so the metro pays 16% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for lawyers in Modesto, CA?

The median hourly wage for lawyers in Modesto, CA was $78.85 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $44.77 an hour and one in ten earned more than $144.25.

How many lawyers work in Modesto, CA?

BLS estimated 370 jobs for lawyers in the metro in May 2025, or 1.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.39 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for lawyers in Modesto, CA?

BLS wage estimates for lawyers in Modesto, CA run from $93,120 at the 10th percentile to $129,370 at the 25th, $200,990 at the 75th, and $300,040 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do lawyers take home after taxes in Modesto, CA?

On a median gross salary of $164,010, an estimated $112,359 lands in net take-home pay per year ($4,322 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $51,651 (an effective rate of 31.5%).

How much do lawyers make per month in Modesto, CA?

On the median annual salary of $164,010, gross monthly income is $13,668. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $9,363 per month (or $4,322 every two weeks).

Is $164,010 a good salary in Modesto, CA?

At $164,010, the median salary for lawyers is 201.3% of the Modesto, CA median household income ($81,468). It is 224% above the $50,610 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 104.1, so prices here run 4.1% above the U.S. average.