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Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a lawyer make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

In the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metropolitan area, lawyers earned a median of $138,760 a year ($66.71 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,470 of these jobs there. That is 119% above the $63,490 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $93,480 and $265,810; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New Jersey tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $99,459 in take-home pay.

Lawyer pay in Trenton-Princeton, NJ at a glance

Median salary

$138,760$66.71 per hour · $11,563 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$93,480$44.94/hr
25th percentile$108,660$52.24/hr
75th percentile$199,990$96.15/hr
90th percentile$265,810$127.79/hr
Jobs in this metro2,470Location quotient 2.12 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here119% aboveAll-jobs median $63,490
Against New Jersey14% belowStatewide median $161,430
Against the U.S.13% belowNational 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.

Take-home payWhat $140,000 a year leaves after tax in New JerseyFederal tax, FICA and New Jersey withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$65 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $140,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $140,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation New Jersey publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about New Jersey.

Lawyer salary in Trenton-Princeton, NJ after taxes

$138,760
$55,000$280,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$138,760
Net 72%
Fed 16%
NJ 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$99,459After all taxes
Monthly deposit$8,288Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$3,825Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate28.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$22,036 / yr
New Jersey state income tax$6,649 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$10,615 / yr
Customize deductions in full New Jersey calculator

Lawyers pay range in Trenton-Princeton, NJ, hourly and yearly

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

What lawyers earned in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NJ)
10th percentile$44.94/hr$7,790$93,480$70,828
25th percentile$52.24/hr$9,055$108,660$80,541
MedianMedian$66.71/hr$11,563$138,760$99,459
75th percentile$96.15/hr$16,666$199,990$138,370
90th percentile$127.79/hr$22,151$265,810$178,819

Is $138,760 a good salary in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

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

Median household income$100,645Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.23.2% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household137.9%of area median income

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

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Lawyers pay in other New Jersey metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Trenton-Princeton, NJ. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Lawyer pay in Trenton-Princeton, NJ: common questions

What is the median salary for lawyers in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

The BLS median annual wage for lawyers in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area was $138,760 in May 2025, about $11,563 a month or $66.71 an hour. Statewide, the New Jersey median for this job is $161,430, so the metro pays 14% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for lawyers in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

The median hourly wage for lawyers in Trenton-Princeton, NJ was $66.71 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $44.94 an hour and one in ten earned more than $127.79.

How many lawyers work in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

BLS estimated 2,470 jobs for lawyers in the metro in May 2025, or 10.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 2.12 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for lawyers in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

BLS wage estimates for lawyers in Trenton-Princeton, NJ run from $93,480 at the 10th percentile to $108,660 at the 25th, $199,990 at the 75th, and $265,810 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do lawyers take home after taxes in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

On a median gross salary of $138,760, an estimated $99,459 lands in net take-home pay per year ($3,825 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New Jersey in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $39,301 (an effective rate of 28.3%).

How much do lawyers make per month in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

On the median annual salary of $138,760, gross monthly income is $11,563. After federal, FICA, and New Jersey state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $8,288 per month (or $3,825 every two weeks).

Is $138,760 a good salary in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

At $138,760, the median salary for lawyers is 137.9% of the Trenton-Princeton, NJ median household income ($100,645). It is 119% above the $63,490 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.2, so prices here run 3.2% above the U.S. average.