Fees/Costs
Average Attorney Fees by State 2025
Avg Hourly Attorney Rate
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
$450
State | Avg Hourly Attorney Rate 2024↓ | |
|---|---|---|
 | District of Columbia | $462 |
 | Delaware | $423 |
 | New York | $398 |
 | California | $391 |
 | Connecticut | $384 |
 | Virginia | $351 |
 | Illinois | $349 |
 | New Jersey | $348 |
 | Texas | $345 |
 | Maryland | $344 |
 | Georgia | $340 |
 | Florida | $335 |
 | Nevada | $330 |
 | Washington | $322 |
 | Massachusetts | $318 |
 | Rhode Island | $317 |
 | Hawaii | $312 |
 | Minnesota | $305 |
 | Colorado | $302 |
 | Pennsylvania | $302 |
 | Alaska | $300 |
 | Oregon | $296 |
 | North Carolina | $295 |
 | Michigan | $294 |
 | New Hampshire | $294 |
 | Kansas | $292 |
 | Utah | $291 |
 | Wyoming | $290 |
 | Arizona | $287 |
 | South Carolina | $287 |
 | North Dakota | $285 |
 | Tennessee | $281 |
 | Missouri | $280 |
 | Indiana | $278 |
 | Wisconsin | $278 |
 | Arkansas | $271 |
 | Ohio | $268 |
 | Idaho | $267 |
 | Vermont | $267 |
 | Louisiana | $266 |
 | New Mexico | $261 |
 | Oklahoma | $257 |
 | Nebraska | $256 |
 | Iowa | $254 |
 | Alabama | $246 |
 | South Dakota | $245 |
 | Mississippi | $242 |
 | Kentucky | $236 |
 | Maine | $236 |
 | Montana | $234 |
 | West Virginia | $195 |
- The low end/high end estimates were generated by a different source than the yearly averages and were likely computed using a different algorithm.
Although no one wants to be in a situation where they have to consult an attorney, they are more often than not well worth the expense. From filing a claim to getting the proper and professional defense and protection you need, legal counsel is also often a necessary step.
Although attorney fees vary from state to state and according to the type of defense you need (typically a criminal defense attorney will cost more than a family law lawyer), the popularity of the attorney (well-known lawyers usually cost more), these fees do vary from state to state, based on the cost of living in each state.
On average, attorney fees range from $100 per hour to $500 per hour, but if you hire a leading criminal attorney in D.C. (which is ranked the highest average at nearly $400 per hour in 2020) you’re going to most likely pay more than if you hire an estate or family lawyer in a more rural place like Illinois or Alaska, which typically costs $100-$150 per hour.
Sometimes an attorney will charge a specific fee for a service (such as will) or will require a retainer fee, which is sometimes a guarantee that the attorney will take your case or be available on an “as-needed” basis. An attorney may also charge a contingency fee. In this case, the attorney will be paid “contingent upon” your recovery, which is usually based upon a percentage of your recovery. On average, the attorney takes ⅓ or 33% of your recovery.
