The Average Salary of a Utah Corporate Lawyer

Some lawyers enter the legal field and specialize in corporate law to make the big bucks. However, the reality is that not all corporate lawyers make more than lawyers in other areas of specialization. Corporate lawyer salaries can vary by the size of the law firm, what type of corporate law is practiced and geographic location. The average salary of a corporate lawyer in Utah tends to be below the national average.


Average Salary
The compensation of a corporate lawyer in Utah can be divided into three categories based on experience, according to IHireLegal.com. The average salary of corporate lawyers with the least amount of experience is $50,000 per year in 2011. Those with some experience can expect to make a higher base salary of $70,000, while those with the most experience can expect $100,000.

Pay Scale
Placing the average base salary of corporate lawyers in Utah within the larger pay scale for lawyers in the state provides some additional insight. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of a lawyer in Utah was $120,310 per year, as of May 2010. The median salary for those in this field was $99,150, with the middle 50 percent earning from $70,110 to $152,630 annually.

National Comparisons
Placing the salary of Utah corporate lawyers in the context of national salaries for corporate lawyers also provides some additional points for comparison. According to the BLS, the average salary of corporate lawyers and other lawyers offering legal services was $136,530 per year, as of May 2010. The median national salary for all lawyers was $112,760, with the middle 50 percent earning from $75,200 to $165,470. This means that the typical corporate lawyer in Utah earned in the lower 50 percent nationwide but within the typical range of pay.

Job Outlook
According to the BLS, the legal field should continue to expand from 2008 to 2018. The bureau projects 13 percent job growth in terms of new jobs for lawyers during this period. The bureau lists corporate lawyers as being among those lawyers that will be in high demand during this decade.