Environmental Lawyer Salary Calculator

The sections below walk through every factor the Environmental Lawyer salary calculator accounts for, from baseline salary ranges and entry-level expectations to location-specific adjustments across dozens of states and cities.

1. What Are the Salary Ranges for an Environmental Lawyer?
2. What Is the Entry Level Salary for a Environmental Lawyer?
3. How Much Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn at Entry Level vs Senior Level?
4. Where Are the Best Job Markets for Environmental Lawyers?
5. Which Employers Hire Environmental Lawyers and What Do They Pay?
6. What Job Responsibilities Affect Environmental Lawyer Salary?
7. What Factors Push an Environmental Lawyer Salary Higher?
8. What Factors Lower an Environmental Lawyer Salary?
9. What Benefits Do Environmental Lawyers Typically Receive?
10. What Skills Influence an Environmental Lawyer Salary?
11. How Does Environmental Lawyer Salary Vary by Different States and Cities?

The salary calculator uses a national median hourly base pay of $72.00 as its reference point for environmental lawyers. Under a standard full-time assumption of 40 hours per week and 52 weeks per year, that translates to roughly $149,760 annually at the midpoint. However, the calculator outputs a low-to-high range rather than a single figure because actual compensation depends on the inputs you select.

These ranges shift when you change hours per week (the calculator supports both full-time and part-time schedules), select a different job market size, or adjust experience and education. An environmental lawyer billing 50 hours a week at a large firm in a major metro will see substantially different weekly and annual totals than one working 30 hours a week for a nonprofit in a small metro. The calculator recalculates every estimate in real time so you can compare scenarios side by side.

In the salary calculator, entry level for an environmental lawyer is defined as limited post-bar professional experience — typically zero to three years — combined with a J.D. and no additional advanced degrees or specialized environmental law certifications. When you set the experience slider to its lowest position and select a standard education level, the calculator applies a downward adjustment from the $72.00 median hourly base, producing an estimated entry-level hourly range of approximately $52.00 to $62.00.

On a full-time, 40-hour weekly schedule, that equates to roughly $108,160 to $128,960 per year before taxes. Entry-level environmental lawyers joining large firms with structured associate salary scales (such as those following the Cravath scale) will land near or above the high end, while those entering government agencies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or state attorney general offices often start closer to the low end due to fixed GS pay schedules or state salary bands. The calculator's job market size selector further modifies this range — a first-year associate in a large metro will see a higher estimate than one in a small metro, reflecting cost-of-living and demand differences.

The gap between early-career and senior-level compensation for environmental lawyers is substantial, and the salary calculator captures this through its years-of-experience and education-level adjustments. At the entry level — zero to three years of experience with a J.D. — the calculator estimates hourly pay in the $52.00 to $62.00 range. At the senior level — fifteen or more years of experience, potentially holding an LL.M. in Environmental Law or board certification — the calculator can push hourly estimates to $95.00 to $105.00 or higher.

Senior environmental lawyers who have risen to partner at Am Law 200 firms or who serve as general counsel at energy companies often exceed the calculator's high-end range through profit-sharing, equity stakes, or performance bonuses that fall outside base salary. The calculator focuses on base compensation, but the experience and education inputs reliably model the progression that most environmental lawyers follow across their careers.

The strongest job markets for environmental lawyers cluster around cities with dense concentrations of federal regulatory agencies, energy-sector headquarters, major port or industrial infrastructure, and state governments with aggressive environmental enforcement. Washington, DC leads the field because of the EPA, Department of Energy, Department of the Interior, and dozens of environmental advocacy organizations headquartered there.

Houston's position reflects the concentration of oil, gas, and petrochemical companies that require in-house environmental compliance counsel. Seattle's market is driven by technology companies with sustainability mandates and by Superfund remediation work in the Pacific Northwest. When you select a large metro in the salary calculator, the tool applies the highest market-size adjustment factor, which is why these cities produce the strongest salary estimates.

Environmental lawyers work across private law firms, government agencies, corporate legal departments, and nonprofit organizations, and each employer type produces different salary ranges in the calculator.

Lawyers working for firms like Latham & Watkins or Greenberg Traurig receive the highest base compensation, but their hours often exceed 40 per week — an adjustment you can model in the calculator by increasing weekly hours. Government attorneys at the EPA or state offices earn less per hour but benefit from more predictable schedules. Solo practitioners and contract environmental attorneys operating on a 1099 basis should use the calculator's W-2 vs 1099 toggle to see how self-employment taxes affect take-home pay.

Environmental lawyers handle a distinctive set of responsibilities that directly influence where they land on the salary spectrum the calculator generates. At the core, the work involves interpreting and applying statutes such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, CERCLA (Superfund), RCRA, NEPA, and the Endangered Species Act. Attorneys who handle Superfund litigation — representing potentially responsible parties in multi-million-dollar cleanup disputes — command higher rates than those focused primarily on permitting compliance.

Transactional environmental lawyers who conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments for real estate acquisitions and mergers carry responsibility for identifying contamination liabilities that can reach tens of millions of dollars. This risk-bearing function supports higher salary estimates in the calculator when paired with senior-level experience inputs. Regulatory counsel who negotiate consent decrees with the EPA or state environmental agencies require deep administrative law expertise and often bill at premium rates.

Litigation-focused environmental lawyers who try cases in federal district courts or argue before administrative law judges at the Environmental Appeals Board typically earn more than those whose practice is limited to advisory memos and compliance audits. The salary calculator does not have a separate "practice area" toggle, but you can model this difference by adjusting experience level and education, since litigation-heavy roles tend to correlate with greater seniority and specialized credentials.

Several concrete factors cause the salary calculator to produce higher estimates for environmental lawyers. Increasing years of experience from entry level to 15+ years applies the calculator's most significant upward adjustment, reflecting the premium the market places on attorneys who have handled complex enforcement actions, Superfund cost-recovery suits, or major NEPA challenges.

Education level matters as well. Selecting an LL.M. in Environmental Law or a dual J.D./M.S. in Environmental Science triggers an upward modifier in the calculator because employers at firms like Beveridge & Diamond or in-house at energy companies routinely pay premiums for advanced technical training that reduces reliance on outside consultants.

Choosing a large metro job market activates the calculator's highest geographic adjustment. Practicing in Washington, DC; New York City; or San Francisco pushes estimates above the national median because demand for environmental counsel in those markets outpaces supply — particularly for attorneys who hold both bar admission and specialized technical knowledge of hazardous waste regulations or carbon credit markets.

Working more than 40 hours per week, which is standard at Am Law firms with environmental practices, increases weekly, monthly, and annual salary totals proportionally. An environmental lawyer billing 55 hours per week at a large firm will see annual estimates roughly 37% higher than one working a standard 40-hour week at the same hourly rate.

The calculator produces lower salary estimates when specific inputs are reduced. Setting years of experience to zero through three and education to J.D. only (no LL.M. or specialized certification) activates the lowest experience-education modifier. Selecting a small metro job market applies a downward geographic adjustment that reflects lower billing rates and reduced employer competition in rural or exurban areas where environmental legal work is limited to local permitting and zoning matters.

Part-time status directly reduces weekly, monthly, and annual estimates because the calculator scales all outputs from hourly pay multiplied by hours worked. An environmental lawyer working 20 hours per week earns exactly half the weekly total of one working 40 hours at the same hourly rate.

Choosing 1099 classification in the after-tax section reveals lower net take-home pay because the calculator applies self-employment tax (the employer and employee portions of FICA) on top of income tax. Environmental lawyers who do contract work for multiple clients without W-2 employment absorb this additional tax burden, which the calculator quantifies clearly.

Practicing in states with higher income tax rates also reduces after-tax estimates. When you select a state like California or New York, the calculator applies that state's tax structure, producing lower net pay compared to states with no income tax, such as Texas or Florida — even if the gross hourly rate is identical.

Environmental lawyers employed as W-2 workers at law firms, corporations, government agencies, or nonprofits typically receive health insurance (medical, dental, vision), employer-sponsored retirement plans with matching contributions (401(k) or 403(b)), paid time off, bar dues and CLE reimbursement, and sometimes student loan repayment assistance — a significant perk given that law school debt for environmental lawyers averages over $150,000.

The salary calculator's 401(k) contribution input directly affects after-tax estimates. If you enter a 6% contribution to a traditional 401(k), the calculator reduces your taxable income by that percentage before computing federal and state tax, which increases take-home pay relative to someone who contributes nothing but earns the same gross salary.

Lawyers classified as 1099 independent contractors do not receive employer-sponsored benefits. They must purchase individual health insurance, fund their own SEP-IRA or Solo 401(k), and pay both halves of FICA tax. The calculator's W-2 vs 1099 toggle models this difference in after-tax output, making it clear that a $72.00 hourly rate as a 1099 contractor produces meaningfully less net income than the same rate as a W-2 employee.

Government environmental lawyers at the EPA or state agencies receive defined-benefit pension plans (FERS at the federal level), generous leave accrual, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility after 120 qualifying payments — a benefit that does not appear in hourly pay but represents substantial long-term financial value for attorneys carrying law school debt.

The skills an environmental lawyer possesses directly affect where their compensation falls within the range the salary calculator generates. Proficiency in federal environmental statutes — particularly CERCLA, the Clean Air Act, and RCRA — is baseline. Attorneys who can also interpret scientific data from environmental site assessments, hydrogeological reports, and air emissions modeling without relying entirely on expert consultants justify higher billing rates and therefore higher salaries.

Regulatory negotiation skill is essential for environmental lawyers who represent clients before the EPA, Army Corps of Engineers, or state environmental agencies. The ability to negotiate favorable consent decrees, variance permits, or supplemental environmental project agreements directly generates revenue for firms and cost savings for corporate clients, supporting higher compensation at the senior level in the calculator.

Litigation experience in federal court — particularly managing complex multi-party Superfund cases with dozens of potentially responsible parties — is a high-value skill that employers at firms like Latham & Watkins pay a premium for. Similarly, transactional due diligence skills for M&A environmental risk assessment command higher salaries in corporate in-house roles at companies like ExxonMobil or Chevron.

Emerging specializations in climate change law, carbon credit trading, environmental justice policy, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) compliance are increasingly valuable. Lawyers with these skills can position themselves at the top of the calculator's salary range because demand is growing faster than supply in these sub-specialties, particularly in large metros where corporations and major nonprofits are headquartered.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in New York?

New York is one of the highest-paying states for environmental lawyers. The state's aggressive enforcement posture through the Department of Environmental Conservation, combined with a dense concentration of Am Law 100 firms with environmental practices in Manhattan, drives hourly rates well above the national median. The salary calculator applies a large metro adjustment for New York City and factors in New York's relatively high state income tax, which reduces after-tax estimates compared to states without income tax. Environmental lawyers here frequently handle Superfund litigation, brownfield redevelopment transactions, and coastal resilience permitting under state and federal law.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in New York City (NYC)?

New York City commands the calculator's highest geographic adjustment factor as a large metro. Environmental lawyers at firms such as Paul Weiss, Arnold & Porter, and Sive Paget & Riesel earn hourly rates estimated between $80.00 and $115.00, translating to $166,400 to $239,200 annually at 40 hours per week. The city's cost of living and combined city, state, and federal tax burden mean that after-tax estimates in the calculator will be noticeably lower than gross figures. NYC's environmental legal market is fueled by massive infrastructure projects, waterfront development requiring environmental impact reviews, and ongoing litigation related to the Hudson River PCB cleanup.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in California?

California is the nation's most active state for environmental regulation, making it a top market for environmental lawyers. CEQA (the California Environmental Quality Act) generates enormous volumes of environmental review and litigation that have no federal equivalent. The state's cap-and-trade carbon market, Proposition 65 enforcement, and stringent air quality regulations from CARB create sustained demand for specialized counsel. California's high state income tax reduces after-tax estimates in the calculator, but gross hourly rates in California metros consistently exceed the national median.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles is a large metro where environmental lawyers handle CEQA litigation, port-related air quality disputes at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Superfund sites in the San Fernando Valley, and contaminated land redevelopment across the basin. The salary calculator estimates hourly pay between $74.00 and $105.00 for Los Angeles. After-tax estimates reflect California's state income tax structure, which the calculator applies automatically when you select California as your state of residence.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in San Diego?

San Diego operates as a large metro in the calculator, though its environmental legal market is somewhat smaller than Los Angeles or San Francisco. Key demand drivers include military base environmental remediation (Navy installations at NAS North Island and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton), cross-border environmental issues with Mexico, and coastal zone permitting under the California Coastal Act. Hourly estimates range from approximately $70.00 to $98.00, with after-tax outputs reflecting California's income tax.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Florida?

Florida offers environmental lawyers a favorable after-tax position because the state levies no personal income tax. The salary calculator reflects this by producing higher net pay estimates for Florida-based attorneys than for counterparts earning the same gross rate in high-tax states. Environmental legal work in Florida revolves around wetlands permitting, Everglades restoration litigation, coastal development under the Florida Environmental Land and Water Management Act, and phosphate mining cleanup. The market is spread across several metros rather than concentrated in one city.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Texas?

Texas, like Florida, has no state income tax, which produces higher after-tax salary estimates in the calculator. The state's massive oil, gas, and petrochemical industry drives demand for environmental compliance attorneys who handle TCEQ permitting, Clean Air Act Title V permits for refineries, and produced water disposal issues. Houston is the primary hub, but Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio also support environmental legal practices, particularly in renewable energy siting and water rights disputes.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Houston?

Houston is the nation's energy capital and a critical market for environmental lawyers. The salary calculator treats it as a large metro, producing hourly estimates of $72.00 to $102.00. Attorneys here represent upstream and downstream oil and gas companies in EPA enforcement actions, negotiate consent decrees for refinery emissions violations, and handle environmental due diligence for pipeline and LNG terminal projects. The absence of state income tax in Texas means Houston environmental lawyers keep more of their gross pay, which the calculator's after-tax module quantifies precisely.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Dallas?

Dallas functions as a large metro with a growing environmental legal market driven by corporate headquarters relocations, renewable energy development in North Texas (particularly wind farm siting), and Superfund work at legacy industrial sites. The calculator estimates hourly rates of $68.00 to $96.00 for Dallas. The combination of no state income tax, moderate cost of living compared to coastal cities, and increasing demand for environmental counsel makes Dallas an attractive market for net take-home pay.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Michigan?

Michigan's environmental legal landscape is shaped by the Great Lakes, legacy automotive manufacturing contamination, PFAS groundwater contamination that has become a statewide crisis, and Superfund sites concentrated in the Detroit metro area. The salary calculator applies a mid-sized to large metro adjustment depending on the city selected. Michigan's moderate state income tax reduces after-tax estimates slightly compared to no-tax states, but not as steeply as New York or California.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Georgia?

Georgia's environmental legal work centers on Atlanta and involves industrial permitting, Superfund cleanup at sites like the former Atlantic Steel property, and enforcement actions by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. The state's moderate income tax and lower cost of living compared to northeastern metros mean the calculator produces competitive after-tax estimates. Georgia's port expansion at Savannah also generates environmental permitting and mitigation work for attorneys with wetlands and coastal expertise.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Atlanta?

Atlanta is treated as a large metro in the calculator, producing estimated hourly rates of $66.00 to $92.00 for environmental lawyers. Major employers include Troutman Pepper, King & Spalding, and in-house departments at companies like Southern Company and Georgia-Pacific. Brownfield redevelopment along the BeltLine corridor and water quality disputes involving Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River sustain demand. Atlanta's lower cost of living relative to Washington, DC or New York translates to stronger purchasing power despite somewhat lower gross salary figures.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Ohio?

Ohio's environmental legal market is driven by legacy industrial contamination in the Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati metros, along with Lake Erie water quality enforcement and shale gas extraction in eastern Ohio. The salary calculator applies moderate adjustments for Ohio's mid-sized to large metro areas and factors in the state's income tax. Environmental lawyers in Ohio often work for regional firms or the Ohio EPA, with hourly estimates generally running below the national median due to lower cost of living and reduced competition for legal talent compared to coastal markets.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in North Carolina?

North Carolina's environmental law market is anchored by Raleigh, Charlotte, and the Research Triangle, where coal ash remediation litigation (particularly cases involving Duke Energy sites), hog farm waste disputes, and PFAS contamination at military installations generate significant legal work. The calculator applies North Carolina's flat-rate state income tax, and the state's moderate cost of living produces favorable after-tax estimates relative to gross pay.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Illinois?

Illinois environmental legal work concentrates in the Chicago metro, with additional demand downstate related to agricultural contamination and coal mine reclamation. The state's flat income tax is lower than graduated tax rates in California or New York, producing moderately favorable after-tax results in the calculator. Superfund sites in the Chicago industrial corridor and ongoing compliance work under the Illinois Environmental Protection Act drive hiring at firms like Jenner & Block and Schiff Hardin.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Chicago?

Chicago is classified as a large metro in the salary calculator, producing hourly estimates of $70.00 to $98.00 for environmental lawyers. The city's industrial heritage means ongoing remediation work at former steel mills, petroleum terminals, and manufactured gas plant sites along the Chicago and Calumet Rivers. Environmental lawyers at Chicago-based firms also handle significant RCRA compliance and Clean Water Act permitting for industrial clients throughout the Midwest. After-tax estimates factor in Illinois's flat state income tax, which is more moderate than coastal states.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Maryland?

Maryland's proximity to Washington, DC means many environmental lawyers in the state serve federal clients or work for agencies in the DC metro while residing in Maryland. The salary calculator accounts for Maryland's graduated state income tax, which reduces after-tax estimates relative to nearby Virginia. Chesapeake Bay restoration litigation, military base cleanup at Aberdeen Proving Ground, and suburban development environmental reviews drive demand in the Baltimore and DC suburbs.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Indiana?

Indiana's environmental legal market is smaller and centered on Indianapolis, with additional work generated by coal-fired power plant compliance in southern Indiana and Superfund sites like the Continental Steel site in Kokomo. The salary calculator applies a small to mid-sized metro adjustment for most Indiana cities, producing hourly estimates below the national median. Indiana's flat state income tax is relatively low, which helps after-tax outcomes, but lower demand and cost of living keep gross rates moderate.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Virginia?

Northern Virginia is effectively part of the Washington, DC legal market, and environmental lawyers there earn rates comparable to DC-based peers. The salary calculator factors in Virginia's income tax, which is lower than Maryland's, making Northern Virginia competitive for after-tax pay. Outside of the DC suburbs, environmental legal work in Virginia relates to coal mining reclamation in Appalachian counties, Chesapeake Bay tributaries strategy compliance, and military installation cleanup at the Norfolk naval complex.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Connecticut?

Connecticut's environmental legal market is driven by brownfield redevelopment in post-industrial cities like Bridgeport and Hartford, Long Island Sound water quality enforcement, and corporate compliance work for insurance and financial companies headquartered in the state. The salary calculator applies Connecticut's graduated income tax, which is among the higher rates in the Northeast, reducing after-tax pay. The state's proximity to New York City means some environmental lawyers commute to NYC firms while residing in Connecticut, a scenario where selecting New York City as the job market and Connecticut as the tax state in the calculator accurately models their situation.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in New Jersey?

New Jersey has one of the most aggressive state environmental enforcement regimes in the nation under the New Jersey Spill Compensation and Control Act and the Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA). These laws create substantial legal work for environmental lawyers handling site remediation, real estate transactions, and regulatory compliance. The salary calculator applies New Jersey's graduated income tax, which at higher income levels is among the steepest in the country. Despite this, the dense concentration of pharmaceutical, chemical, and petroleum refining facilities in the state produces strong demand and above-median gross hourly rates.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Phoenix?

Phoenix is a large metro where environmental legal work involves groundwater contamination remediation (including the Motorola 52nd Street Superfund site), water rights disputes under Arizona's Groundwater Management Act, and air quality compliance in the rapidly growing Maricopa County. The salary calculator estimates hourly rates of $64.00 to $90.00 for Phoenix. Arizona's relatively low income tax rate produces favorable after-tax results, and the city's growing population is increasing demand for environmental permitting attorneys in land use and development contexts.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Washington, DC?

Washington, DC is the single most important market for environmental lawyers in the United States. The salary calculator applies its maximum large metro adjustment for DC, producing hourly estimates of $78.00 to $112.00 and annual estimates of $162,240 to $232,960 at full-time hours. The concentration of the EPA, DOE, DOI, Army Corps of Engineers, and Congress — plus every major environmental NGO and industry trade association — creates unmatched demand. DC has its own income tax that the calculator factors into after-tax outputs. Environmental lawyers here handle rulemaking challenges, appellate litigation in the DC Circuit (the most important court for environmental law), and federal enforcement defense.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Boston?

Boston is a large metro where environmental lawyers benefit from Massachusetts's strong regulatory framework under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP) for hazardous waste cleanup, as well as the state's leadership in offshore wind energy permitting and climate change adaptation planning. The salary calculator estimates hourly rates of $75.00 to $106.00. Massachusetts's income tax reduces after-tax estimates moderately, and the city's high cost of living means that purchasing power per dollar earned is lower than in some southern or midwestern metros despite strong gross pay.

What Does an Environmental Lawyer Earn in Seattle?

Seattle's environmental legal market is supported by Superfund sites (including the Duwamish River cleanup), Pacific Northwest timber and salmon habitat litigation, and Washington State's Climate Commitment Act cap-and-invest program. The salary calculator estimates hourly rates of $74.00 to $104.00 for Seattle as a large metro. Washington State has no personal income tax, which produces notably higher after-tax salary estimates in the calculator compared to same-rate earnings in California, New York, or New Jersey. This makes Seattle one of the most attractive markets for environmental lawyers when measured by net take-home pay.