Legal salary ranges in San Diego
What open legal postings in San Diego say they pay: the top and the low end of the range each one states, in yearly dollars.
By level
How far the posted top moves from one level to the next, for legal in San Diego.
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Senior22 postings$225,000$193k–$261k
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Manager and above16 postings$235,000$165k–$372k
Best-paying companies in San Diego
Ranked by the median top of their open legal postings in San Diego, among companies with at least three that state pay.
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Bms3 with pay$311,000$311k–$349k
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Neurocrine9 with pay$282,000$282k–$310k
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Barnes & Thornburg LLP4 with pay$255,000$151k–$369k
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Qualcomm10 with pay$252,000$181k–$254k
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Dexcom5 with pay$236,000$225k–$261k
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Jacksonlewis4 with pay$216,000$115k–$308k
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Jkz Llp6 with pay$202,000$181k–$224k
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Klinedinstpc9 with pay$170,000$155k–$190k
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Grsm8 with pay$165,000$149k–$165k
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Tyson & Mendes LLP7 with pay$160,000$98k–$190k
Legal pay by place
The same work in every place with enough postings, highest median first; San Diego is marked.
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SF Bay Area816 postings$248,000$188k–$300k
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Boston221 postings$213,000$148k–$275k
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Seattle204 postings$201,000$145k–$251k
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New York1,132 postings$200,000$133k–$260k
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Portland22 postings$195,000$89k–$245k
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Austin89 postings$191,000$135k–$245k
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Denver116 postings$185,000$120k–$240k
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San Diego135 postings$180,000$106k–$243k
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Remote1,577 postings$175,000$120k–$230k
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Atlanta87 postings$166,000$107k–$214k
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All of the US8,584 postings$165,000$108k–$233k
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Washington DC289 postings$165,000$101k–$240k
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Dallas176 postings$165,000$108k–$230k
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Salt Lake City35 postings$165,000$84k–$221k
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Los Angeles289 postings$160,000$105k–$225k
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Chicago295 postings$159,000$119k–$218k
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Philadelphia44 postings$159,000$99k–$218k
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Miami44 postings$104,000$71k–$200k
Using these numbers
- Before you apply, check where the posting's own range sits against the middle half here. A range far below it is worth a question before you spend an afternoon on the application.
- When they ask what you expect, a figure inside the middle half for your level is one the market has already posted. Name the top of the posting's range if your experience matches what it asks for.
- Remember what a top is: the most a company says it may pay for the role. Offers land anywhere in the range, and equity and bonus are not in it.
Questions
How much do legal jobs pay in San Diego?
Open legal postings in San Diego that state pay post a median top of $180,000 a year; the middle half runs from $106,000 to $243,000, and the median low end of the ranges is $120,000. That is from 135 postings as of October 14, 2026.
How does the pay change with level?
For legal postings in San Diego, the median posted top is $225,000 for senior, $235,000 for manager and above.
Which companies post the most for legal in San Diego?
Among companies with at least three postings that state pay, Bms ($311,000), Neurocrine ($282,000), Barnes & Thornburg LLP ($255,000) post the highest median tops.
Where do these numbers come from?
From the pay ranges employers state in their own open job postings, which DonutApply reads from company job boards and public job feeds every day. They are what a company says it may pay for the role, not salaries anyone reported.
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