United States · Pay by job · Education and Library
Law Professor salary and take-home pay
The typical US law professor earns $128,500 a year (BLS, May 2025); BLS gives yearly pay only for this job. In Texas, where the median for this job is $138,160, a single filer keeps about $105,698 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Law Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1112). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a law professor earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,250 | |
| 25th | $88,700 | |
| Median | $128,500 | |
| 75th | $176,490 | |
| 90th | $287,900 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $88,700 to $176,490 a year, and about 20,060 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025). BLS gives yearly pay only: people in this job are usually paid by the year and often work fewer than 2,080 hours.
Take-home pay tool
Law Professor · Texas · single · median
$105,698.36 a year after tax
$8,808.20 a month · $4,065.32 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $138,160.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$21,892.40 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$10,569.24 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $105,698.36 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $138,160 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a law professor take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,250 | $53,805 | $51,142 | $50,624 |
| 25th | $88,700 | $71,230 | $66,217 | $66,623 |
| Median | $128,500 | $99,096 | $89,864 | $91,874 |
| 75th | $176,490 | $131,897 | $117,578 | $121,513 |
| 90th | $287,900 | $207,596 | $181,468 | $187,980 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a law professor keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $157,800 | $119,122 |
| 2 | Texas | $138,160 | $105,698 |
| 3 | Michigan | $141,680 | $102,334 |
| 4 | Virginia | $136,270 | $97,385 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $135,760 | $96,839 |
| 6 | Washington | $125,210 | $95,110 |
| 7 | New York | $132,180 | $94,131 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $121,310 | $90,362 |
| 9 | California | $119,540 | $84,644 |
| 10 | Florida | $102,720 | $81,094 |
| 11 | Illinois | $107,700 | $79,411 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $97,090 | $73,768 |
| 13 | Ohio | $75,930 | $60,602 |
Not ranked, because BLS released no median there: Alaska, Georgia, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wyoming.
How much does a law professor earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $135,340 | 40 | not yet |
| Alaska | not released | not released | – |
| Arizona | $131,950 | 60 | not yet |
| Arkansas | $95,630 | 30 | not yet |
| California | $119,540 | 7,800 | $84,644 (#9) |
| Colorado | not released | not released | not yet |
| Connecticut | not released | not released | not yet |
| Delaware | not released | not released | not yet |
| District of Columbia | $134,090 | 670 | not yet |
| Florida | $102,720 | 720 | $81,094 (#10) |
| Georgia | not released | 150 | – |
| Hawaii | not released | not released | not yet |
| Idaho | $106,810 | 40 | not yet |
| Illinois | $107,700 | 470 | $79,411 (#11) |
| Indiana | $139,400 | 180 | not yet |
| Iowa | $160,700 | 90 | not yet |
| Kansas | $138,670 | 50 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $140,820 | 120 | not yet |
| Louisiana | not released | not released | not yet |
| Maine | $136,400 | 50 | not yet |
| Maryland | $139,980 | 180 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $132,010 | 840 | not yet |
| Michigan | $141,680 | 330 | $102,334 (#3) |
| Minnesota | $171,790 | 80 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $74,440 | 40 | not yet |
| Missouri | not released | not released | not yet |
| Montana | not released | not released | not yet |
| Nebraska | $127,690 | 100 | not yet |
| Nevada | not released | not released | – |
| New Hampshire | $157,800 | 90 | $119,122 (#1) |
| New Jersey | $135,760 | 470 | $96,839 (#5) |
| New Mexico | not released | not released | not yet |
| New York | $132,180 | 2,190 | $94,131 (#7) |
| North Carolina | $97,090 | 450 | $73,768 (#12) |
| North Dakota | not released | not released | not yet |
| Ohio | $75,930 | 250 | $60,602 (#13) |
| Oklahoma | not released | not released | not yet |
| Oregon | $167,010 | 250 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $121,310 | 710 | $90,362 (#8) |
| Rhode Island | $128,490 | not released | not yet |
| South Carolina | $162,400 | 110 | not yet |
| South Dakota | not released | not released | – |
| Tennessee | not released | 160 | – |
| Texas | $138,160 | 880 | $105,698 (#2) |
| Utah | $68,270 | 120 | not yet |
| Vermont | not released | not released | not yet |
| Virginia | $136,270 | 400 | $97,385 (#4) |
| Washington | $125,210 | 150 | $95,110 (#6) |
| West Virginia | not released | not released | not yet |
| Wisconsin | $140,940 | 150 | not yet |
| Wyoming | not released | not released | – |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a law professor?
BLS expects jobs as a law professor to grow 2.6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,800 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- +2.6%
- Openings a year
- about 1,800
- Usual education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 education and library jobs closest in pay to a law professor:
- Economics Professor median $123,920
- Engineering Professor median $109,270
- Health Specialties Professor median $107,310
- Earth and Space Sciences Professor median $103,170
- Forestry Professor median $101,420
- Physics Professor median $100,310
- Anthropology Professor median $99,650
- Business Professor median $99,080
- Agricultural Sciences Professor median $98,700
- Political Science Professor median $98,070
Every job in the group: Education and Library jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $128,500, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $128,500, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about law professor pay
How much does a law professor make an hour?
BLS publishes only yearly pay for this job, because people in it are usually paid by the year and often work fewer than 2,080 hours: the median is $128,500 a year, and the middle half earn $88,700 to $176,490.
Which state pays a law professor the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, Minnesota has the highest median for this job: $171,790 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, New Hampshire leaves the most: $119,122 a year for a single filer on its median of $157,800.
What is a law professor’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $128,500, a single filer keeps about $99,096 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $89,864 in California and $91,874 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a law professor?
BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the usual way in, with less than 5 years of work experience in a related job and no on-the-job training once hired.
Is the number of law professor jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a law professor to grow 2.6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,800 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).