How much does a Lawyer make in Minnesota?

BLS puts the average Lawyer pay in Minnesota at $174,300 a year (BLS, May 2025). On that pay in Minnesota, after federal taxes, FICA, and Minnesota state taxes, your estimated take-home pay is approximately $119,551 annually ($9,963/month).

What is the take-home pay for a Lawyer in Minnesota?

On a $174,300 salary in Minnesota, your take-home pay is approximately $119,551/year or $9,963/month. Federal tax: $30,566. State tax: $10,849. FICA: $13,334.

Is $174,300 a good Lawyer salary?

$174,300 is the BLS average Lawyer pay in Minnesota, 6% below the US average of $185,840 (BLS, May 2025). The middle 50% in Minnesota earn between $107,220 and $216,440.

How do Minnesota taxes affect Lawyer salaries?

Minnesota levies state income tax on top of federal taxes. Your estimated state tax on $174,300 is $10,849. Your total effective tax rate is approximately 31.4%.

What are the career growth prospects for Lawyers?

In Minnesota, the top 10% earn over $341,170 and the bottom 10% under $79,820 (BLS, May 2025). 8% growth through 2032 (faster than average). Related roles include: Attorney, Corporate Counsel, Public Defender, Paralegal.

How can a Lawyer in Minnesota reduce their tax bill?

Maximize your 401(k) contribution ($24,500 in 2026) to reduce taxable income. An HSA ($4,400 single / $8,750 family) adds further pre-tax savings. These strategies can save thousands annually — use our calculator to see your exact savings.

Legal

Lawyer Salary in Minnesota (2026)

Average Lawyer pay in Minnesota

$174,300/year

≈ $84/hour before tax

Middle 50% earn $107,220–$216,440

US average: $185,840

Source: BLS, May 2025

After tax (single filer)

$119,551/year

$9,963/month · effective tax rate 31.41%

Federal $30,566
State $10,849
FICA $13,334
Take-home

Pay by role in Minnesota

Partner (Faegre / Dorsey / AmLaw 200)$685,000–$2,650,000+ TC
Senior Counsel / Of Counsel$365,000–$685,000
Senior Associate (5-8 yrs)$285,000–$485,000
Mid-Level Associate (3-5 yrs)$215,000–$315,000
Junior Associate (0-2 yrs)$165,000–$225,000
Senior Corporate Counsel (Fortune 500)$215,000–$385,000

See all 10 roles with notes

See the full tax breakdown

Category	Amount
Annual Take-Home Pay	$119,551
Monthly Take-Home Pay	$9,963
Biweekly Take-Home Pay	$4,598
Hourly Take-Home Pay based on 2,080 hrs/year	$57/hr
Federal Tax	$30,566
State Tax	$10,849
FICA Taxes	$13,334
Effective Tax Rate total taxes ÷ gross salary	31.41%

Estimates only — not tax advice. · Full disclaimer →

Not all Lawyers earn the same — not even close

Minnesota's lawyer market is anchored by Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath Minneapolis (~1,300 attorneys nationally including ~500 MN, the country's 30th-largest firm by attorney headcount, post-2020 Faegre Baker Daniels + Drinker Biddle merger), Dorsey & Whitney HQ Minneapolis (~500 attorneys, the country's largest law firm HQ'd in MN), Robins Kaplan Mpls (plaintiff-side IP + commercial litigation specialty), Stoel Rives Mpls + Lindquist & Vennum legacy, plus substantial in-house counsel at UnitedHealth + Target + 3M + Best Buy + Cargill + Medtronic.

Partner (Faegre / Dorsey / AmLaw 200)

$685,000–$2,650,000+ TC

Faegre Drinker MSP partner · Dorsey Mpls partner · AmLaw 100 equity partner · profit-share

Senior Counsel / Of Counsel

$365,000–$685,000

Senior non-equity attorney · MSP AmLaw · partner-track band · specialty practice

Senior Associate (5-8 yrs)

$285,000–$485,000

AmLaw 200 senior associate MSP · partner-track + Cravath-scale pay at largest MN firms

Mid-Level Associate (3-5 yrs)

$215,000–$315,000

AmLaw associate · transitioning to senior associate band · clear partner-track or in-house decision

Junior Associate (0-2 yrs)

$165,000–$225,000

U of MN Law + Mitchell Hamline pipeline · Cravath-scale at AmLaw 200 MSP offices

Senior Corporate Counsel (Fortune 500)

$215,000–$385,000

UHG · Target · 3M · Best Buy · Cargill · Medtronic in-house · transactional + commercial

Senior Healthcare Counsel

$205,000–$365,000

UHG + HealthPartners + Allina + Mayo Clinic counsel · HIPAA + payer + provider specialty

Senior Litigation Counsel (Plaintiff)

$285,000–$985,000+ TC

Robins Kaplan plaintiff IP + class action · contingent-fee leverage · senior litigator

Senior Estate / Tax Attorney

$185,000–$385,000

Faegre Drinker T&E · Dorsey T&E · MN $3M estate planning + private-client specialty

Assistant County / City Attorney

$95,000–$165,000

Hennepin County · Ramsey County · Mpls + St. Paul city attorneys · public-sector ladder

Worth knowing: Dorsey & Whitney HQ Minneapolis is the largest law firm HQ'd in MN and a feature most national legal-career surveys understate for the state. Dorsey & Whitney (~500 attorneys across MSP + Denver + NYC + DC + Seattle + Salt Lake City + international offices, founded 1912, one of the AmLaw 200 firms HQ'd outside the major coastal financial centers) operates substantial corporate + securities + healthcare + IP + litigation practices serving the dense Twin Cities Fortune 500 client base. Dorsey partners clear $685K-$2.65M+ TC. Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath Minneapolis (~500 MN attorneys post-2020 Faegre Baker Daniels + Drinker Biddle merger, ~1,300 attorneys nationally as one of the AmLaw 100 firms) anchors the second-largest MN legal employer. Robins Kaplan Mpls operates the country's deepest plaintiff-side IP + commercial litigation practice in the upper Midwest. MN's 9.85% top bracket catches partner + senior associate comp at $250K+ TC squarely — for a $1.5M partner the MN state tax adds ~$143-150K/year vs SD/TX/FL residency, creating substantial residency-planning opportunity at senior partner level. The $3M estate exemption creates substantial private-client estate planning practice for MN-based T&E attorneys.

Sources & Methodology

Salary figures are market estimates for Lawyers in Minnesota and vary by employer, specialty, seniority, and metro. Take-home math assumes a single filer with no dependents, the standard deduction, and Minnesota 2026 state rates. Local taxes, insurance premiums, and pre-tax contributions will move your number — run the calculator for your own situation.

Run your own numbers