H1BIndex » Jobs » Lawyers

Associate -94% 5-Year Decline

Job Market Trend:-10.1%vs Q1 2025

Top Sponsor: Morgan Stanley Services Group Inc. (18 filings)

Highest Pay: Palo Alto, CA ($285,000)

Official Federal Category: 23-1011.00 - Lawyers

Market Demand

A+

FY 2026

2023 A+

2024 A+

2025 A+

Certified Volume

258

Approved in FY 2026

National Median Salary

$170,000

Typical yearly pay

PERM Conversion

25.60%

Transition to residency

10-Year Growth

71.50%

Decade salary trend

Algorithmic Intelligence Brief

An automated market review of the Associate role.

Healthy Employment Volume: "A+"

With 258 active job filings on record, the Associate position remains a popular route for sponsored employment, securing the "A+" score on H1B Index rating.

Low Client Focus

If you want to avoid outside contract work, this is a great choice. 98.8% of these jobs are direct company roles.

Expert-Level Wages

Companies pay much more for senior talent in this specific role. Expert-level workers typically see a +96% pay bump compared to brand-new hires.

Lower Approval Odds

This role has a lower approval rate of just 72.9%. The government denies or delays these visa requests more often than typical jobs.

Out-of-State Flexibility

This career pathway is provably remote-friendly. Geographic data confirms that 45.0% of these professionals actively work hundreds of miles away from their company's main headquarters.

Role & Industry Structure

Federal classifications for this position.

Employment Type: Employers usually want full-time workers here, making up 98.4% of these jobs.

Hiring Markets: The jobs are split between two main fields: Finance & Insurance contributes 48.4% and Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services adds 46.9%.

Base Pay: Employers provide a median of $170,000 for this skill set, though senior wages can eventually reach the $450,000 ceiling.

Minimum Education: Companies in cities like Palo Alto, CA successfully process permanent residency using a Bachelor's degree for everyone.

10-Year Median Salary Trajectory

Comparing national base compensation growth for Associates. temporary H-1B medians vs permanent Green Card (PERM).

Decade Salary Rise: +71.5%. Base pay for this role has seen a steady upward trend historically.

Lower Permanent Wage: -$18,500. Interestingly, the prevailing baseline for permanent roles files at a 11.8% lower median than temporary visas.

Top Hiring Employers

Companies sponsoring the most visas for this role.

Company & Median Pay Total Approvals

Morgan Stanley Services Group Inc. 7.0% Share

Top Hub: New York, NY | Median: $136,500

Blackrock Financial Management, Inc. 3.9% Share

Top Hub: New York, NY | Median: $136,000

White & Case LLP 3.9% Share

Top Hub: New York, NY | Median: $310,000

Evercore Partners Services East LLC 2.7% Share

Top Hub: New York, NY | Median: $185,000

Moelis & Company Group Lp 2.7% Share

Top Hub: New York, NY | Median: $175,000

Top Paying Tech Hubs

Cities ranked by highest median salaries.

Salary Percentiles i

Distribution across all federal filings.

Talent Sourcing Origin

Where employers source these workers from.

O*NET Wage Level Economics

Salary breakdown scaled by federal experience classifications.

O*NET Wage Distribution

Wage Levels Breakdown

Experience Level	Total Filings	Cohort Size	Minimum Base	Median Salary
Entry Level (Level I)	33	12.8%	$47,000	$115,000
Qualified (Level II)	132	51.2%	$57,720	$156,832
Experienced (Level III)	46	17.8%	$95,000	$175,000
Fully Competent (Level IV)	35	13.6%	$80,288	$225,000
Not Disclosed (Blank)	12	4.7%	$84,640	$106,000

Acquisition & Industry Allocation

Talent pipeline metrics and top hiring sectors for Associates.

Talent Pipeline

Fresh Hires (50.8%)Transfers/Poached (49.2%)

Green Card (PERM) Conversion i

25.60% of active filings transition to residency.

Industry Sector Allocation

Primary Sector & Median Pay Total Filings

Finance & Insurance 48.4% Sector Share

Top Sponsor: Morgan Stanley Services Group Inc. | Median: $146,000

125

Professional, Scientific, And Tech Services 46.9% Sector Share

Top Sponsor: White & Case LLP | Median: $225,000

121

Unspecified / Blank 3.5% Sector Share

Top Sponsor: Macquarie Holdings (USA) Inc. | Median: $135,000

Construction 0.4% Sector Share

Top Sponsor: Rider Levett Bucknall Ltd. | Median: $148,034

Educational Services 0.4% Sector Share

Top Sponsor: Albert Einstein College Of Medicine | Median: $74,460

10-Year DOL processing history for Associates.

Green Card (PERM) Sponsorships i

Historical permanent residency sponsorships and salaries for this role.

Noticing a difference in dates? Salary metrics reflect real-time DOL filings, while approval metrics rely on finalized USCIS historical data. View timelines

Top Sponsoring Employers

A detailed ledger of the companies hiring Associates.

Sponsoring Employer	Market Share i	LCA Count	Median Salary	Vs National Avg i
Morgan Stanley Services Group Inc.	7.0%	18	$136,500	-19.7% Avg
Blackrock Financial Management, Inc.	3.9%	10	$136,000	-20.0% Avg
White & Case LLP	3.9%	10	$310,000	+82.4% Avg
Evercore Partners Services East LLC	2.7%	7	$185,000	+8.8% Avg
Moelis & Company Group Lp	2.7%	7	$175,000	+2.9% Avg
Latham & Watkins LLP	1.9%	5	$235,000	+38.2% Avg
Latentview Analytics Corporation	1.9%	5	$134,310	-21.0% Avg
Morgan Stanley & Co., LLC	1.9%	5	$175,000	+2.9% Avg
Fenwick & West, LLP	1.6%	4	$302,500	+77.9% Avg
Db Global Technology, Inc.	1.6%	4	$115,900	-31.8% Avg
Kirkland & Ellis LLP	1.6%	4	$272,500	+60.3% Avg
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP	1.6%	4	$225,000	+32.4% Avg
Blackrock Investment Management, LLC	1.6%	4	$118,500	-30.3% Avg
Macquarie Holdings (USA) Inc.	1.2%	3	$175,000	+2.9% Avg
Nomura Securities International, Inc.	1.2%	3	$165,000	-2.9% Avg
Pjt Partners Holdings Lp	1.2%	3	$225,000	+32.4% Avg
Bnp Paribas Securities Corp.	1.2%	3	$200,000	+17.6% Avg
Apollo Management Holdings, L.P.	1.2%	3	$175,000	+2.9% Avg
Pricewaterhousecoopers Advisory Services LLC	1.2%	3	$102,000	-40.0% Avg
True Capital Partners, LLC	1.2%	3	$100,000	-41.2% Avg
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP	1.2%	3	$310,000	+82.4% Avg
Mccarter And English, LLP	1.2%	3	$190,000	+11.8% Avg
Morgan Stanley & Co., LLC	1.2%	3	$200,000	+17.6% Avg
Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc.	1.2%	3	$170,000	Market Rate
Alvarez & Marsal North America, LLC	0.8%	2	$132,500	-22.1% Avg
Paul Hastings LLP	0.8%	2	$242,500	+42.6% Avg
Morgan Stanley Fund Services Inc.	0.8%	2	$115,000	-32.4% Avg
Jpmorgan Chase & Co.	0.8%	2	$160,000	-5.9% Avg
Goodwin Procter LLP	0.8%	2	$412,500	+142.6% Avg
Db USA Core Corporation	0.8%	2	$120,000	-29.4% Avg
Kpmg LLP	0.8%	2	$81,648	-52.0% Avg
Stress Engineering Services Inc.	0.8%	2	$113,832	-33.0% Avg
Elsberg Baker & Maruri Pllc	0.8%	2	$225,000	+32.4% Avg
Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP	0.8%	2	$228,000	+34.1% Avg
Cooley LLP	0.8%	2	$260,000	+52.9% Avg
D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.	0.8%	2	$175,000	+2.9% Avg
Covington & Burling LLP	0.8%	2	$260,000	+52.9% Avg
Dla Piper LLP (Us)	0.8%	2	$266,500	+56.8% Avg
Cerity Partners Management LLC	0.8%	2	$98,259	-42.2% Avg
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP	0.8%	2	$310,000	+82.4% Avg
Bnp Paribas	0.8%	2	$150,000	-11.8% Avg
Morgan Stanley Fund Services Inc.	0.8%	2	$106,000	-37.6% Avg
Manning & Napier Advisors, LLC	0.8%	2	$61,672	-63.7% Avg
Nomura Holding America, Inc.	0.8%	2	$107,500	-36.8% Avg
Squire Patton Boggs (Us) LLP	0.8%	2	$250,000	+47.1% Avg
William Blair & Company, LLC	0.8%	2	$175,000	+2.9% Avg
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP	0.8%	2	$405,000	+138.2% Avg
Proskauer Rose LLP	0.8%	2	$312,500	+83.8% Avg
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP	0.8%	2	$400,000	+135.3% Avg
Apollo Insurance Solutions Group Lp	0.4%	1	$150,000	-11.8% Avg
Analysis Group, Inc.	0.4%	1	$180,000	+5.9% Avg
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP	0.4%	1	$365,000	+114.7% Avg
Albert Einstein College Of Medicine	0.4%	1	$74,460	-56.2% Avg
Agam Capital Management, LLC	0.4%	1	$145,000	-14.7% Avg
A.T. Kearney, Inc.	0.4%	1	$157,000	-7.6% Avg

Top Worksite Cities

A granular breakdown of compensation across different US geographic markets.

Worksite City	State	Talent Density i	Median Salary	Top Premium Payer i
New York	NY	56.6%	$175,000	$435,000
San Francisco	CA	3.9%	$242,500	$365,000
Washington	DC	3.5%	$225,000	$377,500
Los Angeles	CA	3.5%	$175,000	$390,000
Alpharetta	GA	2.3%	$130,000	Market Rate
Chicago	IL	2.3%	$123,500	$310,000
Palo Alto	CA	2.3%	$285,000	$420,000
Houston	TX	1.6%	$148,675	$310,000
Cary	NC	1.6%	$115,900	Market Rate
Dallas	TX	1.2%	$135,000	$177,798
Atlanta	GA	1.2%	$142,500	$143,750
Seattle	WA	1.2%	$142,000	$310,000
Wilmington	DE	1.2%	$120,000	$135,000
Austin	TX	1.2%	$111,050	$145,000
Minneapolis	MN	0.8%	$165,794	$230,000
El Segundo	CA	0.8%	$162,500	$175,000
Jersey City	NJ	0.8%	$112,858	$140,000
Catonsville	MD	0.8%	$98,259	Market Rate
Mountain View	CA	0.8%	$274,600	$310,000
San Jose	CA	0.8%	$139,558	Market Rate
Lincoln	MA	0.4%	$105,685	N/A
Fairport	NY	0.4%	$62,670	N/A
Greenwich	CT	0.4%	$210,000	N/A
Bronx	NY	0.4%	$74,460	N/A
Boulder	CO	0.4%	$71,000	N/A
Boston	MA	0.4%	$125,000	N/A
Brooklyn	NY	0.4%	$120,000	N/A
Arlington	VA	0.4%	$100,000	N/A
Irvine	CA	0.4%	$200,000	N/A
Mason	OH	0.4%	$115,315	N/A
Menlo Park	CA	0.4%	$140,000	N/A
Miami	FL	0.4%	$300,000	N/A
Manhattan Beach	CA	0.4%	$135,000	N/A
Long Island City	NY	0.4%	$225,000	N/A
Livermore	CA	0.4%	$134,310	N/A
Redwood Shores	CA	0.4%	$420,000	N/A
Princeton	NJ	0.4%	$109,700	N/A
Philadelphia	PA	0.4%	$215,000	N/A
New York City	NY	0.4%	$118,248	N/A
Montpelier	VT	0.4%	$57,720	N/A
San Diego	CA	0.4%	$310,000	N/A
Salem	MA	0.4%	$84,640	N/A
Romeoville	IL	0.4%	$47,000	N/A
Sausalito	CA	0.4%	$132,000	N/A
Santa Monica	CA	0.4%	$175,000	N/A
Santa Clara	CA	0.4%	$132,000	N/A
Sherman Oaks	CA	0.4%	$116,000	N/A
Suite 3610	NC	0.4%	$260,000	N/A
St. Petersburg	FL	0.4%	$60,674	N/A
Washington, D.C.	DC	0.4%	$148,034	N/A
Yonkers	NY	0.4%	$157,000	N/A

Historical Compensation Averages

Year-over-year salary data comparing historical averages.

Fiscal Year	YoY Growth i	Maximum	Median	Average	Minimum
2026	In Progress	$450,000	$157,000	$173,628	$27.00/hr
2025	+2.0%	$450,000	$142,800	$160,918	$15.00/hr
2024	Flat	$450,000	$140,000	$153,935	$23.00/hr
2023	+7.7%	$460,000	$140,000	$148,677	$32.00/hr
2022	+4.1%	$450,000	$130,000	$137,685	$28.00/hr
2021	+4.2%	$400,000	$124,900	$131,091	$39.00/hr
2020	-0.1%	$350,000	$119,900	$125,379	$19.00/hr
2019	+14.3%	$380,000	$120,000	$124,038	$19.00/hr
2018	+8.2%	$330,000	$105,000	$112,079	$16.00/hr
2017	+5.9%	$350,000	$97,000	$105,160	$17.00/hr
2016	N/A	$315,000	$91,562	$98,238	$12.00/hr

Live LCA Filing Ledger (FY 2026)

Raw, unedited federal disclosures showing individual labor applications filed.

Decision Date	Employer	Location	Base Pay	Wage Level	Status
Dec 30, 2025	Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP	Washington, DC	$225,000	Level III	Certified
Dec 30, 2025	King & Wood Mallesons	New York, NY	$187,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 30, 2025	Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP	Dallas, TX	$177,798	Level III	Certified
Dec 29, 2025	Latentview Analytics Corporation	New York, NY	$146,856	Level III	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 29, 2025	White & Case LLP	New York, NY	$250,000	Level II	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 29, 2025	Clifford Chance Us LLP	New York, NY	$225,000	Level III	Certified
Dec 29, 2025	Morgan Stanley Services Group Inc.	New York, NY	$146,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 29, 2025	Morgan Stanley Services Group Inc.	New York, NY	$135,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 29, 2025	Black River Design Architects, Plc	Montpelier, VT	$57,720	Level II	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 26, 2025	Paul Hastings LLP	New York, NY	$260,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 26, 2025	Bnp Paribas Securities Corp.	New York, NY	$200,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 26, 2025	Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP	Houston, TX	$310,000	Level III	Certified
Dec 26, 2025	Jones Architecture Inc.	Salem, MA	$84,640	N/A	Certified
Dec 24, 2025	Cooley LLP	New York, NY	$260,000	Level III	Certified
Dec 24, 2025	Workforce.com Inc.	Chicago, IL	$90,000	Level I	Certified
Dec 24, 2025	Citadel Americas Services LLC	New York, NY	$150,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 24, 2025	K1 Investment Management, LLC	Manhattan Beach, CA	$135,000	Level III	Certified
Dec 24, 2025	Morgan Stanley Services Group Inc.	Alpharetta, GA	$160,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 24, 2025	Sullivan & Cromwell LLP	New York, NY	$225,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 23, 2025	Rider Levett Bucknall Ltd.	Washington, D.C., DC	$148,034	Level IV	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 23, 2025	Nomura Securities International, Inc.	New York, NY	$165,000	Level III	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 23, 2025	Aurora Energy Research LLC	Austin, TX	$111,050	Level II	Certified
Dec 23, 2025	Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP	San Francisco, CA	$310,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 23, 2025	White & Case LLP	New York, NY	$260,000	Level III	Certified
Dec 23, 2025	Edwards Capital Special Assets Lp	New York, NY	$150,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 23, 2025	Blackrock Financial Management, Inc.	Atlanta, GA	$145,000	Level III	Certified
Dec 23, 2025	Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP	Sherman Oaks, CA	$116,000	Level I	Certified
Dec 22, 2025	Cerity Partners Management LLC	Catonsville, MD	$98,259	Level I	Certified
Dec 22, 2025	Pricewaterhousecoopers Advisory Services LLC	New York, NY	$105,000	Level I	Certified
Dec 22, 2025	Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale And Dorr LLP	Palo Alto, CA	$260,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 22, 2025	Blackrock Investment Management, LLC	Sausalito, CA	$132,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 22, 2025	Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.	New York, NY	$225,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 22, 2025	Blackrock Financial Management, Inc.	New York, NY	$145,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 22, 2025	Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP	Irvine, CA	$200,000	Level I	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 19, 2025	Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker	Los Angeles, CA	$175,000	Level I	Certified
Dec 19, 2025	Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP	Mountain View, CA	$310,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 19, 2025	Evercore Partners Services East LLC	New York, NY	$185,000	Level IV	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 19, 2025	Kpmg LLP	Los Angeles, CA	$88,000	Level II	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 19, 2025	Kpmg LLP	Chicago, IL	$75,296	Level I	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 18, 2025	Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP	New York, NY	$225,000	Level II	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 18, 2025	Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP	New York, NY	$225,000	Level II	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 18, 2025	Rocky Mountain Institute, Inc.	Boulder, CO	$71,000	Level I	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 18, 2025	Evercore Partners Services East LLC	New York, NY	$185,000	Level IV	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 18, 2025	Blackrock Financial Management, Inc.	New York, NY	$130,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 18, 2025	Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP	New York, NY	$365,000	Level III	Certified
Dec 18, 2025	Proskauer Rose LLP	New York, NY	$365,000	Level IV	Certified
Dec 17, 2025	Hico Management LLC	Palo Alto, CA	$100,000	Level I	Certified
Dec 17, 2025	Nomura Securities International, Inc.	New York, NY	$160,000	Level III	Certified
Dec 17, 2025	Morgan Stanley Services Group Inc.	New York, NY	$150,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 17, 2025	Db Global Technology, Inc.	Cary, NC	$120,000	Level II	Certified - Withdrawn
Dec 16, 2025	D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.	New York, NY	$190,000	Level II	Certified
Dec 16, 2025	Apollo Management Holdings, L.P.	New York, NY	$135,500	Level II	Certified
Dec 16, 2025	Mcdermott Will & Schulte LLP	New York, NY	$365,000	Level IV	Certified
Dec 16, 2025	Hudson Americas L.P.	Dallas, TX	$135,000	Level IV	Certified
Dec 16, 2025	Moelis & Company Group Lp	Los Angeles, CA	$175,000	Level II	Certified - Withdrawn

Role Specific Intelligence (FAQ)

Common questions and insights about the Associate role.

Are Associate roles remote-friendly?
Geographic flexibility is common here, with 45.0% of visa holders operating out-of-state from their core corporate office.

Where do most Associate candidates work on an H-1B?
With 18 recent sponsorships, Morgan Stanley Services Group Inc. serves as the primary employer acquiring foreign talent for this specific field.

Which tech hub pays the best for Associate roles?
Professionals in this role see the highest compensation in Palo Alto, CA, where the median salary reaches $285,000.

What are the Green Card chances for Associate candidates?
Yes, employers filed 66 Green Card (PERM) applications for workers in this exact position to retain their talent long-term.

What is the typical base pay for Associate candidates?
Nationwide, the standard compensation for Associate positions sits at a median of $170,000.