To become a lawyer in the US, you'll earn a bachelor's degree, complete 3 years of law school for a Juris Doctor (J.D.), then pass your state's bar exam and a character and fitness review to be admitted to the bar. BLS says the whole path usually takes 7 years of full-time study after high school.
Each state's highest court sets its own rules for admission, so the exact steps depend on where you want to practice. The broad shape is the same everywhere: degree, law school, bar exam, character check.
Figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook and exam details from the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), both read on 26 October 2026.
Lawyers in numbers
| Measure | BLS figure |
|---|---|
| Median pay (May 2025) | $159,670 a year, $76.76 an hour |
| Lowest 10 in every 100 earned less than | $78,360 |
| Highest 10 in every 100 earned more than | $351,600 |
| Jobs in 2025 | 863,700 |
| Projected growth 2025 to 2035 | 5%, faster than average |
| Openings each year | About 28,700 on average |
Those pay figures are as of October 2026 and don't cover self-employed lawyers or partners in unincorporated firms.
How to become a lawyer, step by step
- Earn a bachelor's degree. Most law schools don't require a particular major. Common choices include law and legal studies, history and social science.
- Take the law school admission test. BLS notes law schools may consider your score on the national entrance exam, which covers reasoning, writing and other skills needed for law.
- Complete a J.D. at an accredited law school. It usually takes 3 years and covers constitutional law, contracts, property law, civil procedure and legal writing.
- Get experience while you study. After your first or second year, look for summer internships with law firms, government agencies or in-house legal teams. They often lead to job offers.
- Pass the bar exam and the character review. An admitting board checks you have the character to represent and advise others. Prior felony convictions, academic misconduct and a history of substance abuse can disqualify an applicant.
- Keep up your license. Many states require continuing legal education to stay licensed.
The bar exam is changing
Here's a timing detail that matters if you're starting law school now. NCBE describes the current Uniform Bar Examination as the legacy UBE, administered through February 2028, and it's rolling out a new exam called the NextGen UBE, with jurisdictions adopting it on their own schedules. NCBE publishes a tracker of NextGen UBE adoption by jurisdiction.
So check which version your state will use in the year you sit it, because your study plan and prep materials depend on it. Separately, NCBE also runs the MPRE, an exam on professional responsibility.
Practicing in more than one state
BLS says a bar exam score is transferable across jurisdictions that accept it, and NCBE offers score transfer services. Even so, lawyers who want to practice in more than one state usually need to meet each state's licensing requirements, although most states have reciprocity agreements that make it easier for an experienced lawyer to get licensed elsewhere.
Where lawyers work and what they earn
| Employer | Share of jobs | Median pay, May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Legal services | 52% | $157,870 |
| Self-employed | 11 in every 100 | Not covered |
| Local government | 8 in every 100 | $131,390 |
| State government | 7 in every 100 | $115,330 |
| Federal government | 5 in every 100 | $178,380 |
The federal government paid the highest median of these groups, as of October 2026. Most lawyers work full time and some work more than 40 hours a week, with stress peaking around trials and deadlines.
What new lawyers do day to day
BLS says newly hired attorneys usually start as associates and work on teams with more experienced lawyers. Most of the work happens in offices, with travel to meet clients at homes, prisons and other places, and to appear in court. Some lawyers advance to partner, which makes them partial owners of the firm. After gaining experience, some go into practice for themselves, and others move to a large organization's legal department as in-house counsel. Expect long hours around trials and deadlines in the early years, because that's when firms test whether you can manage a caseload.
Special routes
- Patent law. Patent lawyers typically need a background in science or engineering and must pass the patent bar exam run by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
- Tax law. Some tax lawyers add a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in tax after the J.D.
- Clerkships. Some graduates spend 1 or 2 years clerking for a judge before practicing.
Tools that help new lawyers
New associates spend a lot of time on research and drafting. Our round-up of AI tools for lawyers covers where software helps, and if you'd like to work flexibly, this guide to finding remote legal jobs shows what's out there.
My verdict
Becoming a lawyer is a 7-year commitment after high school, and the bar exam is the gate everyone has to pass. Pick a law school with a good bar passage record, use your summers for internships that can turn into offers, and check early which bar exam version your state will use, because the legacy UBE is being phased out. Keep your record clean too, as the character review is a real hurdle.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to become a lawyer?
BLS says it usually takes 7 years of full-time study after high school: 4 years of undergraduate study and 3 years of law school, then the bar exam.
What should I major in to become a lawyer?
Most law schools don't require a specific major. Common choices include law and legal studies, history and social science.
How much do lawyers make?
BLS reports a median of $159,670 a year in May 2025, with the federal government paying a median of $178,380.
What is the NextGen bar exam?
It's NCBE's new bar exam. NCBE says the legacy Uniform Bar Examination will be administered through February 2028, and states are adopting the NextGen UBE on their own timelines.
Can a criminal record stop you becoming a lawyer?
It can. An admitting board checks character, and prior felony convictions, academic misconduct and a history of substance abuse can disqualify an applicant.
Can I practice law in another state?
You'll usually need to meet that state's licensing rules, but many states have reciprocity agreements, and bar scores can transfer between jurisdictions that accept them.
Is the lawyer job market growing?
BLS projects 5% growth from 2025 to 2035, faster than average, with about 28,700 openings a year.
Do lawyers need continuing education?
Many states require continuing legal education to keep a license.
