Median First-Year Associate Salary Remains at $200K, as Talent Pressures Ease

First-year associates at U.S. firms were offered a median base salary of $200K as of Jan. 1, a recent survey finds. The 2025 U.S. Associate Salary Survey, conducted by the National Association for Law Placement, found that firms of more than 700 lawyers offered a median of $215,000. The median starting salary has reached $225,000 in six major markets.