Solicitor salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a solicitor is $107,600 per annum, before tax, up $22,700 since 2018.
Where a solicitor works matters more than the job title: private practice generally pays above government, in-house and community legal centre roles, and commercial and corporate work sits at the top of private practice. Firm size counts too, and the larger firms that pay more usually set billable hour targets that shape both the pay and the hours. Partnership is where private practice earnings can change most, because income then depends on the firm's profit rather than a salary.
Roles that pay more than solicitor
The largest typical pay rise is $126,400 a year, moving into Magistrate.
- Magistrate+$126,400/yr
- Barrister+$74,100/yr
- Legislative Drafter+$17,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher solicitor salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time solicitor salary is $107,600; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Solicitors are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Legal research and Drafting and contracts tend to command a premium over general solicitor experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Magistrate pays a typical $126,400 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Solicitor salary questions
How much do solicitors earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a solicitor is $107,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is solicitor pay rising or falling?
The median solicitor salary is up $22,700 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than solicitor?
Magistrate pays a typical $126,400 a year more and draws on similar skills to solicitor.