Quick answer: Lawyers in the Bridgeport area earn a median $180,610 per year, above the national median of $159,670, and the metro employs about 2,100 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Bridgeport metro | Connecticut | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $180,610 | $163,600 | $159,670 |
| 10th percentile | $103,760 | $91,180 | $78,360 |
| 25th percentile | $129,060 | $109,450 | $102,990 |
| 75th percentile | $330,330 | $222,930 | $221,370 |
| 90th percentile | $402,750 | $342,970 | $351,600 |
| Employment | 2,100 | 8,420 | 754,500 |
| Location quotient | 1.07 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT metropolitan statistical area.
The Bridgeport median of $180,610 is above the national median of $159,670, and above the Connecticut statewide median of $163,600 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.07 means lawyers are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Legal hiring follows courts, corporate headquarters and government offices, so the local concentration of those is what determines how many positions are open in a given market.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Hartford | $157,200 | 3,880 |
| New Haven | $166,080 | 1,280 |
| Waterbury | $157,380 | 450 |
| Norwich | $128,040 | 280 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Lawyers are admitted to practice state by state. The national framework is a Juris Doctor from an ABA-approved law school, a bar examination set by the state, and a character and fitness review. Which degrees confer bar eligibility, whether any distance study is permitted, and how the examination is scored are all decided by the individual state bar, and they differ more than most applicants expect.
See the Connecticut licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with the bar in the state where you intend to practice.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
This page lists 3 schools within 65 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 3 of them carry a score.
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
The median annual wage for lawyers in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT metro area is $180,610, above the national median of $159,670 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT metro area employs about 2,100 lawyers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Lawyers are admitted to practice state by state. The national framework is a Juris Doctor from an ABA-approved law school, a bar examination set by the state, and a character and fitness review. Which degrees confer bar eligibility, whether any distance study is permitted, and how the examination is scored are all decided by the individual state bar, and they differ more than most applicants expect. Confirm current requirements with the bar in the state where you intend to practice.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies the bar in the state where you intend to practice.
The Bridgeport metro median is $180,610 against a statewide median of $163,600 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
