Law Degree Programs in Burlington, VT (2026)
Quick answer: The Burlington metro employs about 550 lawyers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through the bar in the state where you intend to practice.
Compare law programs enrolling now:
Licensing
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 Vermont licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with the bar in the state where you intend to practice.
Schools Near You
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.
We do not have campus-based schools on record within 250 miles of this area right now. School availability changes as programs open and close, and many programs in this field enroll online - see the main program page for options that are not tied to your location. Know a school we missed? Tell us.
What Lawyers Earn in Burlington
Lawyers in the Burlington area earn a median $125,190 per year, below the national median of $159,670 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Law Pay in Burlington, VT
| Metric | Burlington metro | Vermont | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $125,190 | $127,310 | $159,670 |
| 10th percentile | $86,580 | $85,510 | $78,360 |
| 25th percentile | $102,450 | $100,790 | $102,990 |
| 75th percentile | $179,360 | $188,090 | $221,370 |
| 90th percentile | $240,920 | $336,450 | $351,600 |
| Employment | 550 | 1,330 | 754,500 |
| Location quotient | 0.94 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Burlington-South Burlington, VT metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Burlington median of $125,190 is below the national median of $159,670, and below the Vermont statewide median of $127,310 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.94 means lawyers are less 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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do lawyers make in Burlington?
The median annual wage for lawyers in the Burlington-South Burlington, VT metro area is $125,190, below the national median of $159,670 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many lawyers work in the Burlington area?
The Burlington-South Burlington, VT metro area employs about 550 lawyers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do lawyers in Burlington need a license?
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.
Can I study law online from Burlington?
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.
Is Burlington a better market than the rest of Vermont?
The Burlington metro median is $125,190 against a statewide median of $127,310 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
Related
- Law degree programs in Vermont - statewide pay, licensing and metro comparison
- Law programs and how to choose one
- Paralegal career profile - the trade career this degree path builds on
- All online degree paths for tradespeople
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Lawyers (SOC 23-1011), national, state and metropolitan estimates
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
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/.