Where patent attorney salary data comes from
Answer in brief
Three public sources are reliable: firm salary scales reported by the legal press, the OPM federal pay tables, and the BLS lawyer figures. The only patent-specific survey, AIPLA's, is paid. Salary sites that quote a single patent attorney average rarely say where it came from.
Source by source
| Source | Covers | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Legal press (firm scales) | Large-firm associate base pay by class year | Free |
| OPM Table 0576 | USPTO patent attorneys and examiners | Free |
| BLS Occupational Outlook | All lawyers; not patent-specific | Free |
| AIPLA Economic Survey | IP practitioners' income, by experience and setting | $495 non-members |
How to check a salary figure
- Does it name its source and year?
- Is it base pay or total compensation?
- Is it patent-specific or all lawyers?
Sources for this entry
- AIPLA 2025 Report of the Economic Survey American Intellectual Property Law Association
The IP bar's own biennial survey of income and billing rates. Paid: $495 for non-members; free online to members. - Lawyers — Occupational Outlook Handbook U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Median annual wage for lawyers: $159,670 (May 2025). Employment projected to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035. - OPM 2026 special rates, Table 0576 (USPTO patent examiners and patent attorneys) U.S. Office of Personnel Management
2026 annual pay for USPTO series 1220–1226 (incl. 1222 Patent Attorney, 1224 Patent Examiner): GS-5 step 1 $55,330 to GS-14/15 cap $197,200. - Latest Associate Pay Raises Reflect Start of 'Prestige Law' Era Bloomberg Law
Milbank's June 2, 2026 scale: $235,000 first-year to $455,000 eighth-year base; more than a dozen firms matched within two weeks.
Practical guidance is original editorial content. Company-published figures are the company's own claims and are labeled as such.
Continue this reading path
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How the related websites connect
This is one of a coordinated collection of Wysebridge references. The related sites answer neighboring questions and share the same publisher entity, Wysebridge. They are not independent endorsements.
- Best Patent Bar Review — Choosing a patent bar review course, compared on pass rate, price and method.
- Patent Agent Salary — What patent agents earn without a law degree, and how pay grows.
- Patent Bar Exams — The USPTO registration exam: format, fees, dates, past exams and practice.
- MPEP.net — The Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, explained chapter by chapter.
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Patent Attorney Salary. “Where patent attorney salary data comes from.” Wysebridge Reference. Content reviewed 9 November 2026.
https://patentattorneysalary.com/patent-attorney-salary-data/