It’s not easy to become a lawyer. You must prepare yourself with eight years of study and experience in an internship. After that, passing the bar examination is a must to get a legal license. Additionally, it would be best if you took higher education, which will support developing your career path.
With such hardship, is lawyer salary Philippines worth spending your time and effort on? We will report to you the detailed statistics below.
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Lawyer Salary Philippines In 2023
According to market research in the Philippines 2022, the average salary of a lawyer in The Philippines is 88,500 PHP per month, which means 1,060,000 PHP annually. More impressively, the highest number is 141,000 PHP (equivalent to 1,692,000 PHP per year), while the lowest is 40,700 PHP (equivalent to 488,400 PHP per year).
This year, many experts expect the lawyer salary Philippines in 2023 will increase by about 9 – 12%. In the future, it is still an honor and a potential career path that attracts more Filipinos to follow.
The gap between the highest and lowest is huge because of the differences in skills, experience, gender, location, etc. You will find more information about this issue below.
Lawyer Salary Philippines Comparison
By Experiences
There are six levels of experience with different salary ranges as the following:
- Under 2 years of experience: the average salary is 554,000 PHP. 34% of lawyers in the Philippines will receive this amount monthly.
- From 2 to 5 years of experience: 48% of lawyers belong to this group, earning 740,000 PHP per month. It is also the largest distribution in the Philippines.
- From 5 to 10 years of experience: It takes 22% of Filipino lawyers to own such a long work period. They can earn 1,090,000 PHP each month which can offer a stable living in big cities.
- From 10 to 15 years of experience: The percentage of lawyers who can work 10 to 15 years drops to 22%. Accordingly, their salary increases by 18% (from 1,090,000 to 1,330,000 PHP) compared to the previous group.
- From 15 to 20 years of experience: Only 9% of lawyers belong to this group, who can make 1,450,000 every month.
- Above 20 years of experience: If you have worked as a lawyer for over 20 years, you will get 1,570,000 PHP monthly.
From a fresh lawyer to a master, it charges you for at least 20 years. However, it’s a big salary increase and a bright and potential career path to follow.
By Education
Like other jobs, lawyer salary Philippines vary based on the education level. The detail is as below:
- Bachelor’s degree: The average monthly salary for this group is around 52,700 PHP. To get this degree, people must finish a 4-year full-time study.
- Master’s degree: This group can earn 82,700 PHP, which is about 36% higher than the lower education level. In the Philippines, getting this degree takes 2 years, somewhere between 223,000 PHP and 669,000 PHP.
- Ph.D.: This is the highest education level of a lawyer. To get this degree, people must spend 5 years after the Master’s degree. After that long period, you will receive an average lawyer salary Philippines of 139,000 PHP – a big increase compared to the Master’s degree.
By Gender
Many reports show that the ratio of female and male law students in the Philippines is quite fair. However, the latter dominates in the bar examination passing.
In 2022, there is a 13% gap between the average salary of female and male lawyers. Relatively, the former is 82,400 PHP, and the latter is 94,500 PHP.
Based on the 2022 statistics, the difference by gender for all careers is 15% – 2% higher than for lawyers in general. It’s a good point showing the balance between the two genders, indicating equal ability and income opportunity in the legal field.
Lawyer Salary In Different Cities In The Philippines
The salary of lawyers is also affected by the place they work. The bigger the city is, the more money they earn. Besides, the legal demand also has an impact on this topic.
Among 10 cities in the survey, Quezon City has the highest average salary for lawyers of 104,000 PHP. The 1st runner is Manila with 103,000 PHP, and the 2nd runner is Kalookan with 100,000 PHP per month.
The lowest average lawyer salary Philippines happens in Dasmarinas, with 78,400 PHP. Otherwise, the rest is between 80,000 to 99,000 PHP.
Lawyer Salary Vs Other Related Jobs
Talking about legal jobs, people usually think of lawyers solely. However, If you work in the human resource or legal field, you will know about different related titles and jobs.
Accordingly, Magistrate Judge has the highest salary at 134,000 PHP on average, which is 51% higher than lawyers. Next comes Administrative Law Judge with a 39% increase (equivalent to 123,000 PHP) and Crown Prosecution Service Lawyer with a 33% increase ( equivalent to 118,000 PHP).
On the other hand, many legal jobs have a lower income, such as Legal Support Worker (16,700 PHP), Court Clerk (19,200 PHP), and Law Clerk (19,000 PHP). In general, these titles work as a fist of a hero to support lawyers, judges, and other jobs.
Lawyer Bonus In The Philippines
Lawyers can get four types of bonuses for their performance, KPI, holiday, and annual premium. Generally, lawyers receive good bonuses and incentives in all industries.
In one survey taken place in 2022, up to 84% of lawyers answered that they get 5% to 9% of their salary as a bonus. On the other hand, 16% didn’t receive any monetary amount.
Conclusion
The average lawyer salary Philippines is 88,500 PHP, which is quite high compared to other jobs. This number is expected to increase by about 9-12% in 2023 and even more in the future because of society’s demand.
Although it takes a long and challenging journey to become a lawyer, it’s absolutely worth it with a clear and potential career path with a stable income.
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