Patent attorney salary
Answer in brief
Patent attorneys at large U.S. firms start at $235,000 base in 2026, rising to $455,000 by the eighth year on the Milbank scale; USPTO patent attorneys earn $55,330–$197,200; the median U.S. lawyer earns $159,670.
USPTO pay table, 2026
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $55,330 | $71,930 |
| GS-7 | $68,539 | $89,102 |
| GS-9 | $80,145 | $104,194 |
| GS-11 | $93,779 | $121,919 |
| GS-12 | $107,813 | $140,160 |
| GS-13 | $131,841 | $171,396 |
| GS-14 | $155,797 | $197,200 |
| GS-15 | $183,257 | $197,200 |
2026 annual special rates for USPTO patent series 1220–1226, OPM Table 0576. GS-14 and GS-15 are capped at $197,200 (Executive Schedule Level IV).
More detail
See Patent Attorney Salary for pay by employer and where each figure comes from.
Sources for this entry
- 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. - 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. - 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.
Practical guidance is original editorial content. Company-published figures are the company's own claims and are labeled as such.
Continue this reading path
Patent attorney vs patent agentCost to become a patent attorney
How the related websites connect
This is one of 19 coordinated Wysebridge references. The related sites answer neighboring questions and share the same publisher entity, Wysebridge. They are not independent endorsements.
- How to Become a Patent Agent — Eligibility, the USPTO application, the exam, cost and pay, step by step.
- Patent Agent Salary — What patent agents earn without a law degree, and how pay grows.
- Patent Attorney Salary — What patent attorneys earn, by setting and career stage, with sources.
- Best IP Law Schools — How to judge a law school for an IP career, using published rankings and ABA data.
- Best Patent Bar Review — Choosing a patent bar review course, compared on pass rate, price and method.
- Patent Bar Exams — The USPTO registration exam: format, fees, dates, past exams and practice.
- The Patent Bar Exam — A first-timer's guide to the patent bar: the application, test day and scoring.
- How to Study for the Patent Bar — Study plans, hours, the MPEP chapters that matter most, and how to practice.
- How to Pass the Patent Bar — Pass rates, test-taking strategy, MPEP lookup speed and retake planning.
- Patent Bar Practice Questions — Original exam-style practice questions with answers explained against the MPEP.
- MPEP.net — The Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, explained chapter by chapter.
- MPEP.ai — Using AI to search, study and check the MPEP, and where it goes wrong.
- The Best Patent Attorneys — How to choose and verify a registered patent attorney, by state.
- Best Patent Agents — How to choose and verify a registered patent agent, and what agents can do.
- Best Intellectual Property Law Firms — How to evaluate IP firms, using independent directories rather than self-ranking.
- Best Trademark Law Firms — When trademark counsel is required, what filing costs, and how to choose a firm.
- Best IP Law — Patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets compared, with terms and costs.
- Patent Law Center — Patent types, provisional applications, prosecution and maintenance fees explained.
See how every reference connects · Wysebridge's official website ↗
Cite or share this entry
How to Become a Patent Attorney. “Patent attorney salary.” Wysebridge Reference. Content reviewed 9 November 2026.
https://howtobecomeapatentattorney.com/patent-attorney-salary/