DMV labor force, by the numbers: 7x the legal jobs — and salaries to match

If you need a lawyer in the DMV, it’s pretty easy to find one. 

The region surpasses several other areas in employing residents in the legal field, according to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Given the proximity to the federal government and the relatively complicated nature of international transactions, the high concentration makes sense. 

How much more prevalent is the legal trade?

The “labor quotient” (or LQ) for legal-related jobs in the DC region is 6.71, meaning it’s nearly seven times more concentrated than the rest of the US. That’s a lot. In Philadelphia for example, the legal industry is also the most concentrated occupation — but with an LQ of about 2. 

That’s not the only industry with prominence in the area. Like nearby Baltimore, the education services industry is the region’s most concentrated field in the DC region. It has an LQ of 2.57, while Baltimore’s is nearly double that of 4.18. 

This focus in DC may be thanks to the amount of higher education institutions in the area, which employ several professors and librarians on top of the teachers in K-12 systems. It’s also home to several law schools, including Georgetown University Law Center and the American University Washington College of Law.

There’s a clear technology connection, too. In 2020, Georgetown introduced new graduate programs focused on technology law and policy. 

The DC region also has a lofty median salary of $143,400 per year, which would be thanks to the high concentration of legal jobs. The median salary for lawyers, for example, is $145,760 per year. 

But compared to nearby Baltimore, the cost of living is 46% higher, per Nerd Wallet, with housing costs being the priciest aspect. 

Compared to other regions, the number of residents actively engaged in the workforce is also pretty high — at 69.2%, the DMV’s stat is a bit above the Baltimore Metropolitan Statistical Area’s (66.2%), and a significant jump up from Pittsburgh, for example, at 61.2%. 

The DC region’s number is informed by the even higher rate in the district proper, where more than 72% of residents were participating in the labor force, per the DC Dept. of Employment Services.

Despite leading in this category, total employment slightly decreased between 2018 and 2023. DC proper’s population went down during the height of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 and still has not returned to pre-pandemic numbers. 

The projected employment growth in the region in the next five years is 5.2%.

For the 30% of the eligible workforce unemployed, there could be opportunities in the growing life, physical and social sciences industries. That’s the most concentrated sector related to tech in the region, with an LQ of nearly 3, meaning it's three times more concentrated here than the rest of the country. 

There are workforce training programs in tech in the region, besides one pillar in DC that recently closed its doors. But a nearby organization in Alexandria is working to reach prospective students in the region. 

Education is a major connecting factor to tech in the DMV, with several universities and colleges working to incorporate new tools like AI and cybersecurity training to prepare the next generation.