Associate General Counsel salary in Los Angeles: $247,000
Associate general counsel in Los Angeles, CA earn a median of $247,000 in total compensation — about +3.8% versus the national median of $238,000 for this title. The typical range runs $193,000 to $336,000, with roughly $178,000 of that as base salary and the remainder in bonus and equity.
Median total comp
$247,000
base + bonus + equity
Typical base salary
$178,000
cash only
Cost-of-living adjusted
$169,000
COL index 146
Market movement
+6.1%
709 open legal roles
What an associate general counsel package looks like in Los Angeles
Associate General Counsel is the senior workhorse title inside a legal department — deep subject-matter ownership, frequently a small team, but not the whole function. It is the most common landing spot for law-firm senior associates and junior partners moving in-house.
Los Angeles carries a cost-of-living index of 146 against a national baseline of 100, so the $247,000 median is worth about $169,000 in national purchasing power. Legal hiring in the metro is running +6.1% year over year across roughly 709 tracked openings, and demand scores 78 out of 100 in our benchmark set.
- Years post-JD and whether the move came from an AmLaw 50 firm
- Practice area — securities, privacy, antitrust and life-sciences regulatory pay above generalist AGC roles
- Whether the role carries direct reports
- Public versus private company, and equity refresh policy
Los Angeles versus other metros for associate general counsel
| Metro | Median total | vs Los Angeles | COL adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | $247,000 | — | $169,000 |
| San Francisco, CA | $296,000 | +19.8% | $163,000 |
| New York, NY | $278,000 | +12.6% | $165,000 |
| Seattle, WA | $270,000 | +9.3% | $178,000 |
| Boston, MA | $254,000 | +2.8% | $172,000 |
| Washington, DC | $245,000 | -0.8% | $171,000 |
| Austin, TX | $232,000 | -6.1% | $215,000 |
| Denver, CO | $228,000 | -7.7% | $197,000 |
| Chicago, IL | $225,000 | -8.9% | $201,000 |
| Dallas, TX | $219,000 | -11.3% | $215,000 |
| Atlanta, GA | $217,000 | -12.1% | $211,000 |
| Raleigh, NC | $210,000 | -15.0% | $212,000 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $208,000 | -15.8% | $200,000 |
| Tampa, FL | $203,000 | -17.8% | $201,000 |
Total compensation medians as of August 2026. Directional market estimates, not offers.
Associate General Counsel pay in Los Angeles: common questions
- How much does an associate general counsel pay in Los Angeles?
- The median total compensation for associate general counsel in Los Angeles, CA is $247,000 as of August 2026, with a typical range of $193,000 to $336,000. Roughly $178,000 of the median is base salary, with the remainder in bonus and equity.
- Is Associate General Counsel pay in Los Angeles above or below the national average?
- Los Angeles pays above the national median for this title — $247,000 versus $238,000 nationally, a difference of about 3.8%. Adjusted for Los Angeles's cost-of-living index of 146, the package is worth about $169,000 in national purchasing power.
- What is the base salary versus bonus and equity split for associate general counsel in Los Angeles?
- Base salary typically accounts for about $178,000 of the $247,000 median, or roughly 72%. The balance comes from annual bonus and equity, and the equity share rises sharply at venture-backed and public companies.
- Which US metro pays associate general counsel the most?
- San Francisco, CA leads our benchmark set at $296,000 median total compensation for associate general counsel. Cost of living offsets part of that advantage — on a cost-adjusted basis the ranking changes materially.
- What drives Associate General Counsel compensation the most?
- Years post-JD and whether the move came from an AmLaw 50 firm; Practice area — securities, privacy, antitrust and life-sciences regulatory pay above generalist AGC roles; Whether the role carries direct reports; Public versus private company, and equity refresh policy.
What would your profile earn in Los Angeles?
Medians describe the market, not you. MaxMyPay builds a personalized valuation range from your own resume and experience, then scales it across every metro we track.