General Counsel demographics and statistics in the US
General counsel demographics research summary. Zippia estimates general counsel demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our general counsel estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about general counsels after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 52,634 general counsels currently employed in the United States.
- 38.5% of all general counsels are women, while 61.5% are men.
- The average general counsel age is 46 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of general counsels is White (75.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.8%), Asian (6.4%) and Black or African American (5.6%).
- General counsels are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $155,886, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women general counsels earned 94% of what men earned.
- California is the best state for general counsels to live.
- General counsels are 33% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On This Page
General Counsel demographics by:
General Counsel gender statistics
38.5% of general counsels are women and 61.5% of general counsels are men.
- Male, 61.5%
- Female, 38.5%
General Counsel gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 61.5% |
| Female | 38.5% |
General Counsel gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male Income
$108,501
Female Income
$101,981
General Counsel gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in general counsel positions over time. Currently, 38.5% of general counsels are female.
General Counsel gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.01% | 31.99% |
| 2011 | 67.29% | 32.71% |
| 2012 | 67.12% | 32.88% |
| 2013 | 66.55% | 33.45% |
| 2014 | 66.47% | 33.53% |
| 2015 | 64.02% | 35.98% |
| 2016 | 63.93% | 36.07% |
| 2017 | 64.03% | 35.97% |
| 2018 | 64.40% | 35.60% |
| 2019 | 63.73% | 36.27% |
| 2020 | 61.94% | 38.06% |
| 2021 | 61.53% | 38.47% |
General Counsel related jobs gender ratio
We compared general counsels with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, patent examiner and patent attorney have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran Appeals Reviewer | 17% | 83% |
| Guardian Ad Litem | 18% | 82% |
| Surrogate | 18% | 82% |
| General Counsel | 62% | 38% |
| Patent Analyst | 72% | 28% |
| Patent Attorney | 79% | 21% |
| Patent Examiner | 81% | 19% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
General Counsel demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among general counsels is White, which makes up 75.6% of all general counsels. Comparatively, 7.8% of general counsels are Hispanic or Latino and 6.4% of general counsels are Asian.
- White, 75.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.8%
- Asian, 6.4%
- Black or African American, 5.6%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
General Counsel Race
| General Counsel Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.8% |
| Asian | 6.4% |
| Black or African American | 5.6% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
General Counsel race and ethnicity over time
See how general counsel racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
General Counsel race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 82.24% | 5.14% | 4.79% | 5.99% |
| 2011 | 82.02% | 5.45% | 4.95% | 5.83% |
| 2012 | 82.09% | 5.08% | 5.12% | 6.02% |
| 2013 | 81.84% | 5.16% | 5.16% | 5.75% |
| 2014 | 81.18% | 5.67% | 5.39% | 5.89% |
| 2015 | 81.09% | 5.32% | 5.48% | 6.31% |
| 2016 | 80.52% | 5.39% | 5.64% | 6.60% |
| 2017 | 80.55% | 5.36% | 5.61% | 6.37% |
| 2018 | 79.91% | 5.54% | 5.53% | 6.98% |
| 2019 | 79.44% | 5.52% | 5.91% | 7.05% |
| 2020 | 76.92% | 5.42% | 6.22% | 7.19% |
| 2021 | 75.59% | 5.56% | 6.39% | 7.78% |
General Counsel wage gap by race
According to our data, asian general counsels have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american general counsels have the lowest average salary at $103,485.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $107,577 |
| White | $110,684 |
| Black or African American | $103,485 |
| Asian | $115,940 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $105,257 |
Average general counsel age
See how the average age of general counsels varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
General Counsel age by race and gender
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 46 | 44 |
| Unknown | 46 | 40 |
| Asian | 41 | 40.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 43 | 39 |
| White | 48 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 51 | 50 |
General Counsel age breakdown
The average age of general counsels is 40+ years years old, representing 67% of the general counsel population.
General Counsel age breakdown
| General Counsel Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 67% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
General Counsel educational attainment
The most common degree for general counsels is bachelor's degree, with 45% of general counsels earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 43% and doctoral degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 45%
- Doctorate, 43%
- Master's, 8%
- Associate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 1%
General Counsels by degree level
| General Counsel Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 45% |
| Doctorate | 43% |
| Master's | 8% |
| Associate | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
General Counsel Jobs You Might Like
General Counsel employment statistics
Most general counsels work for a private in the government industry.
Company size where general counsels work
Below, you can see the size of companies where general counsels work.
General Counsel jobs by employer size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 24% |
General Counsel jobs by company type
Employees with the general counsel job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most general counsels prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
General Counsel jobs by sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 22% |
| Public | 19% |
| Private | 33% |
| Government | 26% |
General Counsel jobs by industry
The most common industries for general counsels are government, education and finance.
General Counsel industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 21% |
| Education | 18% |
| Finance | 9% |
| Fortune 500 | 9% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Non Profits | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
General Counsel turnover and employment statistics
General Counsel unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for general counsels between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Unemployment rate
General Counsel unemployment rate by year
| Year | General Counsel Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.19% |
| 2011 | 1.85% |
| 2012 | 1.64% |
| 2013 | 1.90% |
| 2014 | 1.57% |
| 2015 | 1.34% |
| 2016 | 1.09% |
| 2017 | 1.17% |
| 2018 | 1.10% |
| 2019 | 1.16% |
| 2020 | 1.33% |
| 2021 | 1.55% |
Average general counsel tenure
The average general counsel stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 8,173 general counsels resumes in Zippia's database.
General Counsel tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 22% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
General Counsel LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of general counsels that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Judicial Law Clerk | 5.54% | 67,469 |
| Attorney's Assistant | 6.63% | 6,425 |
| Title Processor | 8.14% | 7,068 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| General Counsel | 10.48% | - |
| Legislative Aide | 14.16% | 40,281 |
Similar general counsel jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Judicial Law Clerk | 5.54% | 67,469 |
| Attorney's Assistant | 6.63% | 6,425 |
| Title Processor | 8.14% | 7,068 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| Legislative Aide | 14.16% | 40,281 |
Foreign languages spoken by general counsels
The most common foreign language among general counsels is Spanish at 45.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 14.2% and Italian is the third-most popular at 5.5%.
- Spanish, 45.5%
- French, 14.2%
- Italian, 5.5%
- Russian, 4.7%
- German, 4.5%
- Other, 25.6%
General Counsel languages spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 45.5% |
| French | 14.2% |
| Italian | 5.5% |
| Russian | 4.7% |
| German | 4.5% |
| Other | 25.6% |
