Women in Law in Illinois
How women in law fare in Illinois — state-adjusted pay gap, state ranking, and the national context that frames the local picture.
The state-adjusted picture
Women in law nationally face the same structural conditions as women in every other field — but the overall wage environment in Illinois modifies the baseline by -2.9% relative to the US average. A state where the overall pay gap is narrower tends to reflect narrower gaps within fields too, though field-specific dynamics dominate for specialized professions.
Illinois elected its first woman US Senator in 1992.
National context
The legal profession is half female by count and far less than half at the top. This page tracks the current numbers: who enters law school, who makes partner, who leaves, and what the pay actually looks like.
National headline stats (law)
Other fields in Illinois
Law in other states
Related pages
Frequently asked
What is the pay gap for women in law in Illinois?
Illinois’s overall pay ratio is 81.4% — a 18.6% gap. The gap within law follows the national pattern modified by Illinois’s overall wage environment. See the full national field data for in-field specifics.
How does Illinois rank on pay equity?
Illinois ranks #26 of 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity, per Census ACS state ratios.
How are women represented in Illinois politics?
38.4% of Illinois state legislators are women (CAWP 2024). 6 women from Illinois serve in the 119th US Congress.
Where does the national law data come from?
American Bar Association statistics; NALP Reports on Diversity in US Law Firms; Major, Lindsey & Africa Partner Compensation Survey