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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Missouri?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Missouri is based on aggregated and anonymized data from tens of thousands of legal professionals across the U.S. This data is updated annually and published with additional research and analysis in Clio’s Legal Trends Report.

Key takeaways

  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for a lawyer in Missouri is $300, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Missouri can range from $181 to $474.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Missouri is $149, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Missouri can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Missouri is $269 (compared to $311 in the US), which is a blended rate that takes into account both lawyer and non-lawyer rates. Based on the practice area, how much law firms charge in Missouri can range from $136 to $432.

Compare hourly rates to national averages and other states

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  • All of Clio’s research is published annually in the Legal Trends Report, which features in-depth analysis on the latest trends in AI technology and adoption, consumer perspectives on legal services, and this year, a first-of-its kind neurological study of legal professionals.

    Read the report

Hourly rates for legal services in Missouri

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Missouri. “Non-lawyer” rates refer to non-licensed legal professionals like paralegals and other firm administrative staff. “Law firm” rates are a blended average of lawyer and non-lawyer rates.


Average lawyer hourly rates
Average non-lawyer hourly rates
Average law firm hourly rates
State average $300 $149 $269
High $492 $237 $456
Low $196 $118 $186
Industry average $349 $187 $311

Compare hourly rates to national averages and other states

Hourly rates for legal services by practice area in Missouri

In Missouri, hourly rates differ based on the types of services and practice areas offered by lawyers and their law firms


Practice area
Average lawyer hourly rate
Administrative$316
Appellate$262
Bankruptcy$342
Business$330
Civil Litigation$312
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$421
Collections$289
Commercial Sale of Goods$357
Construction$270
Contracts$404
Corporate$314
Criminal$290
Elder Law$307
Employment Labor$364
Family$292
Government$303
Immigration$474
Insurance$249
Intellectual Property$403
Juvenile$181
Mediation and Arbitration$286
Medical Malpractice$450
Other$361
Personal Injury$212
Real Estate$301
Small Claims$333
Tax$466
Traffic Offenses$253
Trusts$357
Wills and Estates$328
Worker's Compensation$324

Key performance indicators in Missouri

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Missouri. This information helps lawyers understand how they and their employees are contributing to revenue generation, and can be instrumental in identifying areas for continuous improvement.


Utilization rate
Realization rate
Collection rate
What is it? How many hours individual lawyers put towards revenue-generating work. How much revenue-generating work is billed to a client after discounts or canceled fees. How much invoiced work gets paid to a law firm.
Missouri average 36% 88% 93%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Missouri


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$300$149$269
2024$280$154$262
2023$249$131$227
2022$254$132$231
2021$246$127$225

Adjusted hourly rates in Missouri

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Missouri can affect overall purchasing power. Adjusted hourly rates take into account average consumer prices, and are calculated as follows.


Year
Adjusted lawyer hourly rate
Adjusted non-lawyer hourly rate
Adjusted law firm hourly rate
2025$327$163$293
2024$307$169$288
2023$271$142$246
2022$284$147$258
2021$276$143$252

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Missouri?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Missouri is between $181 and $474 per hour, with the average being $300.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Missouri?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Missouri is $292 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Missouri?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Missouri is $312 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Missouri?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in Missouri is $290 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Missouri?

Immigration attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Missouri, earning $474 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Missouri?

Juvenile attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Missouri, earning $181 per hour on average.

Explore lawyer rates in the U.S.

About the Legal Trends Report

The Legal Trends Report, published by Clio, provides information on the most important issues faced within the legal profession. By analyzing aggregated and anonymized data from tens of thousands of legal professionals in the U.S., supported by extensive survey research, this report offers unique insights into law firm efficiencies, hourly rates, and other key metrics for success.

Read the report