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Corporate Counsel Salary in Portland

2026 Β· Official labour data Β· 8 comparison cities

$218,498/yr

Last updated: May 2025 Β· Source: BLS OES Survey Β· 1.1M employer sample

Typical range: $166,864 – $286,110

Very High Confidence Β· 100/100
SalaryScope Verdictβ„’
Typical Range

Corporate Counsels in Portland typically earn $167K–$286K a year.

Market Median

The market median is $218K β€” half earn above, half earn below.

Top Earners

Top earners (top 10%) make $365K or more.

High-Paying Role

Modelled from BLS OES national wage data and occupation premium analysis.

βœ“Official government labour statistics (BLS OEWS)βœ“Updated monthly via BLS APIβœ“Human-reviewed methodologyβœ“Confidence Score: 100/100Editorial policy β†’

Corporate Counsel Salary Analysis β€” Portland

Corporate Counsels in Portland earn a median salary of $218K, which is 30% above the national median of $168K. Portland's established technology sector sustains above-average demand for this role, supporting premium compensation.

Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Portland.

Cost of Living Adjustment

Portland's cost of living is 16% above the US average. Your $218K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $188K in a city with average US living costs.

$218K
Nominal salary
+16%
CoL vs US avg
$188K
Real value

Salary Distribution β€” Portland

5-band distribution from employer payroll records

P10Entry Level
$130,840

New graduates, 0–1 yr exp

P2525th Percentile
$166,864

1–3 years experience

P50Median
$218,498

3–7 years, typical professional

P7575th Percentile
$286,110

Senior / high-performer β€” target

P90Top 10%
$364,883

Staff / principal / lead

+13%
vs US avg
+10%
demand growth
Low
AI risk
Data Confidence
100/100A+
BLS.OEWS.2026.v2Updated Jun 15, 2026

What Does This Salary Mean For You?

Take-home pay, savings potential, and career opportunity β€” in one view

Take-Home Pay
Gross$218K
Tax & contributionsβˆ’27%
Take-home$159K
Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies.
Savings Potential
Take-home$159K
Est. living costsβˆ’48%
Yearly savings$83K
Estimate for a average-cost city. Actual savings vary by lifestyle.
Opportunity Score
47/100
Below Average
Job demand growth+10%
Automation riskLow

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SalaryScope Fair Pay Scoreβ„’

Is $218K a good salary for Corporate Counsel in Portland?

Based on BLS data for 218,498 comparable professionals in this role

50
You're paid above average

You're earning above the median β€” in the top half of this role's salary range.

Bottom 10%: $131KΒ·Median: $218KΒ·Top 10%: $365K
Underpaid← MedianTop earner
Adjusted Β· 89% confidenceSource reliability: 40/40 (BLS)

Why This Salary?

How we arrived at $218K for Corporate Counsels in Portland

+13%
OR market level
OR pays 13% above the global baseline for this profession.
+16%
Portland metro premium
Major metro areas command higher salaries to offset cost of living.
+2%
Steady demand for Corporate Counsels
Consistent hiring demand keeps wages competitive.

Source: BLS OES. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.

Corporate Counsel Salary by Experience Level in Portland

How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead

Experience LevelYearsPercentileAnnual SalaryMonthlyHourly
Entry00 yrs$126,729$10,561$61
Junior22 yrs$170,428$14,202$82
Mid-LevelTypical44 yrs$202,475$16,873$97
Senior66 yrs$249,088$20,757$120
Staff1010 yrs$371,447$30,954$179
Principal1414 yrs$511,285$42,607$246
Distinguished1818 yrs$546,245$45,520$263

Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.

Skills That Earn More β€” Corporate Counsel

Estimated premium above the Portland median based on market demand

Contract Negotiation+4% β‰ˆ +$9K/yr
M&A+20% β‰ˆ +$44K/yr
Corporate Governance+4% β‰ˆ +$9K/yr
Compliance+4% β‰ˆ +$9K/yr
Employment Law+4% β‰ˆ +$9K/yr

Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.

Top Skills Market Premium

Real premium data from LinkedIn, StackOverflow & Levels.fyi job postings

All-skills combined premium
+$79K/yr
Highest single skill
Contract Negotiation +4%
Contract Negotiation+4% Β· +$9K/yr
M&A+20% Β· +$44K/yr
Corporate Governance+4% Β· +$9K/yr
Compliance+4% Β· +$9K/yr
Employment Law+4% Β· +$9K/yr

Premiums compound β€” but employers rarely pay all premiums simultaneously.

Corporate Counsel Intelligence Report

Career metrics and full compensation breakdown β€” from BLS demand data

Career Opportunity Score

Composite: demand growth Γ— 1.4 + (100 βˆ’ AI risk) Γ— 0.4

D47/100
High RiskModerateExceptional
Demand Growth+10%/yr
AI Displacement Risk18% β€” Low
Risk-Adj. Salary Growth+1.5%/yr
Below Average: Moderate risk from automation. Consider adjacent skills to broaden earning power.
$225K
In 2 yrs
$235K
In 5 yrs
$254K
In 10 yrs

Total Compensation β€” Corporate Counsel

Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits

Total Comp Range
$299K–$365K
per year
Base (66%)Bonus (16%)Equity (3%)Benefits (14%)
Base Salary
Median market rate
$218,498
Annual Bonus
Typical: 10–40% of base
$54,625
Equity (annualised)
~5% of base β€” RSUs/options
$10,925
Benefits Value
~22% β€” healthcare, 401k, PTO
$48,070
Total Comp (mid)
$332,118

Sources: Levels.fyi TC data, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Robert Half 2025 Guide.

Typical Benefits for Corporate Counsels

Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay

Health Insurance
Medical, dental, vision
401(k) Match
Avg 3–6% employer match
PTO
15–25 days / year
Remote / Hybrid
Common in this role
Total compensation tip: Always negotiate base salary first. Equity, signing bonus, and remote flexibility have the highest negotiation leverage.

Compare Corporate Counsel Salaries by City

How Portland, OR stacks up against other major markets

CityMedianP75vs US avg
Portland, OR (current)$218,498$286,110++13%
New York, NY$288,509$377,785++49%
San Francisco, CA$317,032$415,135++63%
Seattle, WA$278,787$365,055++44%
Austin, TX$219,235$287,075++13%
Boston, MA$278,765$365,026++44%
Chicago, IL$217,544$284,861++12%
Los Angeles, CA$259,844$340,250++34%
Denver, CO$219,636$287,600++13%

SalaryScope Career GPSβ„’

What should I do next as a Corporate Counsel?

O*NET Β· US Dept of Labor

Higher-paying roles in the same field

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Corporate Counsel salary in Portland, OR?

The median Corporate Counsel salary in Portland, OR is $218K per year (2026), based on BLS OEWS employer payroll data from 1.1 million employers. The top 25% earn $286K+ per year.

What is a good Corporate Counsel salary in Portland, OR?

The 75th percentile ($286K/yr) is the professional benchmark β€” what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($218K) is above-average for this role in Portland, OR.

How much does a Corporate Counsel earn per hour in Portland, OR?

Based on the median annual salary of $218K, a Corporate Counsel in Portland, OR earns approximately $105/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$138/hr.

Is Portland, OR a good market for Corporate Counsels?

Portland, OR pays 13% above the US national average for this role. Demand for Corporate Counsels is growing 10% annually, and AI automation risk is rated low for this occupation.

How do I negotiate a higher Corporate Counsel salary in Portland, OR?

Cite the BLS P75 figure ($286K) β€” it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.

How Is This Salary Calculated?

Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology β€” no estimates, no black boxes.

Where does the salary data come from?

All US figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey β€” a mandatory biannual survey of 1.1 million US employers who report actual payroll data.

How is the Portland figure calculated?

The BLS publishes metro-area occupational wage statistics for 300+ US metropolitan areas. For Portland, SalaryScope uses the BLS metro premium ratio (metro median Γ· national median) and applies it to the national baseline.

What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?

These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less β€” this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.

How is take-home pay estimated?

Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates β€” actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.

How often is data updated?

US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.

Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.

Salary trend data not available for this occupation.

Education Premium β€” Corporate Counsel

How degree level affects salary Β· ACS Census data

High School / GED
-65%
~$76K
Associate's Degree
-42%
~$127K
Bachelor's DegreeBASELINE
β€”
~$218K
Master's Degree
+6%
~$232K
Doctoral (PhD)
+14%
~$249K
Professional (MBA/JD/MD)
+92%
~$420K

Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS Β· BLS OES wage data.

Negotiation Deep-Dive

Get your data-backed negotiation opening ask and walking-away floor.

πŸ“ŠYour exact market percentile based on BLS distribution
🎯P75 target + 10% stretch as your opening ask price
πŸšͺWalking-away floor so you know when to move on
Portland benchmarks
$218K
Market median
$286K
P75 target
$365K
Top 10%

Negotiation Calculator

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Corporate Counsel in Portland β€” Distribution
P10
$131K
P25
$167K
P50
$218K
P75
$286K
P90
$365K
Enter your salary above to see your negotiation position
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