The Brief:
Sydney data shows in-house pay tracks surprisingly close to private practice across most PQE levels.
The real differentiator isn’t salary — it’s training.
Moving in-house has long been sold as the dream: better hours, no time recording, better work-life balance.
But here’s the real question: does the pay actually stack up against private practice?
The Numbers
Surprisingly, Sydney figures show there isn’t a huge gap overall.
On the whole, in-house pays a little less than law firms. But across most levels, in-house and private practice salaries actually sit within striking distance of each other.
There are only two real deviations:
2–3 PQE: firms pull ahead, usually by $15k.
4–5 PQE: we see the same gap again, with firms typically leading by $15k.
But by 5-6 PQE and over, the difference narrows.
Level | Private Practice (Avg)* | In-House (Avg)* |
|---|---|---|
0-1 PQE | $85k | $80k |
1-2 PQE | $105k | $110k |
2-3 PQE | $130k | $115k |
3-4 PQE | $140k | $135k |
4-5 PQE | $160k | $145k |
5-6 PQE | $170k | $165k |
6+ PQE | $180k | $175k |
SA / Senior Legal Counsel | $220k | $215k |
* Salaries in NSW excluding superannuation and bonuses.
Making a Move
Yes, the pay gap between in-house and private practice may be smaller than you think, but it’s not the only factor to consider.
Recruiter Rachael Musgrave says that juniors are bailing out of billables and heading in-house much sooner, convinced it’s the fix.
But the crunch point is training.
As Musgrave puts it, the training you generally get in private practice as a junior lawyer is likely to be of a much higher standard than in-house.
So with salaries eventually evening out, the timing question isn’t really about money — it’s about how much training you want under your belt before making the move.
Source: Hays Salary Guide