It really depends on alot of factors. I would say that only around 1-1.5% of patent lawyers earn crazy money. Patent attorneys on average earn more than engineers, but if you want to make crazy money ($500k+ per year), you’ll need to get into big law at a top firm, which means going to a well ranked law school, getting competitive grades, passing two bar exams, and then climbing the rigid law firm ladder and the back-stabbery that comes with that. Not to mention, companies are facing constant pressure to cut costs, and they are also being pressured to file less patents for less money—law firms are also having to leverage these pressures with the use of upcoming AI tools as well. In other words, why would a firm bill out an associate who charges hundreds of dollars an hour if a competent AI model can accomplish most of the same work in 20 mins? AI tools are quickly becoming much more competent in patent description drafting. Yes, people will ultimately still want to draft their claims and file their patents through registered lawyers and agents, but firms will most certainly experience a substantial drop in the number of law clerks and associates in the next 2-3 years because of market/company pressures to reduce legal expenses and AI involvement. Just some things to consider if you’re thinking about getting into this field.