The short answer
- Choose the solicitor route if you want to be the person clients usually come to first, you want to earn while you qualify, since QWE can be paid work before, during or after the SQE or your degree is not in law and you want to avoid a conversion course.
- Choose the Bar if you want specialist advice and advocacy to be the core of your work, you are ready for a competitive search for pupillage and, usually, self-employment or you have at least a 2:2 and can fund a Bar course before you know whether you have a pupillage.
Key facts
- SQE1 costs £2,006 (check the official website) and SQE2 £3,086 (check the official website) for 2026/27; a preparation course is optional.
- Bar courses were listed at £12,900 to £21,200 for 2026, and you must join an Inn of Court to enrol.
- Solicitors need two years’ full-time or equivalent qualifying work experience; barristers need pupillage, usually two periods of six months.
- The minimum pupillage award from 1 January 2026 is £25,863 (check the official website) a year in London and £23,504 (check the official website) elsewhere.
- Pupillage is the bottleneck: 41% of UK-domiciled students who enrolled on a Bar course in 2020-21 had started pupillage by the end of 2025 (check the official website).
- There were 181,481 practising solicitors in September 2026 and 18,491 practising barristers in 2025, about four in five of them self-employed.
How do they compare?
| Criterion | the solicitor route | the Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator | Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) | Bar Standards Board (BSB) |
| Degree | Any subject, or an equivalent qualification | Law, or another subject plus the GDL; at least a 2:2 |
| Assessments and course | SQE1 £2,006 (check the official website) and SQE2 £3,086 (check the official website); a preparation course is optional | A Bar course, listed at £12,900 to £21,200 for 2026; membership of an Inn of Court |
| Work-based training | Two years’ full-time or equivalent QWE, before, during or after the SQE | Pupillage, usually two periods of six months |
| Minimum pay in training | National Minimum Wage for paid work; the Law Society’s guidance is the real Living Wage: £15.45 (check the official website) an hour in London | £25,863 (check the official website) a year in London, £23,504 (check the official website) elsewhere (2026) |
| The bottleneck | Finding QWE: a training contract, paralegal work or a law clinic can count | Pupillage: 41% of UK-domiciled students who enrolled on a Bar course in 2020-21 had started pupillage by the end of 2025 (check the official website) |
| Size of the profession | 181,481 practising solicitors (September 2026) | 18,491 practising barristers (2025), about four in five self-employed |
Solicitors and barristers are both lawyers, and their work can overlap: both give legal advice and both represent people and organisations. The Bar Council puts the usual difference simply: a client often goes to a solicitor first, and the solicitor then usually approaches a barrister to represent the client. (Bar Council, becoming a barrister (secondary source)) This page compares the two routes on what can be checked – time, cost, pay in training, competition and working life. It is general information, not legal or careers advice.
What does each route involve?
Solicitor: a degree in any subject or an equivalent qualification, SQE1 and SQE2, two years’ full-time or equivalent qualifying work experience (QWE) and the SRA’s character and suitability requirements, then admission to the roll. (SRA, SQE route) The SRA does not prescribe a preparation course (SRA, SQE training options), and QWE can be gained in up to four organisations, before, during or after the assessments. (SRA, qualifying work experience) You need the degree only to be admitted, not to sit the assessments. (SRA, SQE Q&A)
Barrister: a law degree, or a degree in another subject plus the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), with at least a 2:2; a Bar course, for which you must be fluent in English and a member of one of the Inns of Court; then pupillage – a non-practising period, usually six months, followed by a practising period, usually six months. (BSB, becoming a barrister) At the self-employed Bar you then apply for tenancy in chambers; decisions are usually made two to three months before pupillage ends. (Bar Council, pupil barristers (secondary source))
How long does each route take?
The Bar Council gives three stages: the academic stage takes three to five years, the vocational stage one to two years and pupillage one year to 18 months. (Bar Council, becoming a barrister (secondary source)) After the degree (and any conversion course), that is about two to three and a half years until pupillage ends – if you find a pupillage straight after the course.
On the solicitor route, the fixed block is QWE: two years’ full-time or equivalent. It can run before, during or after SQE1 and SQE2 (SRA, qualifying work experience), so the time after the degree can be close to two years for someone who starts QWE early. A graduate solicitor apprenticeship typically takes two to three years and counts as QWE. (SRA, solicitor apprenticeships)
The real difference is the gap that can open on the Bar route between finishing the course and starting pupillage: 41% of UK-domiciled students who enrolled on a Bar course in 2020-21 had started pupillage by the end of 2025 (check the official website). (Legal Cheek, 19 October 2026 (secondary source))
What does each cost?
| Cost | Solicitor (SQE route) | Barrister |
|---|---|---|
| Assessments | SQE1 £2,006 (check the official website) and SQE2 £3,086 (check the official website): £5,092 (check the official website) together | Not listed separately by most providers; one lists an £840 exam fee on top of its course fee (Chambers Student, course providers compared (secondary source)) |
| Course | Optional; courses for SQE1, or SQE1 and SQE2, listed from £4,700 (an online SQE1 course) to £18,500 (an LLM covering SQE1 and SQE2 in London), not counting law conversion courses (Chambers Student, course providers compared (secondary source)) | Required; listed from £12,900 (a seven-month PGDip) to £21,200 (an LLM in London) (Chambers Student, course providers compared (secondary source)) |
| Conversion | Not needed | The GDL, if your degree is not in law |
| Funding to look at | A Master’s Loan for an LLM; an employer that pays | A Master’s Loan for an LLM; Inns of Court awards; other scholarships |
The Inns of Court College of Advocacy charged £16,600 for its two-part Bar course in 2026/27 and has confirmed £18,250 for students starting from September 2027. (Legal Cheek, 22 September 2026 (secondary source)) A Master’s Loan is only available for a full master’s course such as an LLM, not for a postgraduate diploma or certificate, and not if you already hold a master’s degree. (GOV.UK, Master's Loan eligibility) The Inns offer their own awards, and the Kalisher Scholarship Trust covers the vocational course fees of two aspiring barristers a year. (Bar Council, funding and scholarships (secondary source))
On either route, add living costs and any pay you give up while training to the fees. The solicitor qualification cost calculator adds them up for the SQE route, and the costs guide explains each SRA fee.
What do solicitors and barristers earn?
In training. QWE can be paid or voluntary. (SRA, qualifying work experience) For paid work the legal floor is the National Minimum Wage (GOV.UK, minimum wage rates), and the Law Society’s guidance since 2026 is at least the real Living Wage (Law Society Gazette, 25 September 2026 (secondary source)): £15.45 (check the official website) an hour in London and £14.10 (check the official website) elsewhere. Pupils must receive at least the minimum pupillage award: £25,863 (check the official website) a year for 12-month pupillages in London and £23,504 (check the official website) outside London, from 1 January 2026. The BSB sets it with regard to the Living Wage Foundation’s hourly rate. (BSB, minimum pupillage award 2026) At the top end, The Lawyer reported pupillage awards of £80,000 to £100,000 at several London chambers in January 2025. (The Lawyer, 14 January 2025 (secondary source))
After qualifying. The ONS puts the median full-time job in its “solicitors and lawyers” group at £57,198 a year (tax year to April 2026, provisional). (ONS, ASHE 2026 provisional, Table 14) Occupation data, not the effect of a qualification: it describes jobs, not what qualifying does for you. There is no comparable figure for barristers. The survey covers employee jobs, and about four in five practising barristers are self-employed – 14,849 of 18,491 in 2025. (BSB, practising barristers) A tenant’s income comes entirely from the work they take on, and most chambers ask for a proportion of earnings towards shared costs. (Bar Council, pupil barristers (secondary source)) The guide to trainee and NQ solicitor salaries has the detail for solicitors.
How competitive is each route?
The Bar is the smaller profession: 18,491 practising barristers in 2025 (BSB, practising barristers), against 181,481 practising solicitors in September 2026 (SRA, population of solicitors) – nearly ten solicitors for every barrister. The bottleneck is pupillage: the figure above shows how many Bar students reach it.
The solicitor route has no single bottleneck of that kind. A training contract is one way to gain QWE; paralegal work, a law clinic or other legal roles can count if they meet the SRA’s criteria, and you can combine up to four organisations. (SRA, qualifying work experience)
What is working life like?
The Bar Council describes barristers as specialist legal advisers and advocates: researching the law, giving opinions and arguing cases. (Bar Council, becoming a barrister (secondary source)) Solicitors also go to court: they have rights of audience in some courts on admission, and the higher courts need the civil or criminal higher rights qualification. (SRA, higher rights of audience)
Most barristers are self-employed and group together in chambers; around a fifth are employed, by organisations such as the government, banks or the military. (Bar Council, becoming a barrister (secondary source)) Self-employment shapes everyday life: income depends on the work that comes in, and costs are shared with chambers, while on the employed Bar there is no expectation that you pay towards building rents. (Bar Council, pupil barristers (secondary source)) If you want a salary, holiday pay and a team around you, weigh that as heavily as the work itself.
Can you switch later?
- Solicitor to advocate: once admitted, you can take the separate civil or criminal assessments for higher rights of audience; there is no mandatory training or experience requirement. (SRA, higher rights of audience)
- Barrister to solicitor: barristers with a full practising certificate can apply to the SRA for an SQE2 exemption, decided case by case. (SRA, exemptions Q&A) See SQE exemptions for qualified lawyers.
What is the bigger decision?
It is less “which job sounds better” than which risk you can carry. The Bar asks you to pay for a course before you know whether you will find a pupillage, and then to build a self-employed practice. The solicitor route lets you earn QWE while you prepare – often slower, but with fewer all-or-nothing moments. Think about savings, family commitments and how you feel about irregular income.
Common mistakes when choosing
- Choosing the Bar for court work alone: solicitors can qualify for the higher courts too.
- Assuming a solicitor needs a law degree: any subject, or an equivalent qualification, will do.
- Comparing the top pupillage awards with typical trainee pay, or the other way round.
- Paying for a Bar course without looking hard at the pupillage figures first.
- Forgetting the Bar’s 2:2 minimum and the conversion year for a non-law degree.
What this means for you
- Spend time with both: a few days in a firm and a few in chambers or court tell you more than any table.
- Write down which risk you can carry: course fees before a pupillage, or a longer route while you earn.
- If the solicitor route appeals, read how to become a solicitor and try the free SQE1 quick test to see how SQE1 questions work.
- If the Bar appeals, check the BSB’s requirements, join an Inn early and apply for its awards.
Our SQE1 course prepares you for the first SQE assessment with explained single best answer questions.
What this page covers
- Last updated
- Based on
- SRA and BSB pages; the fact register for SRA fees, pay floors, the minimum pupillage award and the pupillage figure; ONS ASHE 2026; course prices and pupillage awards from dated secondary sources
- Includes
- Stages, time, costs, funding, pay in training, competition, working life, switching later
- Not included
- Chartered legal executives, Scotland and Northern Ireland, conversion course prices, legal or careers advice
Who should choose which?
| If you … | Usually fits |
|---|---|
| want to earn while you qualify and spread the cost | the solicitor route |
| want advocacy and written advice to be most of your work | the Bar |
| have a degree in another subject and want to avoid a conversion course | the solicitor route |
| want court work but also a salary | the solicitor route with higher rights of audience later, or the employed Bar |
| are comfortable with self-employment and an income that varies | the Bar |
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to become a solicitor or a barrister?
The SRA’s assessment fees for 2026/27 are £2,006 (check the official website) for SQE1 and £3,086 (check the official website) for SQE2, and a preparation course is optional. A Bar course is required and was listed at £12,900 to £21,200 for 2026, plus a conversion course if your degree is not in law. Living costs and lost pay come on top of both.
How long does it take to become a barrister compared with a solicitor?
After the academic stage, the Bar Council gives one to two years for the vocational stage and one year to 18 months for pupillage. Solicitors need two years’ full-time or equivalent QWE, which can run alongside SQE1 and SQE2.
Do barristers earn more than solicitors?
There is no like-for-like figure. The ONS puts the median full-time job for solicitors and lawyers at £57,198 a year, but its survey covers employee jobs, and about four in five practising barristers are self-employed. In training, the minimum pupillage award in London is £25,863 (check the official website).
Can a solicitor appear in court?
Yes. Solicitors have rights of audience in some courts on admission; for the higher courts they need the civil or criminal higher rights of audience qualification, which they can apply for once admitted.
Do you need a law degree to become a solicitor or a barrister?
No. Solicitors need a degree in any subject or an equivalent qualification. For the Bar, a degree in another subject needs a conversion course (the GDL), and the degree must be at least a 2:2.
Related tools and pages
Sources
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route (August 2025). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE questions and answers (28 January 2026). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE training options (28 January 2026). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Qualifying work experience (26 January 2024). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Solicitor apprenticeships (28 November 2025). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Higher rights of audience (1 October 2025). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE exemptions: questions and answers. Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Population of solicitors: practising certificates and solicitors on the roll (September 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Bar Standards Board: Becoming a barrister: the academic, vocational and pupillage components (15 October 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Bar Standards Board: Bar Standards Board announces minimum pupillage award from 1 January 2026 (7 November 2025). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Bar Standards Board: Statistics about the Bar: practising barristers (self-employed, employed and dual capacity, 2015–2025) (21 October 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- The Bar Council (representative body of barristers, secondary source): Becoming a barrister: what barristers do, the self-employed and employed Bar, the three stages. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- The Bar Council (representative body of barristers, secondary source): Pupil barristers: first six, second six, minimum pupillage award and tenancy. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- The Bar Council (representative body of barristers, secondary source): Student funding and scholarships. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Legal Cheek (legal news, secondary source): Less than half of UK Bar students secure pupillage, new figures reveal (19 October 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Legal Cheek (legal news, secondary source): Inns of Court College of Advocacy confirms fees increase (22 September 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Chambers Student, Chambers and Partners (careers guide, secondary source): Legal course providers compared (Bar course and SQE course fees for 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- The Lawyer (legal news, secondary source): Blackstone Chambers ups pupillage award to £90,000 (14 January 2025). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- GOV.UK (Student Finance England): Master's Loan: eligibility. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- The Law Society Gazette (legal news, secondary source): Society quietly abandons minimum trainee pay benchmark (25 September 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Office for National Statistics (Open Government Licence v3.0): Earnings and hours worked, occupation by four-digit SOC: ASHE Table 14 – 2026 provisional, Tables 14.7a (annual pay, gross), 14.7b (coefficients of variation) and 14.9a (paid hours worked, total), full-time employee jobs, United Kingdom (22 October 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Reports find SQE to be robust with improvements made (including SQE fees for 2026/27) (21 April 2026). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Personnel Today (HR news, secondary source): Real Living Wage increase announced for 2026-27 (15 October 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Living Wage Foundation: What is the real Living Wage?. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Bar Standards Board: Statistics about the Bar: the vocational stage of Bar training.
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