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Salary comparison

Judicial Law Clerks vs. Lawyers: Who Earns More?

Lawyerss out-earn Judicial Law Clerkss by $95K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Judicial Law Clerkss land at $64,920 and Lawyerss at $159,670. The education gap is real: judicial law clerk programs typically require doctoral or professional degree, while lawyer programs require doctoral or professional degree. Top-paying state for Judicial Law Clerkss is Massachusetts ($143,350); for Lawyerss it's New York ($207,860).

Judicial Law Clerks
Lawyers
Median salary
$64,920
$159,670
Hourly rate
$31.21/hr
$76.76/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$46,180
$78,360
Senior level (90th %)
$113,140
$351,600
Education required
Doctoral or professional degree
Doctoral or professional degree
U.S. employment
13,290
754,500
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
5%
Category
Legal
Legal
Top-paying state
Massachusetts
New York

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Judicial Law Clerks median pay.

State
Judicial Law Clerks
Lawyers
Massachusetts
$143,350
$176,680
New York
$133,320
$207,860
Connecticut
$98,670
$163,600
Washington
$80,240
$154,130
California
$79,030
$195,080
Minnesota
$71,070
$155,140
Maryland
$70,110
$139,110
Nevada
$69,600
$150,510
Alaska
$67,580
$149,940
Colorado
$67,230
$168,520
Virginia
$65,940
$167,210
Delaware
$64,720
$173,510
Texas
$63,130
$154,200
New Jersey
$58,890
$161,430
Pennsylvania
$50,590
$157,180

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Judicial Law Clerkss or Lawyerss?

Lawyerss earn more nationally. The median is $64,920 for Judicial Law Clerkss versus $159,670 for Lawyerss, a difference of $95K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Judicial Law Clerks or Lawyers?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Judicial Law Clerks or Lawyers?

Judicial Law Clerks typically requires doctoral or professional degree. Lawyers requires doctoral or professional degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Judicial Law Clerkss get paid the most?

Massachusetts is the top-paying state for Judicial Law Clerkss at $143,350/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Judicial Law Clerks vs. Lawyers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Massachusetts, Judicial Law Clerkss earn $143,350 vs. $176,680 for Lawyerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Judicial Law Clerks salary breakdownView →Full Lawyers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Judicial Law Clerkss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Lawyerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a judicial law clerksGuide →How to become a lawyersGuide →