Judicial Law Clerks Salary
The median pay for a judicial law clerks in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $143,350/year ($68.92/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $82K at the entry level to $143K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.27), so that salary is closer to $132,400 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,941/month, about 33.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $143K get you in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boston-Cambridge-Newton’s Regional Price Parity (108.27). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About judicial law clerks
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What this looks like in Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Boston-Cambridge-Newton sits well above the national pay line for judicial law clerks, local pay runs about 121% higher than the U.S. median of $65K. Rent runs $2,941/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.27), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for judicial law clerks in metros near Boston-Cambridge-Newton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Springfield | $143K | $149K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $59K | $52K |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $102K | $99K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $137K | $138K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Entry-level judicial law clerks (10th percentile) start around $82K. Mid-career wages sit at $143K. Top earners bring in $143K or more, a $61K spread from bottom to top.
Judicial Law Clerks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Judicial Law Clerks salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $143K | +121% | 500 |
| New York | $133K | +105% | 850 |
| Connecticut | $99K | +52% | 270 |
| Oregon | $87K | +34% | 30 |
| North Dakota | $86K | +32% | 40 |
| Washington | $80K | +24% | 580 |
| Arkansas | $80K | +23% | 50 |
| California | $79K | +22% | 1,800 |
| Idaho | $76K | +16% | 60 |
| Tennessee | $75K | +16% | 400 |
| Minnesota | $71K | +9% | 410 |
| Maryland | $70K | +8% | 370 |
| Nevada | $70K | +7% | 70 |
| Maine | $68K | +5% | 30 |
| Alaska | $68K | +4% | 140 |
| Colorado | $67K | +4% | 140 |
| Missouri | $66K | +2% | 100 |
| Virginia | $66K | +2% | 380 |
| Delaware | $65K | -0% | 100 |
| Iowa | $64K | -1% | 90 |
| Louisiana | $63K | -3% | 90 |
| Texas | $63K | -3% | 220 |
| Michigan | $62K | -4% | 280 |
| Arizona | $60K | -7% | 250 |
| New Jersey | $59K | -9% | 530 |
| Indiana | $57K | -12% | 70 |
| Florida | $55K | -15% | 1,300 |
| Georgia | $55K | -15% | 560 |
| Wisconsin | $54K | -16% | 180 |
| West Virginia | $52K | -20% | 260 |
| Utah | $52K | -20% | 630 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | -22% | 970 |
| South Carolina | $50K | -22% | 230 |
| Ohio | $50K | -23% | 240 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -24% | 110 |
| Montana | $47K | -27% | 40 |
| Hawaii | $47K | -28% | 330 |
| Kansas | $46K | -30% | 40 |
| Oklahoma | $45K | -31% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 39 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track judicial law clerks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Boston-Cambridge-Newton numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a judicial law clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $143K, rent takes 34.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,941/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for judicial law clerks in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new judicial law clerks typically earn — is $82K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,933/month. At HUD’s $2,941/month FMR, rent would take 60% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is judicial law clerk a high-paying job in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Local pay is 121% above the national median — $143K here vs. $65K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 8% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Boston-Cambridge-Newton compare to the national average for judicial law clerks?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton pays $143K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +121%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.27), the purchasing-power equivalent is $132K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do judicial law clerks make in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?
The median is $143,350 a year, that works out to about $69 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $82,210, and experienced judicial law clerks can clear $143,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $143K enough to live in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,464/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,941/month, which eats 34.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a judicial law clerks salary go in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton has a Regional Price Parity of 108.27 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median judicial law clerks salary is worth about $132,400 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do judicial law clerks get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.