Judicial Law Clerks Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
The median pay for a judicial law clerks in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $58,650/year ($28.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $63,959 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month — about 34.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). 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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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level judicial law clerks (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Judicial Law Clerks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $128K | +112% | 900 |
| Connecticut | $96K | +59% | 260 |
| Arkansas | $94K | +56% | 70 |
| North Dakota | $89K | +47% | 40 |
| Tennessee | $80K | +33% | 590 |
| Washington | $80K | +33% | 540 |
| California | $76K | +27% | 1,520 |
| Idaho | $72K | +19% | 50 |
| Maine | $69K | +13% | 30 |
| Nevada | $66K | +9% | 70 |
| Delaware | $63K | +5% | 100 |
| Missouri | $63K | +4% | 90 |
| Iowa | $62K | +3% | 80 |
| Texas | $62K | +3% | 200 |
| South Carolina | $60K | -0% | 200 |
| Arizona | $60K | -1% | 280 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -3% | 160 |
| Michigan | $58K | -3% | 250 |
| New Jersey | $54K | -11% | 520 |
| Wisconsin | $54K | -11% | 220 |
| Florida | $54K | -11% | 1,390 |
| Georgia | $53K | -12% | 570 |
| Utah | $50K | -16% | 590 |
| Indiana | $50K | -17% | 60 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -19% | 250 |
| Ohio | $49K | -19% | 240 |
| Hawaii | $48K | -20% | 360 |
| Nebraska | $48K | -21% | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -21% | 940 |
| Kansas | $47K | -22% | 60 |
| Montana | $45K | -26% | 40 |
| Mississippi | $44K | -28% | 40 |
| Oregon | $41K | -32% | 80 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -36% | 140 |
| Kentucky | $38K | -38% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 35 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do judicial law clerks make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $58,650 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,610, and experienced judicial law clerks can clear $97,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,854/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 34.2% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median judicial law clerks salary is worth about $63,959 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.