Judicial Law Clerks Salary
The median pay for a judicial law clerks in New York is $133,320/year ($64.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $82K at the entry level to $172K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.21), that's roughly $135,750 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,917/month, or 24.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New York. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $133K get you in New York?
About judicial law clerks
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What this looks like in New York
New York sits well above the national pay line for judicial law clerks, local pay runs about 105% higher than the U.S. median of $65K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,917/month, 24.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.21) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, New York offers a genuinely strong financial position for judicial law clerkss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York
Entry-level judicial law clerks (10th percentile) start around $82K. Mid-career wages sit at $133K. Top earners bring in $172K or more, a $90K spread from bottom to top.
Judicial Law Clerks salary by metro in New York
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $137K | +3% | 80 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $59K | -56% | 560 |
Compare to other states
Track judicial law clerks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New York numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a judicial law clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York?
Yes — at the median salary of $133K, rent takes 24.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,917/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for judicial law clerks in New York?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new judicial law clerks typically earn — is $82K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,931/month. At HUD’s $1,917/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 New York?
Local pay is 105% above the national median — $133K here vs. $65K nationally.
How does New York compare to the national average for judicial law clerks?
New York pays $133K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +105%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $136K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do judicial law clerks make in New York?
The median is $133,320 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $82,190, and experienced judicial law clerks can clear $171,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $133K enough to live in New York?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,911/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,917/month, which eats 24.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a judicial law clerks salary go in New York?
New York has a Regional Price Parity of 98.21 (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 $135,750 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.