Judicial Law Clerks Salary
The median pay for a judicial law clerks in Tennessee is $75,190/year ($36.15/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $83,749 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 23.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $75K get you in Tennessee?
About judicial law clerks
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Tennessee sits well above the national pay line for judicial law clerks, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $65K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 23.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Tennessee offers a genuinely strong financial position for judicial law clerkss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level judicial law clerks (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $50K spread from bottom to top.
Judicial Law Clerks salary by metro in Tennessee
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $88K | +17% | N/A |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $74K | -2% | 280 |
Compare to other states
Track judicial law clerks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a judicial law clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 23.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for judicial law clerks in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new judicial law clerks typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,014/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $75K here vs. $65K nationally.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for judicial law clerks?
Tennessee pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do judicial law clerks make in Tennessee?
The median is $75,190 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,240, and experienced judicial law clerks can clear $100,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,107/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 23.8% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $83,749 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.