Judicial Law Clerks Salary
The median pay for a judicial law clerks in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $70,110/year ($33.71/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $64,392 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 49.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $70K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Judicial law clerks pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $70K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 49.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $70K | $67K |
| Richmond | $71K | $72K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $65K | $67K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level judicial law clerks (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $24K 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 with published data
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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a judicial law clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 49.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new judicial law clerks typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,487/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $70K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for judicial law clerks?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — below the national median.
How much do judicial law clerks make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $70,110 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,120, and experienced judicial law clerks can clear $82,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,542/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 49.4% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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 $64,392 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.