Judicial law clerks salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,180 | $22.20 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $64,920 | $31.21 |
| Mean (average) | $72,950 | $35.07 |
| 90th percentile | $113,140 | $54.40 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Judicial law clerks pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 39 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $67,580 | $62,820 | $93,140 | 140 | 4.92 |
| Arizona | $60,170 | $46,580 | $77,710 | 250 | 0.9 |
| Arkansas | $80,150 | $47,050 | $112,690 | 50 | 0.47 |
| California | $79,030 | $59,620 | $90,680 | 1,800 | 1.15 |
| Colorado | $67,230 | $61,530 | $70,890 | 140 | 0.55 |
| Connecticut | $98,670 | $61,640 | $146,370 | 270 | 1.83 |
| Delaware | $64,720 | $60,910 | $64,720 | 100 | 2.39 |
| Florida | $55,180 | $44,950 | $63,730 | 1,300 | 1.53 |
| Georgia | $55,120 | $42,260 | $78,050 | 560 | 1.33 |
| Hawaii | $47,010 | $40,250 | $73,840 | 330 | 6.09 |
| Idaho | $75,540 | $49,480 | $79,880 | 60 | 0.81 |
| Indiana | $57,140 | $38,830 | $96,520 | 70 | 0.24 |
| Iowa | $64,260 | $55,210 | $86,350 | 90 | 0.65 |
| Kansas | $45,720 | $33,350 | $68,920 | 40 | 0.31 |
| Louisiana | $63,180 | $40,410 | $83,230 | 90 | 0.55 |
| Maine | $67,890 | $67,890 | $92,190 | 30 | 0.62 |
| Maryland | $70,110 | $59,900 | $90,120 | 370 | 1.55 |
| Massachusetts | $143,350 | $82,210 | $143,350 | 500 | 1.61 |
| Michigan | $62,260 | $48,690 | $83,380 | 280 | 0.76 |
| Minnesota | $71,070 | $64,980 | $79,850 | 410 | 1.61 |
| Missouri | $66,060 | $59,530 | $74,710 | 100 | 0.42 |
| Montana | $47,320 | $44,240 | $66,970 | 40 | 0.92 |
| Nebraska | $49,570 | $38,350 | $104,860 | 110 | 1.25 |
| Nevada | $69,600 | $53,300 | $96,610 | 70 | 0.5 |
| New Jersey | $58,890 | $58,890 | $69,740 | 530 | 1.44 |
| New York | $133,320 | $82,190 | $171,870 | 850 | 1.03 |
| North Dakota | $85,530 | $70,690 | $111,580 | 40 | 1.19 |
| Ohio | $49,840 | $41,730 | $102,440 | 240 | 0.5 |
| Oklahoma | $44,990 | $31,200 | $125,990 | 130 | 0.89 |
| Oregon | $86,870 | $77,370 | $86,870 | 30 | 0.2 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,590 | $34,310 | $76,250 | 970 | 1.87 |
| South Carolina | $50,330 | $41,100 | $82,490 | 230 | 1.19 |
| Tennessee | $75,190 | $50,240 | $100,100 | 400 | 1.44 |
| Texas | $63,130 | $46,320 | $82,400 | 220 | 0.18 |
| Utah | $51,900 | $45,430 | $85,700 | 630 | 4.23 |
| Virginia | $65,940 | $54,310 | $89,960 | 380 | 1.09 |
| Washington | $80,240 | $62,400 | $113,700 | 580 | 1.92 |
| West Virginia | $52,120 | $52,120 | $83,890 | 260 | 4.27 |
| Wisconsin | $54,250 | $48,480 | $67,900 | 180 | 0.72 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for judicial law clerks
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for judicial law clerks
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Law CIP 22.0101
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Prepare briefs, legal memoranda, or statements of issues involved in cases, including appropriate suggestions or recommendations.
- Research laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs, or other information related to cases before the court.
- Draft or proofread judicial opinions, decisions, or citations.
- Confer with judges concerning legal questions, construction of documents, or granting of orders.
- Review complaints, petitions, motions, or pleadings that have been filed to determine issues involved or basis for relief.
- Keep abreast of changes in the law and inform judges when cases are affected by such changes.
- Attend court sessions to hear oral arguments or record necessary case information.
- Review dockets of pending litigation to ensure adequate progress.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Thomson Reuters Westlaw (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Aderant CompuLaw
- Advanced Technologies Class Act
- American Legalnet Smart Dockets
- American Legalnet eDockets
- Canyon Solutions Jcats
- Compugov DocketView
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Persuasion.
Common job titles: Appellate Law Clerk, Career Judicial Law Clerk, Career Law Clerk, Judicial Assistant, Judicial Clerk, Judicial Law Clerk, Law Clerk, Law Researcher, Pro Se Law Clerk, Term Law Clerk.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do judicial law clerks make?
The national median annual wage for judicial law clerks was $64,920 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $46,180 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $113,140. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do judicial law clerks need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is judicial law clerks a growing career?
BLS projects employment of judicial law clerks to change +2.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay judicial law clerks the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Massachusetts ($143,350), New York ($133,320), Connecticut ($98,670). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.