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The differences between assistant attorney generals and district attorneys can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an assistant attorney general and a district attorney. Additionally, an assistant attorney general has an average salary of $99,341, which is higher than the $72,965 average annual salary of a district attorney.
The top three skills for an assistant attorney general include litigation, legal research and state agencies. The most important skills for a district attorney are pre-trial conferences, legal research, and law enforcement agencies.
| Assistant Attorney General | District Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $99,341 | $72,965 |
| Hourly rate | $47.76 | $35.08 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 60,546 | 13,378 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An assistant attorney general works for the federal government to help in the enforcement of law and administration of justice at the executive level. He/She or she heads judicial divisions such as civil rights, criminal, national security, and environment and natural resources. The position requires good interpersonal, analytical, and problem-solving skills. The education requirements for the job include obtaining a bachelor's or master's degree in law, political science, criminal justice, and a related field.
District attorneys represent the government in court and prepare criminal prosecution cases. Besides partnering on criminal investigations and evaluating police reports, district attorneys also consult with alleged perpetrators, law enforcement, and judges. They uphold professional ethics, abide by the country's prosecution laws, and supervise and guide legal clerks and associates. Moreover, district attorneys prepare and file pre-trial motions, study case law, and gather enough evidence needed to prosecute alleged perpetrators in the court. Also, they assess legal merits to bring criminal charges against the alleged perpetrators.
Assistant attorney generals and district attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Attorney General | District Attorney | |
| Average salary | $99,341 | $72,965 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $152,000 | Between $49,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albany, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Commonwealth | Ventura County Community Foundation |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between an assistant attorney general and a district attorney in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Attorney General | District Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between assistant attorney generals' and district attorneys' demographics:
| Assistant Attorney General | District Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8% | Male, 45.6% Female, 54.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 6.2% White, 76.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |