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The differences between assistant county attorneys 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 county attorney and a district attorney. Additionally, an assistant county attorney has an average salary of $103,838, which is higher than the $72,965 average annual salary of a district attorney.
The top three skills for an assistant county attorney include legal research, litigation and legal advice. The most important skills for a district attorney are pre-trial conferences, legal research, and law enforcement agencies.
| Assistant County Attorney | District Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $103,838 | $72,965 |
| Hourly rate | $49.92 | $35.08 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 9,281 | 13,378 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An assistant county attorney handles and represents cases involving the county. Part of their job includes assisting the county attorney by preparing and processing the necessary documents, conducting research and interviews, gathering and verifying pieces of evidence, and coordinating with staff as needed. They also participate in offering and providing legal advice to different departments and officials, including the public. Moreover, an assistant county attorney must maintain an active communication line with the office staff and the county attorney for a smooth and efficient workflow.
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 county attorneys and district attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant County Attorney | District Attorney | |
| Average salary | $103,838 | $72,965 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $156,000 | Between $49,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | West Seneca, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Anne Arundel County Public Schools | Ventura County Community Foundation |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between an assistant county attorney and a district attorney in terms of educational background:
| Assistant County Attorney | District Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 51% | 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 county attorneys' and district attorneys' demographics:
| Assistant County Attorney | District Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.9% Female, 47.1% | Male, 45.6% Female, 54.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% 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% |