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What is an assistant prosecuting attorney and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Charity Rohlfs J.D.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an assistant prosecuting attorney. For example, did you know that they make an average of $41.09 an hour? That's $85,469 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 10% and produce 80,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to an assistant prosecuting attorney?

Charity Rohlfs J.D.Charity Rohlfs J.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor of Paralegal Studies, Website

Find a mentor and be involved with your local legal associations. Porter Gale said, “your network is your net worth.” And, I couldn’t agree more! As a new paralegal, legal operations specialist, or attorney, growing your network helps in all aspects of your career. You will gain new skills, increase your business development ability, engage in meaningful volunteering opportunities, and truly find an area of law you want to specialize in.
ScoreAssistant Prosecuting AttorneyUS Average
Salary
6.7

Avg. Salary $85,469

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
10.0

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 6.46%

Black or African American 5.64%

Hispanic or Latino 7.87%

Unknown 4.39%

White 75.33%

Gender

female 47.38%

male 52.62%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Assistant prosecuting attorney career paths

Key steps to become an assistant prosecuting attorney

  1. Explore assistant prosecuting attorney education requirements

    Most common assistant prosecuting attorney degrees

    Doctorate

    50.6 %

    Bachelor's

    41.3 %

    Master's

    5.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific assistant prosecuting attorney skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Jury Trials15.35%
    District Court8.05%
    Child Support Orders6.71%
    Felony Cases6.66%
    Appeals5.93%
  3. Complete relevant assistant prosecuting attorney training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New assistant prosecuting attorneys learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an assistant prosecuting attorney based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real assistant prosecuting attorney resumes.
  4. Research assistant prosecuting attorney duties and responsibilities

    • Manage, train and mentore newly hire ADA's in courtroom management and trial advocacy.
    • Argue motions, take depositions, and prepare briefs, appeals, search warrants and subpoenas.
    • Perform all aspects of trial preparation, including issuing subpoenas, witness preparation, and exhibits.
    • Issue and enforce investigative subpoenas and review thousands of responsive documents for discovery disclosure.
  5. Prepare your assistant prosecuting attorney resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your assistant prosecuting attorney resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an assistant prosecuting attorney resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable assistant prosecuting attorney resume templates

    Build a professional assistant prosecuting attorney resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your assistant prosecuting attorney resume.
    Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Resume
    Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Resume
    Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Resume
    Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Resume
    Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Resume
    Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Resume
    Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Resume
    Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Resume
    Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Resume
  6. Apply for assistant prosecuting attorney jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an assistant prosecuting attorney job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first assistant prosecuting attorney job

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Average assistant prosecuting attorney salary

The average assistant prosecuting attorney salary in the United States is $85,469 per year or $41 per hour. Assistant prosecuting attorney salaries range between $57,000 and $126,000 per year.

Average assistant prosecuting attorney salary
$85,469 Yearly
$41.09 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do assistant prosecuting attorneys rate their job?

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Assistant prosecuting attorney reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2021
Pros

Advocating for children in foster care ❤

Cons

Sometimes things don't work as planned 😕


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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2019
Pros

As a civil litigation defense attorney I love the fact that every day is different. I enjoy assisting clients who have a problem to solve that problem in the most cost effective way, and how to avoid such problems in the future. I like that I basically set my own work schedule (other than court dates).

Cons

Billing hours. Unscrupulous opposing counsel. Occasional biased judges who do not follow the law.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.