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The differences between assistant public defenders and public defenders 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 public defender and a public defender. Additionally, a public defender has an average salary of $69,052, which is higher than the $68,476 average annual salary of an assistant public defender.
The top three skills for an assistant public defender include appeals, litigation and legal research. The most important skills for a public defender are mental health, law enforcement, and criminal cases.
| Assistant Public Defender | Public Defender | |
| Yearly salary | $68,476 | $69,052 |
| Hourly rate | $32.92 | $33.20 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 12,858 | 11,673 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Doctoral Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An Assistant Public Defender assists in the planning, administration, organization, and operation of the Public Defender's Office. They visit the crime scene to gather information and prepare case files.
Public Defenders have a career choice whose scope is simple but contains a complex educational background for the level of work involved. This position calls upon those with strong multitasking, interpersonal skills, and a great deal of confidence for the workload. To qualify for this position, a degree with a focus on criminal defense law is required. They are absolutely indispensable for an appointee in trials to represent people who would otherwise not be able to afford an attorney to defend themselves.
Assistant public defenders and public defenders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Public Defender | Public Defender | |
| Average salary | $68,476 | $69,052 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $97,000 | Between $48,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rochester, NY | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Columbus Consolidated Government | United States Courts |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between an assistant public defender and a public defender in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Public Defender | Public Defender | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Doctoral Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between assistant public defenders' and public defenders' demographics:
| Assistant Public Defender | Public Defender | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.7% Female, 49.3% | Male, 45.1% Female, 54.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 75.9% 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, 75.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |