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The differences between associates and lawyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lawyer has an average salary of $115,808, which is higher than the $69,556 average annual salary of an associate.
The top three skills for an associate include customer service, sales floor and patients. The most important skills for a lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.
| Associate | Lawyer | |
| Yearly salary | $69,556 | $115,808 |
| Hourly rate | $33.44 | $55.68 |
| Growth rate | - | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 569,041 | 2,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 41 | 46 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
Associates are typically entry-level positions for employees who are taking on their first job or organizational role. They are assigned to teams or departments that are related to their skills or educational background. They usually start with smaller tasks that may not seem as impactful but are still essential to the department. Associates are trained by more tenured team members on the ins and outs of the department and the organization. As they grow with the organization, they are given more responsibilities that directly impact the results of the department's initiatives as they work towards their goals.
A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.
Associates and lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate | Lawyer | |
| Average salary | $69,556 | $115,808 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $140,000 | Between $64,000 And $208,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an associate and a lawyer in terms of educational background:
| Associate | Lawyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Law |
| Most common college | - | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between associates' and lawyers' demographics:
| Associate | Lawyer | |
| Average age | 41 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.4% Female, 49.6% | Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 8.3% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | 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 | 7% | 10% |