There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an associate justice. For example, did you know that they make an average of $26.19 an hour? That's $54,470 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 11% and produce 155,000 job opportunities across the U.S.

What Does an Associate Justice Do

There are certain skills that many associate justices have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed interpersonal skills, speaking skills and writing skills.

How To Become an Associate Justice

If you're interested in becoming an associate justice, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 62.7% of associate justices have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 5.3% of associate justices have master's degrees. Even though most associate justices have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Associate Justice Career Paths

Average Salary for an Associate Justice

Associate Justices in America make an average salary of $54,470 per year or $26 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $88,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $33,000 per year.
Average Associate Justice Salary
$54,470 Yearly
$26.19 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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Roles and Types of Associate Justice

There are several types of associate justice, including:

Justice

Role:

A justice presides over court proceedings in a higher court such as state supreme courts. He/She ensures that judgment is passed over cases brought to the court of law. The Justice hears evidence of cases brought before him, instructs juries, and makes the final rulings regarding the case. It is the ultimate responsibility of the Justice to ensure that the law is properly followed in every case. Justices also examine court documents and may be required to research legal issues.

Empathy, fairness, patience, and moral uprightness are some of the essential qualities of Justice. Legal experience is also a major requirement for this role. He/she should also be a member of the bar association and must have expert knowledge of the law.

A justice should also be able to maintain decorum in a courtroom. You will be required to work with various personnel to ensure the proper handling of any case. Hence, good interpersonal skill is essential as well. A court Justice earns up to $218,600 per year.
  • Average Salary: $53,502
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Criminal Justice Lawyer

Role:

Criminal justice lawyers provide legal representation for people accused of a crime. They research the cases they take on to build viable defense strategies. They advise their defendants on the best course of action, navigating plea bargains and settlements as well as fighting for their defendants' rights in court.

You will need a law degree specializing in criminal law if you want to consider this career option. Your job will be to interpret legal regulations and find the interpretation that best suits your client. Informing your clients about their rights and options is a big part of your responsibilities.

Being passionate about criminal justice will play an important role in your success in this profession. You will also need superb public speaking skills, as your presentation may very well make or break your case. Being professional and compassionate will make you popular among your clients as people deserve respect regardless of the crime they were accused of.
  • Average Salary: $49,977
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Criminal Justice Instructor

Role:

Criminal justice instructors usually teach classes about law enforcement methods or issues within the justice system. They can even develop outlines, deliver lectures, grade tests, and host office hours to seek help outside the classroom.

As a criminal justice instructor, the qualifications you require might vary depending on the type of your organizational setting. For instance, a high school instructor may only require a bachelor's degree and some work experience, such as time spent working in the court system or law enforcement professional. In contrast, if you want to teach at the college level, you need more experience and an advanced degree.

As per the latest statistics from BLS, a criminal justice instructor earns between $45,380 and $78,660 per year with average annual pay of $58,000. However, this figure can vary significantly depending upon your experience and skills.
  • Average Salary: $52,523
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

States With The Most Associate Justice Jobs

Number Of Associate Justice Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1Maryland51$57,040
2New York18$48,357
3Massachusetts17$57,347
4California10$66,500
5Texas10$51,887
6Colorado9$58,362
7Ohio6$58,082
8Pennsylvania6$53,103
9Indiana6$45,306
10Virginia5$66,449
11Oregon5$56,639
12Florida5$46,764
13North Carolina4$60,809
14Minnesota4$59,068
15Illinois3$64,606
16Missouri3$59,493
17New Jersey3$59,098
18Tennessee3$38,891
19Rhode Island2$60,096
20West Virginia2$57,317
21Kentucky2$53,621
22Alabama2$51,897
23Wisconsin2$46,436
24Maine1$65,766
25Delaware1$58,764
26Arizona1$60,770
27Mississippi1$57,623
28Washington1$60,150
29Nevada1$52,735
30South Dakota1$46,143
31Iowa1$49,877
32Montana1$46,076
33New Mexico1$47,603
34Michigan1$45,691
35South Carolina1$43,514
36Arkansas1$37,991
37Alaska0$80,174
38North Dakota0$64,714
39Utah0$60,084
40Nebraska0$60,119
41Connecticut0$60,401
42New Hampshire0$59,327
43Kansas0$58,181
44Vermont0$58,550
45Wyoming0$53,789
46Louisiana0$47,327
47Oklahoma0$46,067
48Hawaii0$42,872
49Idaho0$43,747
50Georgia0$38,159

Associate Justice Education

Associate Justice Majors

14.3 %

Associate Justice Degrees

Bachelors

62.7 %

Associate

12.4 %

Doctorate

11.5 %

Top Colleges for Associate Justices

1. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Economics
Psychology
Criminal Justice
Political Science
Business

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Biology
Business
Law
Economics
Philosophy

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
Law
Economics
Legal Research And Advanced Professional Studies

4. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Law
Biology
Political Science
Business
Economics

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
Economics
Law
Psychology

6. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
Law
Economics
History

7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-State Tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Biology
Business
Psychology
Economics
Political Science

8. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-State Tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Psychology
Political Science
Law
Economics

9. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
Psychology
Criminal Justice
History

10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-State Tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
Economics
Law
Political Science

Top Skills For an Associate Justice

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 38.4% of associate justices listed criminal justice on their resume, but soft skills such as interpersonal skills and speaking skills are important as well.

  • Criminal Justice, 38.4%
  • Legal Research, 12.6%
  • Law Enforcement, 11.3%
  • Social Justice, 11.0%
  • Criminal Procedure, 4.9%
  • Other Skills, 21.8%

Associate Justice Demographics

Associate Justice Gender Distribution

Female
Female
51%
Male
Male
49%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among associate justices, 50.6% of them are women, while 49.4% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among associate justices is White, which makes up 66.3% of all associate justices.

  • The most common foreign language among associate justices is Spanish at 42.1%.

Online Courses For Associate Justice That You May Like

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1. A Law Student's Toolkit

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Whether you are an advanced law student looking to review the basics, or an aspiring law student looking for head start, this course will help you build the foundation you will need to succeed in law school and beyond. This course will introduce you to terminology, concepts, and tools lawyers and legal academics use to make their arguments. It will help you follow these arguments—and make arguments of your own. This course consists of a series of short lectures and assignments. A reading list...

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2. Hot Topics in Criminal Justice

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The American criminal justice system is in need of reform. We incarcerate too many people. We pay insufficient attention to scientific advances that can help separate out the most and least culpable and dangerous. We grant the police far too much power to use force and technological surveillance. As a way of thinking about dealing with these problems, this course examines two over-arching issues: What should we do with people who have committed crime, and how should we identify who they are? On...

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3. Introduction to International Criminal Law

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-- About the Course -- From the Nuremberg trial to the case against Saddam Hussein, from the prosecution of Al-Qaeda terrorists to the trial of Somali pirates – no area of law is as important to world peace and security as international criminal law. Taught by one of the world’s leading experts in the field, this course will educate students about the fundamentals of international criminal law and policy. We will explore the contours of international crimes such as genocide, war crimes,...

See More on Coursera
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Top Associate Justice Employers

Most Common Employers For Associate Justice

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Booz Allen Hamilton$93,905$45.152
2SGA$80,807$38.853
3Harford Community College$79,893$38.412
4Champlain College$78,790$37.882
5Gallaudet University$70,543$33.912
6United States Holocaust Memorial Museum$70,429$33.863
7Florida State University$63,133$30.352
8University of Houston$62,461$30.031
9Texas RioGrande Legal Aid$61,628$29.6310
10Kaplan$59,342$28.532