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The differences between attorneys and associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an attorney has an average salary of $109,476, which is higher than the $69,556 average annual salary of an associate.
The top three skills for an attorney include litigation, legal research and law firm. The most important skills for an associate are customer service, sales floor, and patients.
| Attorney | Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $109,476 | $69,556 |
| Hourly rate | $52.63 | $33.44 |
| Growth rate | 10% | - |
| Number of jobs | 10,991 | 569,041 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 46 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
Generally, an attorney's responsibility is to advise the client with an ongoing lawsuit on the legal procedures and provide strategies to resolve the case as early as possible. An attorney compiles necessary documents or any records for appeal and client's defense. Attorneys must acquire strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to mediate disputes and settle pending litigation for the client's best interest. In some cases, an attorney's procedure depends on any evidence and research presented during the trial period. An attorney is expected to present clients on legal proceedings, seeking justice and justifying the law.
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.
Attorneys and associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Attorney | Associate | |
| Average salary | $109,476 | $69,556 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $172,000 | Between $34,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | White Plains, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | Thompson Coburn | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an attorney and an associate in terms of educational background:
| Attorney | Associate | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Law | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | - |
Here are the differences between attorneys' and associates' demographics:
| Attorney | Associate | |
| Average age | 46 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.9% Female, 50.1% | Male, 50.4% Female, 49.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 7% |