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The differences between attorneys 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 attorney and a public defender. Additionally, an attorney has an average salary of $109,476, which is higher than the $69,052 average annual salary of a public defender.
The top three skills for an attorney include litigation, legal research and law firm. The most important skills for a public defender are mental health, law enforcement, and criminal cases.
| Attorney | Public Defender | |
| Yearly salary | $109,476 | $69,052 |
| Hourly rate | $52.63 | $33.20 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 10,991 | 11,673 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 2 |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 48% | Doctoral Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 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.
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.
Attorneys and public defenders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Attorney | Public Defender | |
| Average salary | $109,476 | $69,052 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $172,000 | Between $48,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | White Plains, NY | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Thompson Coburn | United States Courts |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between an attorney and a public defender in terms of educational background:
| Attorney | Public Defender | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 48% | 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 attorneys' and public defenders' demographics:
| Attorney | Public Defender | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.9% Female, 50.1% | Male, 45.1% Female, 54.9% |
| 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, 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% |