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The differences between district attorneys and judges can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a district attorney, becoming a judge takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a judge has an average salary of $123,457, which is higher than the $72,965 average annual salary of a district attorney.
The top three skills for a district attorney include pre-trial conferences, legal research and law enforcement agencies. The most important skills for a judge are legal issues, civil law, and international law.
| District Attorney | Judge | |
| Yearly salary | $72,965 | $123,457 |
| Hourly rate | $35.08 | $59.35 |
| Growth rate | 10% | -1% |
| Number of jobs | 13,378 | 1,026 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 10 |
District attorneys represent the government in court and prepare criminal prosecution cases. Besides partnering on criminal investigations and evaluating police reports, district attorneys also consult with alleged perpetrators, law enforcement, and judges. They uphold professional ethics, abide by the country's prosecution laws, and supervise and guide legal clerks and associates. Moreover, district attorneys prepare and file pre-trial motions, study case law, and gather enough evidence needed to prosecute alleged perpetrators in the court. Also, they assess legal merits to bring criminal charges against the alleged perpetrators.
Judges are officials who conduct court proceedings. They sign arrest and search warrants, restraining orders, subpoenas, etc. When working on a case, the judges decide if the accused should be set free or sent to jail based on the presented evidence. They should be unbiased when listening to witnesses and examining evidence. They must show compassion and understanding to both sides and keep in mind that justice means more than just knowing the law. Additionally, their goal should only be finding the truth.
District attorneys and judges have different pay scales, as shown below.
| District Attorney | Judge | |
| Average salary | $72,965 | $123,457 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $107,000 | Between $68,000 And $222,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Jacksonville, FL |
| Highest paying state | California | New Mexico |
| Best paying company | Ventura County Community Foundation | United States Courts |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Media |
There are a few differences between a district attorney and a judge in terms of educational background:
| District Attorney | Judge | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between district attorneys' and judges' demographics:
| District Attorney | Judge | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.6% Female, 54.4% | Male, 50.3% Female, 49.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |