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The differences between district attorneys and lawyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a district attorney and a lawyer. Additionally, a lawyer has an average salary of $115,808, 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 lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.
| District Attorney | Lawyer | |
| Yearly salary | $72,965 | $115,808 |
| Hourly rate | $35.08 | $55.68 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 13,378 | 2,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
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.
District attorneys and lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| District Attorney | Lawyer | |
| Average salary | $72,965 | $115,808 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $107,000 | Between $64,000 And $208,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Ventura County Community Foundation | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough |
| Best paying industry | Professional | - |
There are a few differences between a district attorney and a lawyer in terms of educational background:
| District Attorney | Lawyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| 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 lawyers' demographics:
| District Attorney | Lawyer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.6% Female, 54.4% | Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5% |
| 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, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |