Post job

District attorney vs prosecutor

The differences between district attorneys and prosecutors 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 prosecutor. Additionally, a district attorney has an average salary of $72,965, which is higher than the $68,988 average annual salary of a prosecutor.

The top three skills for a district attorney include pre-trial conferences, legal research and law enforcement agencies. The most important skills for a prosecutor are jury trials, legal research, and criminal cases.

District attorney vs prosecutor overview

District AttorneyProsecutor
Yearly salary$72,965$68,988
Hourly rate$35.08$33.17
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs13,378749
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

District attorney vs prosecutor salary

District attorneys and prosecutors have different pay scales, as shown below.

District AttorneyProsecutor
Average salary$72,965$68,988
Salary rangeBetween $49,000 And $107,000Between $48,000 And $98,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CA-
Highest paying stateCalifornia-
Best paying companyVentura County Community Foundation-
Best paying industryProfessional-

Differences between district attorney and prosecutor education

There are a few differences between a district attorney and a prosecutor in terms of educational background:

District AttorneyProsecutor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillStanford University

District attorney vs prosecutor demographics

Here are the differences between district attorneys' and prosecutors' demographics:

District AttorneyProsecutor
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 45.6% Female, 54.4%Male, 55.0% Female, 45.0%
Race ratioBlack 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, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 6.5% White, 75.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between district attorney and prosecutor duties and responsibilities

District attorney example responsibilities.

  • Manage, train and mentore newly hire ADA's in courtroom management and trial advocacy.
  • Maintain legal files and filing/tracking systems on all court cases, appeals, invoices and billings.
  • Research, analyze and write response to an order to show cause in appeals proceeding.
  • Represent county officials in arbitration proceedings and employment litigation matters.
  • Prosecute misdemeanor caseload in criminal court through various stages of litigation up until trial
  • Calculate restitution, issue subpoenas, and contact victims regarding upcoming trials and other court determinations.
  • Show more

Prosecutor example responsibilities.

  • Manage, train and mentore newly hire ADA's in courtroom management and trial advocacy.
  • Draft findings for defendants to stand trial, appeals and dismissals.
  • Type various legal documents, including complaints, journal entries, and subpoenas.
  • Draft subpoenas, warrants and legal documents relating to family court and civil court matters.
  • Conduct pre-trial investigations and negotiations; prepare and litigate motions and appeals; present hearings and trials.
  • Maintain contact with local law enforcement about ongoing investigations and litigation.
  • Show more

District attorney vs prosecutor skills

Common district attorney skills
  • Pre-Trial Conferences, 10%
  • Legal Research, 10%
  • Law Enforcement Agencies, 8%
  • Subpoenas, 5%
  • Criminal Cases, 4%
  • Felony Cases, 4%
Common prosecutor skills
  • Jury Trials, 15%
  • Legal Research, 13%
  • Criminal Cases, 8%
  • Legal Advice, 8%
  • Motion Hearings, 7%
  • Law Enforcement Agencies, 5%