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The differences between immigration attorneys and contract attorneys can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an immigration attorney and a contract attorney. Additionally, a contract attorney has an average salary of $97,474, which is higher than the $80,187 average annual salary of an immigration attorney.
The top three skills for an immigration attorney include immigration law, business immigration and USCIS. The most important skills for a contract attorney are litigation, e-discovery, and legal research.
| Immigration Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $80,187 | $97,474 |
| Hourly rate | $38.55 | $46.86 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,703 | 13,592 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 47% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Dealing with immigration requirements can be a daunting task. An immigration attorney helps those who are struggling with these requirements. Functioning in this role means that they serve in an advisory capacity to foreign citizens and immigrants who are required to work with the country's immigration authorities. They are the go-to guy for immigrants in matters such as Visa applications, naturalization, employment, and deportation.
A contract attorney is responsible for handling their clients' legal issues and settling cases by researching, analyzing, and collecting essential files that would support the clients' claims. Contract attorneys usually work for private clients without being permanently employed in a law firm or government agency. Contract attorneys represent clients at court, assist with law proceedings, and advise clients for the necessary legal procedures. A contract attorney must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills to manage client legal matters and expertise in traditional disciplines and processes.
Immigration attorneys and contract attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Immigration Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Average salary | $80,187 | $97,474 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $132,000 | Between $60,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Ramon, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Seyfarth Shaw | Perkins Coie |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between an immigration attorney and a contract attorney in terms of educational background:
| Immigration Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 47% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between immigration attorneys' and contract attorneys' demographics:
| Immigration Attorney | Contract Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.5% Female, 60.5% | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% 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, 6.3% White, 75.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |