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Judicial clerk education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a judicial clerk. Judicial clerks usually study law, political science, or criminal justice. 53% of judicial clerks hold a bachelor's degree, and 33% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 1,678 real judicial clerk resumes to see exactly what judicial clerk education sections show.
The most common colleges for judicial clerks are the Arizona State University and the Arizona State University.
There are also many online judicial clerk courses to help get the education required to be a judicial clerk.
What education do you need to become a judicial clerk?
What degree do you need to be a judicial clerk?
- Bachelor's, 53%
- Doctorate, 33%
- Master's, 6%
- Associate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a judicial clerk?
- Law, 36%
- Political Science, 13%
- Criminal Justice, 8%
- Business, 8%
- Other Majors, 35%
Most common colleges for judicial clerks
| Judicial clerk common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Arizona State University | 12.00% |
| Florida State University | 7.56% |
| New York Law School | 6.22% |
| Howard University | 5.78% |
| University of Florida | 5.78% |
Best majors for judicial clerks
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Law | 35.6% |
| 2 | Political Science | 13.5% |
| 3 | Criminal Justice | 7.9% |
| 4 | Business | 7.5% |
| 5 | History | 4.4% |
Best colleges for judicial clerks
The best colleges for judicial clerks are University of Chicago, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
A judicial clerk with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for judicial clerks. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become judicial clerks.
1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
2. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$58,230
Enrollment
6,600
3. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Enrollment
32,072
6. University of Richmond
University of Richmond, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,610
Enrollment
3,215
7. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,402
Enrollment
30,698
8. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
10. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
20 best online courses for judicial clerks
Advertising disclosure
1. Introduction to International Criminal Law
-- About the Course -- From the Nuremberg trial to the case against Saddam Hussein, from the prosecution of Al-Qaeda terrorists to the trial of Somali pirates – no area of law is as important to world peace and security as international criminal law. Taught by one of the world’s leading experts in the field, this course will educate students about the fundamentals of international criminal law and policy. We will explore the contours of international crimes such as genocide, war crimes,...
2. International Law in Action: A Guide to the International Courts and Tribunals in The Hague
International Law in Action explains the functions of each international court and tribunal present in The Hague, and it looks at how these institutions address contemporary problems. On the basis of selected cases, and through interviews with judges and lawyers, you will explore the role of these courts and tribunals and their potential to contribute to global justice. The first module of the course will investigate how judicial settlement is different from other more political forms of...
3. Criminal Law in 120 Minutes: A Fast Track Course
A 2 hour fast track summary of Criminal Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...
4. Criminology and Criminal Psychology Certified CSI+ Course
Learn Criminal Law and Start your career with certification of Criminal Law and Criminal Psychology, Learn Criminology...
5. An Introduction to American Law
This course will give you a glimpse into six different areas of American law: Tort Law, Contract Law, Property, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Civil Procedure. You will gain insight into the complexities and dilemmas that arise from the application of law in different settings, and what is distinctive about American approaches...
6. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes
‘Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes’ is the second course in Leiden University’s new series on International Law in Action. The first course covered international courts and tribunals in The Hague in general. This second course provides an insider perspective into the work of international criminal courts and tribunals. You will learn about the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in The Hague. Atrocities produce unspeakable forms of violence. We will explore...
7. Introduction to Criminal Psychology
Understand the Forensic Psychology of the Criminal Mind...
8. Effective Legal Office Administration
Effective Legal Office Administration...
9. Hot Topics in Criminal Justice
The American criminal justice system is in need of reform. We incarcerate too many people. We pay insufficient attention to scientific advances that can help separate out the most and least culpable and dangerous. We grant the police far too much power to use force and technological surveillance. As a way of thinking about dealing with these problems, this course examines two over-arching issues: What should we do with people who have committed crime, and how should we identify who they are? On...
10. ERPO: A Civil Approach to Gun Violence Prevention Teach-Out
Evidence shows that 1 life is saved for every 10-20 Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) issued. ERPOs are legally issued civil orders that allow people on the front lines to ask a court to prevent a person at imminent risk of harm to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing firearms during a critical period of risk. As of October 2020, ERPO laws have been enacted by nineteen states and the District of Columbia and while some aspects differ by state, the general process for applying...
11. Company Law: A Comprehensive Summary
An in-depth summary of Company Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations...
12. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy
A comprehensive course for management to understand key employment law issues in the workplace...
13. European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals
The European Union is one of the world’s largest and most important economies. This six week course is the first in a series of three that will provide students with an insight into European Business Law. The series ranges from considering the basic structures and principles of the European Union to focusing on various specialized areas of law. Each course will give the students an understanding of the laws and policies that regulate the internal market of European Union, as well as relevant...
14. Cloud Computing Law: Data Protection and Cybersecurity
Vast amounts of personal information are processed in the cloud. But who is legally responsible for such ‘personal data’ in cloud environments? What duties do cloud providers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google have? And what rights can you, as an individual, exercise under data protection law? If you’d like to find out, then this course is for you! First, we’ll look at how the European Union’s ‘General Data Protection Regulation’ (‘GDPR’) regulates the processing of personal data in cloud...
15. Psychology of Criminal Behaviour & Criminology - ACCREDITED
Personality Disorders, Violence, Sex Offence, Murder, and other types of crime...
16. Legal English
Legal language and communication skills...
17. A Law Student's Toolkit
Whether you are an advanced law student looking to review the basics, or an aspiring law student looking for head start, this course will help you build the foundation you will need to succeed in law school and beyond. This course will introduce you to terminology, concepts, and tools lawyers and legal academics use to make their arguments. It will help you follow these arguments—and make arguments of your own. This course consists of a series of short lectures and assignments. A reading list...
18. Law: A Comprehensive Summary for LLB Students
An essential 24 hours of Video Lectures, Spider Graphs and Case Summaries made to guide LLB students preparing for exams...
19. English for Business and Law - Contract Law
An English language course for business and law...
20. Law of Contracts in 60 Minutes: A Fast Track Course
A 60 minute fast track summary of the Law of Contracts, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...
Top 10 most affordable universities for judicial clerks
The most affordable schools for judicial clerks are University of Florida, brigham young university, and florida international university.
If the best universities for judicial clerks are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for judicial clerks.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
5. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
7. University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$8,178
Cost of attendance
20,934
8. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
9. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
10. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus
San Juan, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
11,299
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for judicial clerks
The hardest universities for judicial clerks to get into are University of Chicago, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for judicial clerks are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for judicial clerks based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
10. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for judicial clerks
The easiest schools for judicial clerks to get into are University of North Texas at Dallas, nyack college, and university of baltimore.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a judicial clerk without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for judicial clerks.
1. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
2. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
3. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
4. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
5. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
6. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Camden
Camden, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,086
7. California University of Pennsylvania
California, PA • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,007
8. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
9. Saint Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
1,031
10. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
Average judicial clerk salary by education level
| Judicial clerk education level | Judicial clerk salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $40,644 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $38,548 |
| Doctorate Degree | $46,660 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $39,964 |
Search for judicial clerk jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025