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The differences between junior associates and associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a junior associate has an average salary of $77,094, which is higher than the $69,556 average annual salary of an associate.
The top three skills for a junior associate include powerpoint, litigation and financial statements. The most important skills for an associate are customer service, sales floor, and patients.
| Junior Associate | Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $77,094 | $69,556 |
| Hourly rate | $37.06 | $33.44 |
| Growth rate | 10% | - |
| Number of jobs | 30,525 | 569,041 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A junior associate is responsible for assisting with the law firm's operations by evaluating cases, performing client counseling, and attending court trials. Junior associates draft agreements and review claims with strict adherence to regulatory policies and procedures. They also request additional documents as necessary and update the lawyers of any updates regarding the case. A junior associate must be well-versed with the law and determine resolution by following the due process and representing the clients during hearing sessions.
Associates are typically entry-level positions for employees who are taking on their first job or organizational role. They are assigned to teams or departments that are related to their skills or educational background. They usually start with smaller tasks that may not seem as impactful but are still essential to the department. Associates are trained by more tenured team members on the ins and outs of the department and the organization. As they grow with the organization, they are given more responsibilities that directly impact the results of the department's initiatives as they work towards their goals.
Junior associates and associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Associate | Associate | |
| Average salary | $77,094 | $69,556 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $132,000 | Between $34,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | Ropes & Gray | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between a junior associate and an associate in terms of educational background:
| Junior Associate | Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Law | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | - |
Here are the differences between junior associates' and associates' demographics:
| Junior Associate | Associate | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.1% Female, 50.9% | Male, 50.4% Female, 49.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 12.2% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 8.3% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 7% |