Best states for a law clerk

Q: What is the best state for law clerks?

The best state to be a law clerk is District of Columbia based on law clerk salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for law clerks?

The highest paying state for law clerks is Oklahoma based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for law clerks?

The worst state for law clerks is Alabama, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Leslie Heaphy Ph.D.

Rank 1 - 10
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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for law clerks in the United States. Law clerk positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for law clerks.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for law clerks. We found that District of Columbia is the best state in the nation for law clerks, and people in Southampton earn the most in the field.

In order to get you the best states for law clerks, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that District of Columbia is the best state for law clerk jobs, whereas Alabama is the worst.

10 best states for law clerks in 2025

1. District of Columbia
Total law clerk jobs: 315
Average annual salary: $105,556
Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $188,000
Location Quotient:
1.55
Law clerk jobs in District of Columbia
2. New York
Total law clerk jobs: 1,911
Average annual salary: $83,585
Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000
Location Quotient:
1.23
Law clerk jobs in New York
3. California
Total law clerk jobs: 5,166
Average annual salary: $70,394
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000
Location Quotient:
1.46
Law clerk jobs in California
4. Massachusetts
Total law clerk jobs: 967
Average annual salary: $79,314
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000
Location Quotient:
0.87
Law clerk jobs in Massachusetts
5. Connecticut
Total law clerk jobs: 490
Average annual salary: $68,180
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000
Location Quotient:
1.22
Law clerk jobs in Connecticut
6. Washington
Total law clerk jobs: 1,067
Average annual salary: $66,170
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000
Location Quotient:
1.21
Law clerk jobs in Washington
7. Vermont
Total law clerk jobs: 81
Average annual salary: $73,026
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000
Location Quotient:
0.87
Law clerk jobs in Vermont
8. Delaware
Total law clerk jobs: 144
Average annual salary: $70,047
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000
Location Quotient:
0.95
Law clerk jobs in Delaware
9. Rhode Island
Total law clerk jobs: 91
Average annual salary: $71,508
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000
Location Quotient:
0.62
Law clerk jobs in Rhode Island
10. North Dakota
Total law clerk jobs: 80
Average annual salary: $66,622
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000
Location Quotient:
0.71
Law clerk jobs in North Dakota

Law clerk jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a law clerk

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a law clerk

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	District of Columbia	$105,556	$59,000	693,972	315
2	New York	$83,585	$45,000	19,849,399	1,911
3	California	$70,394	$39,000	39,536,653	5,166
4	Massachusetts	$79,314	$42,000	6,859,819	967
5	Connecticut	$68,180	$36,000	3,588,184	490
6	Washington	$66,170	$39,000	7,405,743	1,067
7	Vermont	$73,026	$39,000	623,657	81
8	Delaware	$70,047	$36,000	961,939	144
9	Rhode Island	$71,508	$37,000	1,059,639	91
10	North Dakota	$66,622	$39,000	755,393	80
11	Illinois	$63,363	$35,000	12,802,023	1,332
12	Maine	$70,225	$37,000	1,335,907	83
13	South Dakota	$57,666	$33,000	869,666	121
14	Nevada	$65,015	$36,000	2,998,039	68
15	Colorado	$56,347	$33,000	5,607,154	764
16	Kansas	$49,031	$28,000	2,913,123	488
17	New Hampshire	$65,583	$34,000	1,342,795	118
18	Tennessee	$51,591	$28,000	6,715,984	756
19	Pennsylvania	$53,250	$28,000	12,805,537	1,302
20	Idaho	$54,852	$31,000	1,716,943	210
21	Minnesota	$52,745	$30,000	5,576,606	871
22	Michigan	$49,758	$26,000	9,962,311	1,132
23	Ohio	$50,947	$27,000	11,658,609	1,278
24	Wyoming	$44,439	$26,000	579,315	96
25	West Virginia	$51,741	$27,000	1,815,857	142
26	Montana	$57,706	$35,000	1,050,493	24
27	Kentucky	$46,945	$25,000	4,454,189	489
28	Virginia	$53,479	$28,000	8,470,020	868
29	Oregon	$45,633	$26,000	4,142,776	651
30	Missouri	$45,050	$25,000	6,113,532	822
31	New Jersey	$53,391	$28,000	9,005,644	389
32	Florida	$43,571	$23,000	20,984,400	2,323
33	Hawaii	$53,386	$41,000	1,427,538	86
34	Maryland	$53,022	$27,000	6,052,177	613
35	North Carolina	$47,789	$25,000	10,273,419	981
36	Alaska	$38,917	$32,000	739,795	127
37	Arizona	$50,316	$28,000	7,016,270	153
38	New Mexico	$42,136	$23,000	2,088,070	209
39	South Carolina	$42,903	$23,000	5,024,369	436
40	Texas	$40,281	$22,000	28,304,596	2,408
41	Wisconsin	$38,240	$21,000	5,795,483	712
42	Iowa	$44,407	$25,000	3,145,711	273
43	Utah	$39,196	$22,000	3,101,833	401
44	Indiana	$37,393	$20,000	6,666,818	894
45	Nebraska	$37,355	$21,000	1,920,076	283
46	Georgia	$38,085	$21,000	10,429,379	1,110
47	Louisiana	$39,786	$22,000	4,684,333	247
48	Arkansas	$38,512	$21,000	3,004,279	205
49	Mississippi	$37,189	$20,000	2,984,100	205
50	Oklahoma	$32,804	$18,000	3,930,864	300
51	Alabama	$36,384	$20,000	4,874,747	276

Highest paying states for law clerks

Rank	State	Avg. Law Clerk Salary
1	District of Columbia	$105,556
2	New York	$83,585
3	California	$70,394
4	Massachusetts	$79,314
5	Connecticut	$68,180
6	Washington	$66,170
7	Vermont	$73,026
8	Delaware	$70,047
9	Rhode Island	$71,508
10	North Dakota	$66,622
11	Illinois	$63,363
12	Maine	$70,225
13	South Dakota	$57,666
14	Nevada	$65,015
15	Colorado	$56,347
16	Kansas	$49,031
17	New Hampshire	$65,583
18	Tennessee	$51,591
19	Pennsylvania	$53,250
20	Idaho	$54,852
21	Minnesota	$52,745
22	Michigan	$49,758
23	Ohio	$50,947
24	Wyoming	$44,439
25	West Virginia	$51,741
26	Montana	$57,706
27	Kentucky	$46,945
28	Virginia	$53,479
29	Oregon	$45,633
30	Missouri	$45,050
31	New Jersey	$53,391
32	Florida	$43,571
33	Hawaii	$53,386
34	Maryland	$53,022
35	North Carolina	$47,789
36	Alaska	$38,917
37	Arizona	$50,316
38	New Mexico	$42,136
39	South Carolina	$42,903
40	Texas	$40,281
41	Wisconsin	$38,240
42	Iowa	$44,407
43	Utah	$39,196
44	Indiana	$37,393
45	Nebraska	$37,355
46	Georgia	$38,085
47	Louisiana	$39,786
48	Arkansas	$38,512
49	Mississippi	$37,189
50	Oklahoma	$32,804
51	Alabama	$36,384

Expert opinions on the best states for law clerks

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for law clerks to find work opportunities?
Leslie Heaphy Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Kent State University
I think the best advice here is to be open to looking widely and being willing to move.

Law clerk best states FAQs

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What is the worst state for law clerks?

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Best states for Law Clerks

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse legal jobs

Total law clerk jobs:	315
Average annual salary:	$105,556
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$59,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$188,000
Location Quotient:	1.55

Best states for a law clerk

10 best states for law clerks in 2025

1. District of Columbia

2. New York

3. California

4. Massachusetts

5. Connecticut

6. Washington

7. Vermont

8. Delaware

9. Rhode Island

10. North Dakota