Law clerk demographics and statistics in the US
Law clerk demographics research summary. Zippia estimates law clerk demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our law clerk estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about law clerks after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 193,375 law clerks currently employed in the United States.
- 47.5% of all law clerks are women, while 52.5% are men.
- The average law clerk age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of law clerks is White (53.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.8%), Asian (10.3%) and Black or African American (9.4%).
- Law clerks are most in-demand in Washington, DC.
- The professional industry is the highest-paying for law clerks.
- Washington, DC pays an annual average wage of $107,457, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women law clerks earned 99% of what men earned.
- 13% of all law clerks are LGBT.
- District of Columbia is the best state for law clerks to live.
- Law clerks are 66% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Law clerk demographics by:
Law clerk gender statistics
47.5% of law clerks are women and 52.5% of law clerks are men.
- Male, 52.5%
- Female, 47.5%
Law clerk gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 52.5% |
| Female | 47.5% |
Law clerk gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$50,824
Female income
$50,191
Law clerk gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in law clerk positions over time. Currently, 47.5% of law clerks are female.
Law clerk gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 58.51% | 41.49% |
| 2011 | 68.83% | 31.17% |
| 2012 | 64.17% | 35.83% |
| 2013 | 54.96% | 45.04% |
| 2014 | 59.54% | 40.46% |
| 2015 | 73.08% | 26.92% |
| 2016 | 65.38% | 34.62% |
| 2017 | 59.23% | 40.77% |
| 2018 | 58.10% | 41.90% |
| 2019 | 50.08% | 49.92% |
| 2020 | 43.80% | 56.20% |
| 2021 | 52.54% | 47.46% |
Law clerk related jobs gender ratio
We compared law clerks with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, patent examiner and patent attorney have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran Appeals Reviewer | 17% | 83% |
| Guardian Ad Litem | 18% | 82% |
| Surrogate | 18% | 82% |
| Law Clerk | 53% | 47% |
| Patent Analyst | 72% | 28% |
| Patent Attorney | 79% | 21% |
| Patent Examiner | 81% | 19% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Law clerk demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among law clerks is White, which makes up 53.9% of all law clerks. Comparatively, 17.8% of law clerks are Hispanic or Latino and 10.3% of law clerks are Asian.
- White, 53.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.8%
- Asian, 10.3%
- Black or African American, 9.4%
- Unknown, 8.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Law clerk race
| Law clerk race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 53.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.8% |
| Asian | 10.3% |
| Black or African American | 9.4% |
| Unknown | 8.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Law clerk race and ethnicity over time
See how law clerk racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Law clerk race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.63% | 5.24% | 10.58% | 14.34% |
| 2011 | 69.33% | 6.55% | 7.16% | 12.71% |
| 2012 | 68.03% | 7.39% | 11.51% | 9.88% |
| 2013 | 68.72% | 6.85% | 10.05% | 9.98% |
| 2014 | 71.22% | 3.16% | 9.20% | 12.11% |
| 2015 | 64.38% | 7.11% | 9.25% | 15.31% |
| 2016 | 64.52% | 10.47% | 8.04% | 12.13% |
| 2017 | 70.71% | 6.05% | 8.19% | 11.70% |
| 2018 | 62.22% | 9.65% | 8.98% | 15.54% |
| 2019 | 62.88% | 8.89% | 8.31% | 16.91% |
| 2020 | 63.90% | 4.85% | 10.30% | 16.07% |
| 2021 | 53.91% | 9.39% | 10.29% | 17.81% |
Law clerk wage gap by race
According to our data, white law clerks have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown law clerks have the lowest average salary at $48,933.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $48,933 |
| White | $55,232 |
| Black or African American | $49,311 |
| Asian | $51,313 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $49,589 |
Average law clerk age
See how the average age of law clerks varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Law clerk age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 35 | |
| White | 30.5 | 46.5 |
| Asian | 35.5 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 32 | 45 |
Law clerk age breakdown
The average age of law clerks is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the law clerk population.
Law clerk age breakdown
| Law Clerk Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Law clerk educational attainment
The most common degree for law clerks is bachelor's degree, with 63% of law clerks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 29% and doctoral degree degree at 5%.
- Bachelor's, 63%
- Doctorate, 29%
- Master's, 5%
- Associate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 1%
Law clerks by degree level
| Law clerk degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 63% |
| Doctorate | 29% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Associate | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
Law clerk jobs you might like
Law clerk wage gap by degree level
According to the data, law clerks with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $62,819 annually. With a Master's degree, law clerks earn a median annual income of $51,176 compared to $49,910 for law clerks with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $51,176 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $47,306 |
| Doctorate Degree | $62,819 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $49,910 |
Law clerk employment statistics
Most law clerks work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where law clerks work
Below, you can see the size of companies where law clerks work.
Law clerk jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 28% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 8% |
Law clerk jobs by company type
Employees with the law clerk job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most law clerks prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Law clerk jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 7% |
| Private | 66% |
| Government | 24% |
Law clerk jobs by industry
The most common industries for law clerks are professional, government and manufacturing.
Law clerk industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 48% |
| Government | 19% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Law clerk turnover and employment statistics
Law clerk unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for law clerks between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Law clerk unemployment rate by year
| Year | Law clerk unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 13.13% |
| 2011 | 6.67% |
| 2012 | 12.57% |
| 2013 | 11.21% |
| 2014 | 5.88% |
| 2015 | 8.53% |
| 2016 | 5.08% |
| 2017 | 4.00% |
| 2018 | 6.09% |
| 2019 | 3.73% |
| 2020 | 4.50% |
| 2021 | 5.00% |
Average law clerk tenure
The average law clerk stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 56,266 law clerks resumes in Zippia's database.
Law clerk tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 61% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 4% |
| 5-7 years | 5% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 1% |
Law clerk LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of law clerks that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Legal Assistant | 6.63% | 72,148 |
| Title Examiner | 8.14% | 2,994 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| Appeals Court Associate Justice | 11.75% | 1,022 |
| Law Clerk | 12.99% | - |
| Legislative Aide | 14.16% | 40,281 |
Similar law clerk jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Legal Assistant | 6.63% | 72,148 |
| Title Examiner | 8.14% | 2,994 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| Appeals Court Associate Justice | 11.75% | 1,022 |
| Legislative Aide | 14.16% | 40,281 |
Foreign languages spoken by law clerks
The most common foreign language among law clerks is Spanish at 46.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 12.4% and Mandarin is the third-most popular at 5.4%.
- Spanish, 46.5%
- French, 12.4%
- Mandarin, 5.4%
- Chinese, 4.9%
- German, 4.0%
- Other, 26.8%
Law clerk languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 46.5% |
| French | 12.4% |
| Mandarin | 5.4% |
| Chinese | 4.9% |
| German | 4.0% |
| Other | 26.8% |
