Law internship demographics and statistics in the US
Law internship demographics research summary. Zippia estimates law internship demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our law internship 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 interns after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 155,487 law interns currently employed in the United States.
- 53.1% of all law interns are women, while 46.9% are men.
- The average law internship age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of law interns is White (53.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.8%), Asian (10.3%) and Black or African American (9.4%).
- In 2022, women earned 99% of what men earned.
- 13% of all law interns are LGBT.
- Law interns are 45% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Law internship demographics by:
Law internship gender statistics
53.1% of law interns are women and 46.9% of law interns are men.
- Female, 53.1%
- Male, 46.9%
Law internship gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 53.1% |
| Male | 46.9% |
Law internship gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$36,939
Female income
$36,628
Law internship gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in law internship positions over time. Currently, 53.1% of law interns are female.
Law internship gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 52.96% | 47.04% |
| 2011 | 63.81% | 36.19% |
| 2012 | 58.85% | 41.15% |
| 2013 | 49.35% | 50.65% |
| 2014 | 54.02% | 45.98% |
| 2015 | 68.43% | 31.57% |
| 2016 | 60.13% | 39.87% |
| 2017 | 53.70% | 46.30% |
| 2018 | 52.55% | 47.45% |
| 2019 | 44.48% | 55.52% |
| 2020 | 38.36% | 61.64% |
| 2021 | 46.92% | 53.08% |
Law internship related jobs gender ratio
We compared law interns 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 Internship | 47% | 53% |
| 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 internship demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among law interns is White, which makes up 53.9% of all law interns. Comparatively, 17.8% of law interns are Hispanic or Latino and 10.3% of law interns 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 internship race
| Law internship 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 internship race and ethnicity over time
See how law internship racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Law internship race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.66% | 5.24% | 10.58% | 14.33% |
| 2011 | 69.36% | 6.55% | 7.15% | 12.70% |
| 2012 | 68.06% | 7.39% | 11.51% | 9.87% |
| 2013 | 68.76% | 6.85% | 10.04% | 9.97% |
| 2014 | 71.26% | 3.16% | 9.19% | 12.10% |
| 2015 | 64.41% | 7.11% | 9.24% | 15.30% |
| 2016 | 64.56% | 10.46% | 8.03% | 12.12% |
| 2017 | 70.74% | 6.05% | 8.18% | 11.69% |
| 2018 | 62.26% | 9.65% | 8.98% | 15.53% |
| 2019 | 62.91% | 8.89% | 8.30% | 16.90% |
| 2020 | 63.94% | 4.85% | 10.29% | 16.06% |
| 2021 | 53.94% | 9.39% | 10.28% | 17.80% |
Law internship wage gap by race
According to our data, white law interns have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown law interns have the lowest average salary at $36,007.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $36,007 |
| White | $39,069 |
| Black or African American | $36,194 |
| Asian | $37,178 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $36,331 |
Average law internship age
See how the average age of law interns varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Law internship 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 internship age breakdown
The average age of law interns is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the law internship population.
Law internship age breakdown
| Law Internship Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Law internship educational attainment
The most common degree for law interns is bachelor's degree, with 68% of law interns earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 17% and doctoral degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 68%
- Doctorate, 17%
- Master's, 7%
- Associate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Law interns by degree level
| Law internship degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 68% |
| Doctorate | 17% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Law internship jobs you might like
Law internship wage gap by degree level
According to the data, law interns with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $42,608 annually. With a Master's degree, law interns earn a median annual income of $37,111 compared to $36,490 for law interns with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $37,111 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $35,196 |
| Doctorate Degree | $42,608 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $36,490 |
Law internship employment statistics
Most law interns work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where law interns work
Below, you can see the size of companies where law interns work.
Law internship jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 21% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 29% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Law internship jobs by company type
Employees with the law internship job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most law interns prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Law internship jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 14% |
| Public | 12% |
| Private | 45% |
| Government | 29% |
Law internship jobs by industry
The most common industries for law interns are professional, government and education.
Law internship industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 38% |
| Government | 20% |
| Education | 10% |
| Non Profits | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Law internship turnover and employment statistics
Law internship unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for law interns between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Law internship unemployment rate by year
| Year | Law internship 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 internship tenure
The average law internship stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 8,306 law interns resumes in Zippia's database.
Law internship tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 80% |
| 1-2 years | 14% |
| 3-4 years | 2% |
| 5-7 years | 3% |
| 8-10 years | 1% |
| 11+ years | 0% |
Law internship LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of law interns 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | 6.63% | 5,177 |
| Title Examiner | 8.14% | 2,994 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| Senior Attorney | 11.75% | 10,445 |
| Law Internship | 12.99% | - |
| Legislative Aide | 14.16% | 40,281 |
Similar law internship jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | 6.63% | 5,177 |
| Title Examiner | 8.14% | 2,994 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| Senior Attorney | 11.75% | 10,445 |
| Legislative Aide | 14.16% | 40,281 |
Foreign languages spoken by law interns
The most common foreign language among law interns is Spanish at 43.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.8% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 4.8%.
- Spanish, 43.8%
- French, 11.8%
- Chinese, 4.8%
- Portuguese, 4.7%
- Mandarin, 4.2%
- Other, 30.7%
Law internship languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 43.8% |
| French | 11.8% |
| Chinese | 4.8% |
| Portuguese | 4.7% |
| Mandarin | 4.2% |
| Other | 30.7% |
