Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a public defender
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
It seems like public defenders are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for public defenders aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. As public defenders are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for public defenders. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a public defender, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for public defenders.California is the best state, and Pacifica is the city with the highest pay for public defenders.
10 best states for public defenders in 2026
1. California
Total public defender jobs: 561 Average annual salary: $103,899 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $167,000 Location Quotient: 1.64
2. Alaska
Total public defender jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $87,148 Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000 Location Quotient: 1.43
3. Nevada
Total public defender jobs: 32 Average annual salary: $72,431 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
4. District of Columbia
Total public defender jobs: 107 Average annual salary: $78,740 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000 Location Quotient: 5.44
5. Oregon
Total public defender jobs: 48 Average annual salary: $75,055 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
6. New Jersey
Total public defender jobs: 97 Average annual salary: $74,058 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
7. Virginia
Total public defender jobs: 148 Average annual salary: $70,911 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
8. New York
Total public defender jobs: 180 Average annual salary: $71,643 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
9. Georgia
Total public defender jobs: 182 Average annual salary: $64,376 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 1.5
10. Massachusetts
Total public defender jobs: 121 Average annual salary: $69,773 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
Public defender jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a public defender
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a public defender
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $103,899 | $64,000 | 39,536,653 | 561 |
| 2 | Alaska | $87,148 | $60,000 | 739,795 | 14 |
| 3 | Nevada | $72,431 | $45,000 | 2,998,039 | 32 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $78,740 | $50,000 | 693,972 | 107 |
| 5 | Oregon | $75,055 | $48,000 | 4,142,776 | 48 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $74,058 | $46,000 | 9,005,644 | 97 |
| 7 | Virginia | $70,911 | $45,000 | 8,470,020 | 148 |
| 8 | New York | $71,643 | $45,000 | 19,849,399 | 180 |
| 9 | Georgia | $64,376 | $41,000 | 10,429,379 | 182 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $69,773 | $43,000 | 6,859,819 | 121 |
| 11 | Washington | $71,610 | $46,000 | 7,405,743 | 59 |
| 12 | Texas | $67,439 | $42,000 | 28,304,596 | 171 |
| 13 | Illinois | $65,223 | $44,000 | 12,802,023 | 138 |
| 14 | Utah | $63,676 | $43,000 | 3,101,833 | 35 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $66,180 | $43,000 | 6,715,984 | 37 |
| 16 | Colorado | $64,310 | $44,000 | 5,607,154 | 80 |
| 17 | Michigan | $60,857 | $40,000 | 9,962,311 | 80 |
| 18 | Maryland | $66,510 | $42,000 | 6,052,177 | 70 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $63,311 | $39,000 | 3,588,184 | 38 |
| 20 | Arizona | $62,627 | $39,000 | 7,016,270 | 50 |
| 21 | Delaware | $63,033 | $40,000 | 961,939 | 10 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $57,667 | $35,000 | 1,059,639 | 22 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $60,722 | $38,000 | 12,805,537 | 88 |
| 24 | Iowa | $61,430 | $42,000 | 3,145,711 | 13 |
| 25 | Ohio | $59,353 | $39,000 | 11,658,609 | 51 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $59,257 | $37,000 | 4,684,333 | 25 |
| 27 | Idaho | $57,601 | $39,000 | 1,716,943 | 14 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $58,709 | $38,000 | 1,815,857 | 7 |
| 29 | Vermont | $56,304 | $34,000 | 623,657 | 12 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $52,627 | $37,000 | 579,315 | 11 |
| 31 | Alabama | $57,934 | $36,000 | 4,874,747 | 31 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $56,629 | $39,000 | 5,576,606 | 60 |
| 33 | Florida | $53,961 | $34,000 | 20,984,400 | 247 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $54,266 | $37,000 | 5,795,483 | 58 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $53,678 | $34,000 | 10,273,419 | 132 |
| 36 | Missouri | $56,384 | $37,000 | 6,113,532 | 47 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $63,371 | $51,000 | 1,427,538 | 6 |
| 38 | Montana | $51,081 | $36,000 | 1,050,493 | 25 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $55,241 | $38,000 | 1,920,076 | 11 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $52,787 | $34,000 | 3,004,279 | 19 |
| 41 | Kansas | $53,232 | $36,000 | 2,913,123 | 21 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $51,096 | $32,000 | 5,024,369 | 41 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $54,036 | $38,000 | 755,393 | 2 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $49,034 | $32,000 | 3,930,864 | 43 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $51,681 | $34,000 | 4,454,189 | 19 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $51,112 | $36,000 | 869,666 | 4 |
| 47 | Maine | $33,406 | $20,000 | 1,335,907 | 17 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $51,895 | $33,000 | 2,088,070 | 9 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $50,307 | $32,000 | 2,984,100 | 8 |
| 50 | New Hampshire | $49,800 | $30,000 | 1,342,795 | 8 |
| 51 | Indiana | $40,608 | $27,000 | 6,666,818 | 37 |
Highest paying states for public defenders
| Rank | State | Avg. Public Defender Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $103,899 |
| 2 | Alaska | $87,148 |
| 3 | Nevada | $72,431 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $78,740 |
| 5 | Oregon | $75,055 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $74,058 |
| 7 | Virginia | $70,911 |
| 8 | New York | $71,643 |
| 9 | Georgia | $64,376 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $69,773 |
| 11 | Washington | $71,610 |
| 12 | Texas | $67,439 |
| 13 | Illinois | $65,223 |
| 14 | Utah | $63,676 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $66,180 |
| 16 | Colorado | $64,310 |
| 17 | Michigan | $60,857 |
| 18 | Maryland | $66,510 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $63,311 |
| 20 | Arizona | $62,627 |
| 21 | Delaware | $63,033 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $57,667 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $60,722 |
| 24 | Iowa | $61,430 |
| 25 | Ohio | $59,353 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $59,257 |
| 27 | Idaho | $57,601 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $58,709 |
| 29 | Vermont | $56,304 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $52,627 |
| 31 | Alabama | $57,934 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $56,629 |
| 33 | Florida | $53,961 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $54,266 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $53,678 |
| 36 | Missouri | $56,384 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $63,371 |
| 38 | Montana | $51,081 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $55,241 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $52,787 |
| 41 | Kansas | $53,232 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $51,096 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $54,036 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $49,034 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $51,681 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $51,112 |
| 47 | Maine | $33,406 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $51,895 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $50,307 |
| 50 | New Hampshire | $49,800 |
| 51 | Indiana | $40,608 |
Search for public defender jobs
Updated January 8, 2025