Public defender demographics and statistics in the US
Public defender demographics research summary. Zippia estimates public defender demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our public defender estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about public defenders after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 9,470 public defenders currently employed in the United States.
- 54.9% of all public defenders are women, while 45.1% are men.
- The average public defender age is 46 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of public defenders is White (75.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.7%), Asian (6.3%) and Black or African American (5.4%).
- Public defenders are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA.
- Santa Rosa, CA pays an annual average wage of $108,341, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women public defenders earned 96% of what men earned.
- California is the best state for public defenders to live.
- Public defenders are 63% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Public defender demographics by:
Public defender gender statistics
54.9% of public defenders are women and 45.1% of public defenders are men.
- Female, 54.9%
- Male, 45.1%
Public defender gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 54.9% |
| Male | 45.1% |
Public defender gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$62,496
Female income
$59,862
Public defender gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in public defender positions over time. Currently, 54.9% of public defenders are female.
Public defender gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 52.18% | 47.82% |
| 2011 | 51.36% | 48.64% |
| 2012 | 51.17% | 48.83% |
| 2013 | 50.53% | 49.47% |
| 2014 | 50.43% | 49.57% |
| 2015 | 47.73% | 52.27% |
| 2016 | 47.63% | 52.37% |
| 2017 | 47.74% | 52.26% |
| 2018 | 48.15% | 51.85% |
| 2019 | 47.42% | 52.58% |
| 2020 | 45.52% | 54.48% |
| 2021 | 45.09% | 54.91% |
Public defender related jobs gender ratio
We compared public defenders 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% |
| Public Defender | 45% | 55% |
| Patent Analyst | 72% | 28% |
| Patent Attorney | 79% | 21% |
| Patent Examiner | 81% | 19% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Public defender demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among public defenders is White, which makes up 75.9% of all public defenders. Comparatively, 7.7% of public defenders are Hispanic or Latino and 6.3% of public defenders are Asian.
- White, 75.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.7%
- Asian, 6.3%
- Black or African American, 5.4%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Public defender race
| Public defender race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.7% |
| Asian | 6.3% |
| Black or African American | 5.4% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Public defender race and ethnicity over time
See how public defender racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Public defender race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 82.60% | 5.03% | 4.69% | 5.87% |
| 2011 | 82.37% | 5.34% | 4.84% | 5.71% |
| 2012 | 82.45% | 4.96% | 5.01% | 5.89% |
| 2013 | 82.20% | 5.05% | 5.05% | 5.62% |
| 2014 | 81.54% | 5.55% | 5.28% | 5.77% |
| 2015 | 81.45% | 5.21% | 5.37% | 6.19% |
| 2016 | 80.88% | 5.27% | 5.53% | 6.47% |
| 2017 | 80.91% | 5.24% | 5.50% | 6.25% |
| 2018 | 80.27% | 5.42% | 5.43% | 6.86% |
| 2019 | 79.80% | 5.40% | 5.80% | 6.92% |
| 2020 | 77.28% | 5.31% | 6.12% | 7.07% |
| 2021 | 75.95% | 5.44% | 6.28% | 7.66% |
Public defender wage gap by race
According to our data, asian public defenders have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american public defenders have the lowest average salary at $60,474.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $62,126 |
| White | $63,367 |
| Black or African American | $60,474 |
| Asian | $65,444 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $61,192 |
Average public defender age
See how the average age of public defenders varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Public defender age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 46 | 44 |
| Unknown | 46 | 40 |
| Asian | 41 | 40.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 43 | 39 |
| White | 48 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 51 | 50 |
Public defender age breakdown
The average age of public defenders is 40+ years years old, representing 67% of the public defender population.
Public defender age breakdown
| Public Defender Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 67% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
Public defender educational attainment
The most common degree for public defenders is doctoral degree, with 46% of public defenders earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 41% and bachelor's degree degree at 5%.
- Doctorate, 46%
- Bachelor's, 41%
- Associate, 5%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Public defenders by degree level
| Public defender degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Doctorate | 46% |
| Bachelor's | 41% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Public defender jobs you might like
Public defender employment statistics
Most public defenders work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where public defenders work
Below, you can see the size of companies where public defenders work.
Public defender jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 39% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 6% |
Public defender jobs by company type
Employees with the public defender job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most public defenders prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Public defender jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 9% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 23% |
| Government | 63% |
Public defender jobs by industry
The most common industries for public defenders are government, professional and education.
Public defender industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 55% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Education | 8% |
| Media | 6% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Public defender turnover and employment statistics
Public defender unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for public defenders between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Public defender unemployment rate by year
| Year | Public defender unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.19% |
| 2011 | 1.85% |
| 2012 | 1.64% |
| 2013 | 1.90% |
| 2014 | 1.57% |
| 2015 | 1.34% |
| 2016 | 1.09% |
| 2017 | 1.17% |
| 2018 | 1.10% |
| 2019 | 1.16% |
| 2020 | 1.33% |
| 2021 | 1.55% |
Average public defender tenure
The average public defender stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 831 public defenders resumes in Zippia's database.
Public defender tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 27% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Public defender LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of public defenders 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Appellate Law Clerk | 5.54% | 66,866 |
| Office Manager And Legal Assistant | 6.63% | 37,838 |
| Title Junior Assistant | 8.14% | 12,219 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| Public Defender | 10.48% | - |
| Legislative Aide | 14.16% | 40,281 |
Similar public defender jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Appellate Law Clerk | 5.54% | 66,866 |
| Office Manager And Legal Assistant | 6.63% | 37,838 |
| Title Junior Assistant | 8.14% | 12,219 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| Legislative Aide | 14.16% | 40,281 |
Foreign languages spoken by public defenders
The most common foreign language among public defenders is Spanish at 55.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.0% and German is the third-most popular at 6.7%.
- Spanish, 55.0%
- French, 10.0%
- German, 6.7%
- Russian, 6.7%
- Arabic, 6.7%
- Other, 14.9%
Public defender languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 55.0% |
| French | 10.0% |
| German | 6.7% |
| Russian | 6.7% |
| Arabic | 6.7% |
| Other | 14.9% |
