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The differences between public defenders and associate attorneys can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a public defender and an associate attorney. Additionally, an associate attorney has an average salary of $110,053, which is higher than the $69,052 average annual salary of a public defender.
The top three skills for a public defender include mental health, law enforcement and criminal cases. The most important skills for an associate attorney are litigation, law firm, and discovery responses.
| Public Defender | Associate Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $69,052 | $110,053 |
| Hourly rate | $33.20 | $52.91 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 11,673 | 9,183 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 46% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Public Defenders have a career choice whose scope is simple but contains a complex educational background for the level of work involved. This position calls upon those with strong multitasking, interpersonal skills, and a great deal of confidence for the workload. To qualify for this position, a degree with a focus on criminal defense law is required. They are absolutely indispensable for an appointee in trials to represent people who would otherwise not be able to afford an attorney to defend themselves.
An associate attorney's role is to provide legal counseling to an individual or business entity, resolve legal disputes through crafting agreements and negotiating contract terms, and serving as an advisor or advocate. Most associate attorneys work at law firms or government agencies, supervised by more experienced personnel. Among the duties of an associate attorney includes conducting extensive research on every case, presenting factual evidence and statements, producing the legal and necessary documentation, and representing clients in formal settings.
Public defenders and associate attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Defender | Associate Attorney | |
| Average salary | $69,052 | $110,053 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $98,000 | Between $70,000 And $170,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | United States Courts | Schiff Hardin |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between a public defender and an associate attorney in terms of educational background:
| Public Defender | Associate Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 46% | Doctoral Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between public defenders' and associate attorneys' demographics:
| Public Defender | Associate Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.1% Female, 54.9% | Male, 57.1% Female, 42.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 75.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |