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The differences between public defenders and attorneys at law 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 attorney at law. Additionally, an attorney at law has an average salary of $108,018, 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 attorney at law are litigation, law firm, and legal research.
| Public Defender | Attorney At Law | |
| Yearly salary | $69,052 | $108,018 |
| Hourly rate | $33.20 | $51.93 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 11,673 | 7,025 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 46% | Doctoral Degree, 52% |
| 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 Attorney at Law is responsible for preparing and examining contracts involving leases, licenses, purchases, sales, etc. They advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, or legal rights and obligations.
Public defenders and attorneys at law have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Defender | Attorney At Law | |
| Average salary | $69,052 | $108,018 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $98,000 | Between $69,000 And $166,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | United States Courts | White and Williams |
| Best paying industry | Government | Retail |
There are a few differences between a public defender and an attorney at law in terms of educational background:
| Public Defender | Attorney At Law | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 46% | Doctoral Degree, 52% |
| 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 attorneys at law' demographics:
| Public Defender | Attorney At Law | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.1% Female, 54.9% | Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4% |
| 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% |