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The average salary for a Judicial Law Clerk in the United States is approximately $54,006 per year or $26 per hour. This salary varies significantly based on several factors including location, experience, and the type of court. For instance, clerks working in metropolitan areas may earn higher wages compared to those in rural locations.
Judicial Law Clerks in states like California and New York typically report the highest salaries, reflecting the higher cost of living and demand for legal professionals. In contrast, states with lower living costs often offer lower salaries. To provide a comprehensive understanding, here are the average salaries by state:
For those considering a career as a Judicial Law Clerk, understanding these salary dynamics can be crucial in making informed career choices.
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The average judicial law clerk salary in Massachusetts, Vermont, and Rhode Island are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average judicial law clerk salary states are Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Alabama.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $68,985 | $33.17 |
| 2 | Vermont | $73,478 | $35.33 |
| 3 | Washington | $63,608 | $30.58 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $81,294 | $39.08 |
| 5 | Delaware | $69,955 | $33.63 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $95,878 | $46.10 |
| 7 | New York | $67,076 | $32.25 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $72,935 | $35.06 |
| 9 | Maine | $71,492 | $34.37 |
| 10 | South Dakota | $56,441 | $27.14 |
| 11 | Illinois | $63,361 | $30.46 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $63,111 | $30.34 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $67,005 | $32.21 |
| 14 | California | $70,851 | $34.06 |
| 15 | Missouri | $54,702 | $26.30 |
| 16 | Colorado | $58,392 | $28.07 |
| 17 | Idaho | $54,582 | $26.24 |
| 18 | Kansas | $49,447 | $23.77 |
| 19 | Nevada | $65,737 | $31.60 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $53,251 | $25.60 |
| 21 | Florida | $54,683 | $26.29 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $50,462 | $24.26 |
| 23 | Michigan | $48,885 | $23.50 |
| 24 | Ohio | $50,301 | $24.18 |
| 25 | Maryland | $59,635 | $28.67 |
| 26 | Montana | $57,223 | $27.51 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $50,582 | $24.32 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $54,830 | $26.36 |
| 29 | Virginia | $52,223 | $25.11 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $45,739 | $21.99 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $45,483 | $21.87 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $46,882 | $22.54 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $52,449 | $25.22 |
| 34 | Alaska | $36,823 | $17.70 |
| 35 | Arizona | $49,516 | $23.81 |
| 36 | Georgia | $46,846 | $22.52 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $46,258 | $22.24 |
| 38 | Utah | $41,504 | $19.95 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $43,719 | $21.02 |
| 40 | Iowa | $44,132 | $21.22 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $42,744 | $20.55 |
| 42 | Texas | $41,167 | $19.79 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $37,323 | $17.94 |
| 44 | Indiana | $36,914 | $17.75 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $37,703 | $18.13 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $41,579 | $19.99 |
| 47 | Oregon | $44,414 | $21.35 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $38,447 | $18.48 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $38,655 | $18.58 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $33,227 | $15.97 |
| 51 | Alabama | $37,116 | $17.84 |
The highest-paying cities for judicial law clerks are Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA, and White Plains, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $95,981 | $46.14 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $76,432 | $36.75 |
| 3 | White Plains, NY | $67,481 | $32.44 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $63,859 | $30.70 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $59,981 | $28.84 |
| 6 | Miami, FL | $56,139 | $26.99 |
| 7 | Arlington, VA | $54,477 | $26.19 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $53,832 | $25.88 |
| 9 | Fort Lee, NJ | $52,703 | $25.34 |
| 10 | Saint Paul, MN | $46,979 | $22.59 |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA | $46,790 | $22.50 |
| 12 | Baton Rouge, LA | $41,731 | $20.06 |
| 13 | Provo, UT | $41,522 | $19.96 |
| 14 | Dallas, TX | $40,587 | $19.51 |
A judicial law clerk's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $86,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $86,000 | $7,167 | $41 |
| 75th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
| Average | $54,006 | $4,501 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
The highest paying types of judicial law clerks are attorney law clerk, staff attorney, and law clerk.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staff Attorney | $110,028 | $9,169 | $52.90 | 75,402 |
| Legal Extern | $47,238 | $3,937 | $22.71 | 10,986 |
| Law Internship | $39,394 | $3,283 | $18.94 | 51,663 |
| Clerk | $31,163 | $2,597 | $14.98 | 80,311 |
| Attorney Law Clerk | $112,527 | $9,377 | $54.10 | 72,641 |
| Judicial Internship | $50,523 | $4,210 | $24.29 | 47,595 |
Top companies hiring judicial law clerks now:
Judicial law clerk salaries at Wright, Constable & Skeen and City of Philadelphia are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average judicial law clerk salary at companies like City of Baltimore and MT Law are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wright, Constable & Skeen | $131,808 | $63.37 |
| 2 | City of Philadelphia | $82,878 | $39.85 |
| 3 | City of Baltimore | $66,870 | $32.15 |
| 4 | MT Law | $66,455 | $31.95 |
| 5 | Cohen & Company | $60,824 | $29.24 |
| 6 | U.S. District Court | $60,369 | $29.02 |
| 7 | Arlington County, VA | $59,096 | $28.41 |
| 8 | Supreme Court | $58,021 | $27.89 |
| 9 | United States Courts | $57,144 | $27.47 |
| 10 | Minnesota Judicial Branch | $54,780 | $26.34 |
| 11 | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit | $54,642 | $26.27 |
The average judicial law clerk salary has risen by $14,142 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average judicial law clerk earned $39,864 annually, but today, they earn $54,006 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for judicial law clerks over the last decade.
Compare judicial law clerk salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare judicial law clerk salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $54,000 | $25.96 | +6.1% |
| 2025 | $50,700 | $24.38 | +0.9% |
| 2024 | $50,300 | $24.17 | +4.1% |
| 2023 | $48,200 | $23.17 | -0.8% |
| 2022 | $48,600 | $23.37 | +2.0% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland County (Mi | District Court Judicial Law Clerk | Rochester Hills, MI | 06/24/2025 | $54,998 |
| Arlington County, Va | Judicial Law Clerk | Arlington, VA | 06/13/2025 | $75,000 |
| City of Philadelphia | Judicial Law Clerk I for The Honorable Sheila Woods-Skipper-Orphan's Court Division | Philadelphia, PA | 05/26/2025 | $59,177 |
| Philadelphia International Airport | Judicial Law Clerk I for The Honorable Sheila Woods-Skipper-Orphan's Court Division | Philadelphia, PA | 05/21/2025 | $59,177 |
| United States Courts | Judicial Law Clerk (Term) | Benton, IL | 05/20/2025 | $73,939 |
| United States Courts | Judicial Law Clerk | Orlando, FL | 05/20/2025 | $73,939 |
| Westmoreland County (Pa | Judicial Law Clerk-Westmoreland County Courts | Greensburg, PA | 05/16/2025 | $56,692 |
| Oakland County, Michigan Government | District Court Judicial Law Clerk Senior | Rochester Hills, MI | 05/16/2025 | $60,634 |
| Snohomish County | Law Clerk-Judicial Clerkship | Everett, WA | 05/03/2025 | $77,969 |
| City of Philadelphia | Judicial Law Clerk I for The Honorable Natasha Taylor | Philadelphia, PA | 04/28/2025 | $59,177 |
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