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Legal clerk salary
Average legal clerk salary
$35,152
Average Legal Clerk Salary
The average salary for a legal clerk in the United States is approximately $35,152 annually, which translates to around $17 per hour. Salary rates can vary significantly based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and specific legal fields. For instance, legal clerks in states like California and New York often earn higher salaries due to the demand for legal services in urban areas.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level legal clerks may start with lower salaries, while those with more experience can expect to see significant increases in their earnings. Legal clerks with five years of experience or more typically earn salaries exceeding the national average, reflecting their increased expertise and responsibilities.
Where Can Legal Clerks Earn More?
In addition to state variations, specific industries can also affect salary potential. Legal clerks working in corporate law firms or specialized legal services often report higher earnings compared to those in public sector positions. Understanding these dynamics can help aspiring legal clerks make informed career decisions.
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Where can a Legal Clerk earn more?
Legal clerk salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level legal clerk | $25,100 | $12.07 |
| Mid-level legal clerk | $33,600 | $16.16 |
| Senior-level legal clerk | $35,400 | $17.00 |
Legal clerk salary estimates from across the web
Average legal clerk salary by state
The average legal clerk salary in New York, Washington, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average legal clerk salary states are Louisiana, Florida, and Virginia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for legal clerks
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $43,385 | $20.86 |
| 2 | New York | $45,155 | $21.71 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $40,611 | $19.52 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $40,998 | $19.71 |
| 5 | Alaska | $41,238 | $19.83 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $39,859 | $19.16 |
| 7 | Michigan | $35,785 | $17.20 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $41,569 | $19.99 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $40,745 | $19.59 |
| 10 | South Dakota | $35,778 | $17.20 |
| 11 | California | $39,132 | $18.81 |
| 12 | Utah | $35,053 | $16.85 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $43,151 | $20.75 |
| 14 | Delaware | $38,140 | $18.34 |
| 15 | Illinois | $37,701 | $18.13 |
| 16 | Colorado | $36,663 | $17.63 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $35,577 | $17.10 |
| 18 | Oregon | $39,510 | $19.00 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $37,245 | $17.91 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $34,455 | $16.56 |
| 21 | Idaho | $34,387 | $16.53 |
| 22 | Nevada | $36,155 | $17.38 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $35,768 | $17.20 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $34,639 | $16.65 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $32,271 | $15.51 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $34,277 | $16.48 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $36,695 | $17.64 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $31,863 | $15.32 |
| 29 | Vermont | $33,664 | $16.18 |
| 30 | Kansas | $30,777 | $14.80 |
| 31 | Ohio | $31,356 | $15.07 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $30,441 | $14.64 |
| 33 | Texas | $31,851 | $15.31 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $32,740 | $15.74 |
| 35 | Iowa | $32,300 | $15.53 |
| 36 | Missouri | $30,044 | $14.44 |
| 37 | Montana | $32,808 | $15.77 |
| 38 | Maryland | $32,604 | $15.68 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $29,391 | $14.13 |
| 40 | Georgia | $30,629 | $14.73 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $30,199 | $14.52 |
| 42 | Maine | $31,784 | $15.28 |
| 43 | Florida | $28,574 | $13.74 |
| 44 | Alabama | $30,389 | $14.61 |
| 45 | Indiana | $26,351 | $12.67 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $29,223 | $14.05 |
| 47 | Arizona | $30,390 | $14.61 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $28,030 | $13.48 |
| 49 | Virginia | $28,080 | $13.50 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $28,686 | $13.79 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $25,408 | $12.22 |
Highest paying cities for legal clerks
The highest-paying cities for legal clerks are New York, NY, Tacoma, WA, and Plymouth, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $45,254 | $21.76 |
| 2 | Tacoma, WA | $43,499 | $20.91 |
| 3 | Plymouth, MN | $41,046 | $19.73 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $40,333 | $19.39 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $39,937 | $19.20 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $37,922 | $18.23 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $37,129 | $17.85 |
| 8 | Kailua, HI | $36,725 | $17.66 |
| 9 | Charlotte, NC | $34,249 | $16.47 |
| 10 | Plano, TX | $31,775 | $15.28 |
| 11 | Kennesaw, GA | $30,742 | $14.78 |
| 12 | Birmingham, AL | $30,510 | $14.67 |
| 13 | Tempe, AZ | $30,405 | $14.62 |
| 14 | Oklahoma City, OK | $29,117 | $14.00 |
| 15 | Tampa, FL | $28,667 | $13.78 |
| 16 | Norfolk, VA | $27,780 | $13.36 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $26,151 | $12.57 |
Legal clerk salary details
A legal clerk's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $49,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a legal clerk's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| 75th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| Average | $35,152 | $2,929 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying legal clerk jobs
The highest paying types of legal clerks are real estate paralegal, corporate paralegal, and contractor-paralegal.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Estate Paralegal | $68,387 | $5,699 | $32.88 | 24,369 |
| Contractor-Paralegal | $60,686 | $5,057 | $29.18 | 15,609 |
| Corporate Paralegal | $67,515 | $5,626 | $32.46 | 13,482 |
| Litigation Paralegal | $58,484 | $4,874 | $28.12 | 5,132 |
| Paralegal | $49,943 | $4,162 | $24.01 | 5,177 |
| Law Internship | $39,394 | $3,283 | $18.94 | 51,663 |
Top companies hiring legal clerks now:
Which companies pay legal clerks the most?
Legal clerk salaries at Diodes Incorporated and Levorse Debra E Atty are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average legal clerk salary at companies like Harris Health System and Zwicker & Associates are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diodes Incorporated | $49,986 | $24.03 |
| 2 | Levorse Debra E Atty | $45,705 | $21.97 |
| 3 | Harris Health System | $42,977 | $20.66 |
| 4 | Zwicker & Associates | $41,680 | $20.04 |
| 5 | PRA Group Careers | $38,868 | $18.69 |
| 6 | Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner | $38,372 | $18.45 |
| 7 | Kforce | $38,281 | $18.40 |
| 8 | Kelly Services | $38,137 | $18.34 |
| 9 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $37,874 | $18.21 |
| 10 | Law Firm | $37,790 | $18.17 |
| 11 | County of Kauaʻi | $37,460 | $18.01 |
| 12 | Community Trust Ban | $36,854 | $17.72 |
| 13 | Alameda Alliance for Health | $36,700 | $17.64 |
| 14 | Robert Half | $36,643 | $17.62 |
| 15 | Woodforest Financial Group Inc | $36,350 | $17.48 |
| 16 | AmTrust Financial | $36,181 | $17.39 |
| 17 | SHASTA COUNTY | $35,698 | $17.16 |
| 18 | Offit Kurman | $35,020 | $16.84 |
| 19 | Compass Group USA | $34,679 | $16.67 |
| 20 | City of Philadelphia | $34,623 | $16.65 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Legal Clerk salary by industry
The average legal clerk salary varies across industries:
- The average legal clerk salary in the professional industry is $39,441, the highest of any industry.
- The average legal clerk salary in the finance industry is $38,164.
- Legal clerks in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $32,820, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for legal clerks
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $39,441 | $18.96 |
| 2 | Finance | $38,164 | $18.35 |
| 3 | Government | $36,737 | $17.66 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $32,820 | $15.78 |
High paying legal clerk jobs
Legal clerk salary trends
The average legal clerk salary has risen by $4,112 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average legal clerk earned $31,040 annually, but today, they earn $35,152 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for legal clerks over the last decade.
Compare legal clerk salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average legal clerk salary over time
Compare legal clerk salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Legal clerk salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $35,200 | $16.90 | +2.2% |
| 2025 | $34,400 | $16.52 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $33,800 | $16.27 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $33,500 | $16.10 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $32,900 | $15.81 | +1.4% |
Recently added legal clerk salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meduit | Legal Clerk | Indianapolis, IN | 06/26/2025 | $37,566 |
| Diversegov | Legal Clerk | Pensacola, FL | 06/25/2025 | $44,057 |
| Global Channel Management, Inc. | Bank Legal Clerk | Raleigh, NC | 06/10/2025 | $29,218 |
| Contact Government Services, LLC | Legal Clerk | Denver, CO | 06/09/2025 | $34,944 |
| Contact Government Services, LLC | Legal Clerk | Oxford, MS | 06/09/2025 | $37,566 |
| APR Consulting | Legal Clerk | Bedminster, NJ | 05/30/2025 | $52,175 |
| City and County of Honolulu (Hi | Legal Clerk I (SR Vacancies] | Urban Honolulu, HI | 05/26/2025 | $40,248 |
| Wintersteen Casarez | Legal Clerk-Electronic Documents and Fax Splitter | Sacramento, CA | 05/20/2025 | $41,740 |
| Contact Government Services, LLC | Legal Clerk | Oxford, MS | 05/18/2025 | $37,566 |
| Philadelphia International Airport | Legal Clerk I-Office of Judicial Records, Criminal Division | Philadelphia, PA | 05/17/2025 | $38,123 |
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