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Best states for a summer law associate
Quoted expert
Leslie Heaphy Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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- 41 - 51
Summer law associate opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for summer law associates, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for summer law associates.In order to help you decide which state is the best for summer law associates, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for summer law associate jobs.
We figured that the best places for summer law associate jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that District of Columbia is the best state for summer law associate jobs, whereas Mississippi is the worst.
10 best states for summer law associates in 2026
1. District of Columbia
Total summer law associate jobs: 163 Average annual salary: $134,326 Lowest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $214,000 Location Quotient: 8.15
2. Colorado
Total summer law associate jobs: 86 Average annual salary: $130,076 Lowest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $210,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
3. California
Total summer law associate jobs: 681 Average annual salary: $128,285 Lowest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $204,000 Location Quotient: 1.96
4. Massachusetts
Total summer law associate jobs: 121 Average annual salary: $133,662 Lowest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $212,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
5. Illinois
Total summer law associate jobs: 180 Average annual salary: $114,982 Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $190,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
6. Vermont
Total summer law associate jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $113,811 Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $187,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
7. New Jersey
Total summer law associate jobs: 97 Average annual salary: $124,505 Lowest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $201,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
8. Washington
Total summer law associate jobs: 112 Average annual salary: $112,893 Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $182,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
9. Michigan
Total summer law associate jobs: 110 Average annual salary: $108,657 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $180,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
10. New York
Total summer law associate jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $126,979 Lowest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $204,000 Location Quotient: 0
Summer law associate jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a summer law associate
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a summer law associate
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $134,326 | $84,000 | 693,972 | 163 |
| 2 | Colorado | $130,076 | $80,000 | 5,607,154 | 86 |
| 3 | California | $128,285 | $80,000 | 39,536,653 | 681 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $133,662 | $83,000 | 6,859,819 | 121 |
| 5 | Illinois | $114,982 | $69,000 | 12,802,023 | 180 |
| 6 | Vermont | $113,811 | $69,000 | 623,657 | 11 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $124,505 | $77,000 | 9,005,644 | 97 |
| 8 | Washington | $112,893 | $69,000 | 7,405,743 | 112 |
| 9 | Michigan | $108,657 | $65,000 | 9,962,311 | 110 |
| 10 | New York | $126,979 | $78,000 | 19,849,399 | 0 |
| 11 | Arizona | $111,088 | $67,000 | 7,016,270 | 74 |
| 12 | Virginia | $111,903 | $67,000 | 8,470,020 | 128 |
| 13 | Delaware | $105,969 | $63,000 | 961,939 | 28 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $109,227 | $63,000 | 6,715,984 | 44 |
| 15 | Oregon | $112,908 | $69,000 | 4,142,776 | 35 |
| 16 | Utah | $109,646 | $66,000 | 3,101,833 | 22 |
| 17 | Texas | $108,472 | $63,000 | 28,304,596 | 0 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $96,129 | $56,000 | 1,920,076 | 46 |
| 19 | Iowa | $100,605 | $59,000 | 3,145,711 | 46 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $110,598 | $67,000 | 3,588,184 | 32 |
| 21 | Maryland | $112,366 | $68,000 | 6,052,177 | 74 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $101,851 | $60,000 | 1,815,857 | 0 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $93,936 | $57,000 | 755,393 | 17 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $104,393 | $63,000 | 1,059,639 | 0 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $95,149 | $56,000 | 12,805,537 | 156 |
| 26 | Alaska | $99,832 | $69,000 | 739,795 | 13 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $95,786 | $57,000 | 5,576,606 | 103 |
| 28 | Kansas | $91,184 | $52,000 | 2,913,123 | 59 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $96,672 | $56,000 | 10,273,419 | 95 |
| 30 | Georgia | $98,697 | $56,000 | 10,429,379 | 93 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $96,731 | $57,000 | 5,795,483 | 0 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $97,062 | $58,000 | 1,342,795 | 14 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $89,835 | $52,000 | 2,088,070 | 33 |
| 34 | Florida | $87,713 | $48,000 | 20,984,400 | 286 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $92,593 | $51,000 | 4,684,333 | 32 |
| 36 | Montana | $85,914 | $52,000 | 1,050,493 | 20 |
| 37 | Ohio | $91,421 | $53,000 | 11,658,609 | 0 |
| 38 | Idaho | $92,183 | $55,000 | 1,716,943 | 20 |
| 39 | Alabama | $90,986 | $51,000 | 4,874,747 | 21 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $90,195 | $51,000 | 4,454,189 | 28 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $87,094 | $49,000 | 3,004,279 | 32 |
| 42 | Nevada | $89,966 | $54,000 | 2,998,039 | 20 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $89,691 | $53,000 | 579,315 | 0 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $88,513 | $52,000 | 869,666 | 0 |
| 45 | Indiana | $84,174 | $48,000 | 6,666,818 | 82 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $81,516 | $45,000 | 5,024,369 | 60 |
| 47 | Missouri | $76,526 | $43,000 | 6,113,532 | 86 |
| 48 | Maine | $70,882 | $42,000 | 1,335,907 | 18 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $45,773 | $34,000 | 1,427,538 | 11 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $82,132 | $46,000 | 3,930,864 | 0 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $80,146 | $44,000 | 2,984,100 | 12 |
Highest paying states for summer law associates
| Rank | State | Avg. Summer Law Associate Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $134,326 |
| 2 | Colorado | $130,076 |
| 3 | California | $128,285 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $133,662 |
| 5 | Illinois | $114,982 |
| 6 | Vermont | $113,811 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $124,505 |
| 8 | Washington | $112,893 |
| 9 | Michigan | $108,657 |
| 10 | New York | $126,979 |
| 11 | Arizona | $111,088 |
| 12 | Virginia | $111,903 |
| 13 | Delaware | $105,969 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $109,227 |
| 15 | Oregon | $112,908 |
| 16 | Utah | $109,646 |
| 17 | Texas | $108,472 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $96,129 |
| 19 | Iowa | $100,605 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $110,598 |
| 21 | Maryland | $112,366 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $101,851 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $93,936 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $104,393 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $95,149 |
| 26 | Alaska | $99,832 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $95,786 |
| 28 | Kansas | $91,184 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $96,672 |
| 30 | Georgia | $98,697 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $96,731 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $97,062 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $89,835 |
| 34 | Florida | $87,713 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $92,593 |
| 36 | Montana | $85,914 |
| 37 | Ohio | $91,421 |
| 38 | Idaho | $92,183 |
| 39 | Alabama | $90,986 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $90,195 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $87,094 |
| 42 | Nevada | $89,966 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $89,691 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $88,513 |
| 45 | Indiana | $84,174 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $81,516 |
| 47 | Missouri | $76,526 |
| 48 | Maine | $70,882 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $45,773 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $82,132 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $80,146 |
Expert opinions on the best states for summer law associates
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for summer law associates to find work opportunities?
Leslie Heaphy Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Kent State University
I think the best advice here is to be open to looking widely and being willing to move.
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Updated January 8, 2025