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The differences between trial attorneys and district 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 trial attorney and a district attorney. Additionally, a trial attorney has an average salary of $110,340, which is higher than the $72,965 average annual salary of a district attorney.
The top three skills for a trial attorney include litigation, legal research and property damage. The most important skills for a district attorney are pre-trial conferences, legal research, and law enforcement agencies.
| Trial Attorney | District Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $110,340 | $72,965 |
| Hourly rate | $53.05 | $35.08 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,253 | 13,378 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Trial attorneys are responsible for representing and defending clients in court. Trial attorneys must have excellent legal research skills to assess pieces of evidence and examining relevant judicial decisions to support the client's claims. A trial attorney should also provide legal advice for the clients and guide them through the legal procedures depending on the severity of the case. Trial attorneys must be able to develop trial strategies and arguments in the court to win the judge and the trial jury's decision.
District attorneys represent the government in court and prepare criminal prosecution cases. Besides partnering on criminal investigations and evaluating police reports, district attorneys also consult with alleged perpetrators, law enforcement, and judges. They uphold professional ethics, abide by the country's prosecution laws, and supervise and guide legal clerks and associates. Moreover, district attorneys prepare and file pre-trial motions, study case law, and gather enough evidence needed to prosecute alleged perpetrators in the court. Also, they assess legal merits to bring criminal charges against the alleged perpetrators.
Trial attorneys and district attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Trial Attorney | District Attorney | |
| Average salary | $110,340 | $72,965 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $166,000 | Between $49,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith | Ventura County Community Foundation |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a trial attorney and a district attorney in terms of educational background:
| Trial Attorney | District Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between trial attorneys' and district attorneys' demographics:
| Trial Attorney | District Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 45.6% Female, 54.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |