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United States Department of Justice salary estimate

$59,882yearly

$28.79 hourly rate

Entry-level salary
$37,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding Salaries at the United States Department of Justice

The United States Department of Justice offers a diverse range of salaries depending on job roles, locations, and departmental structures. The average salary stands at approximately $59,882 per year, reflecting the compensation provided to various professionals within the organization.

For those seeking higher-paying opportunities, certain positions, particularly in legal services, tend to offer more competitive salaries. Specific roles may command salaries that significantly exceed the average, aligning with the expertise required in the legal field.

Additionally, salaries can vary based on geographical location, with certain regions offering more favorable compensation packages. Understanding these factors can assist prospective employees in making informed decisions about their career paths within the Department.

Overall, the Department of Justice emphasizes fair compensation, ensuring employees are rewarded for their contributions across various departments.

Highest paying jobs at United States Department of Justice

The highest paying jobs at United States Department of Justice are senior counselor, management analyst, program manager, and molecular biologist. Senior counselor jobs at United States Department of Justice earn an average yearly salary of $123,778, United States Department of Justice management analyst jobs average $89,694, and United States Department of Justice program manager jobs average $86,271.

The lowest paying United States Department of Justice roles include clerk typist and internship. United States Department of Justice clerk typist average salary is $35,600 per year. So while the average United States Department of Justice salary is $59,882 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Highest paying jobs at United States Department of Justice

RankJob titleAverage United States Department of Justice salaryHourly rate
1Senior Counselor$123,778$59.51
2Management Analyst$89,694$43.12
3Program Manager$86,271$41.48
4Molecular Biologist$81,091$38.99
5Trial Attorney$77,559$37.29
6Paralegal Specialist$77,509$37.26
7Security Specialist$77,457$37.24
8Attorney General$74,285$35.71
9Research Associate$72,195$34.71
10Consultant$72,027$34.63
11Speech Writer$70,962$34.12
12Registered Nurse$70,747$34.01
13Research Geneticist$70,536$33.91
14Law Clerk$67,585$32.49
15Entomologist$64,277$30.90
16Contractor-Paralegal$64,243$30.89
17Senior Paralegal$63,711$30.63
18Budget Analyst$63,468$30.51
19Legal Extern$62,131$29.87
20Teacher$55,800$26.83

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How much does United States Department of Justice pay by location?

The average United States Department of Justice salary varies by location. United States Department of Justice salaries are the highest in Washington, DC, at $81,528 per year. United States Department of Justice pays the second highest average salary in Geneva, NY, at $69,723 per year. It's important to factor in the cost of living when negotiating a salary or choosing a place to work.

Highest paying United States Department of Justice locations

RankLocationAverage United States Department of Justice salaryHourly rate
1Washington, DC$81,528$39.20
2Geneva, NY$69,723$33.52
3Salinas, CA$67,283$32.35
4Chicago, IL$65,301$31.39
5Denver, CO$64,813$31.16
6Chantilly, VA$63,543$30.55
7Beltsville, MD$62,433$30.02
8Pullman, WA$61,809$29.72
9Newark, DE$61,163$29.41
10Philadelphia, PA$60,302$28.99
11College Station, TX$57,310$27.55
12Urban Honolulu, HI$55,059$26.47
13Fort Pierce, FL$54,271$26.09
14Logan, UT$53,167$25.56

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United States Department of Justice salaries by department

Salaries at United States Department of Justice vary depending on the department you work in. United States Department of Justice salaries in the engineering department are the highest with an average salary of $77,324. Employees in the it department at United States Department of Justice receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $75,235 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at United States Department of Justice include the administrative and the non profit/government organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $43,926 and $54,742, respectively.

Average United States Department of Justice salary by department

RankDepartmentAverage United States Department of Justice salaryHourly rate
1Engineering$77,324$37.17
2IT$75,235$36.17
3Healthcare$73,463$35.32
4Research & Development$70,273$33.79
5Finance$68,015$32.70
6Legal$66,404$31.93
7Plant/Manufacturing$63,498$30.53
8Human Resources$61,619$29.62
9Marketing$58,843$28.29
10Education$58,793$28.27
11Facilities$57,743$27.76
12Non Profit/Government$54,742$26.32
13Administrative$43,926$21.12

How much does United States Department of Justice pay by department?

Best paying United States Department of Justice legal salaries

RankPositionAverage United States Department of Justice salaryHourly rate
1Assistant State Attorney$91,740$44.11
2Trial Attorney$77,559$37.29
3Paralegal Specialist$77,509$37.26
4Law Clerk$67,585$32.49
5Contractor-Paralegal$64,243$30.89
6Senior Paralegal$63,711$30.63
7Legal Extern$62,131$29.87
8Judicial Internship$59,477$28.59
9Law Internship$51,221$24.63
10United States Marshal$49,695$23.89
11Docket Clerk$48,728$23.43
12Legal Assistant$48,247$23.20

Best paying United States Department of Justice administrative salaries

RankPositionAverage United States Department of Justice salaryHourly rate
1Word Processor$56,236$27.04
2Secretary$55,628$26.74
3Records Analyst$55,186$26.53
4Administrative Specialist$48,017$23.09
5Scanning Technician$44,201$21.25
6Project Management Internship$43,302$20.82
7Administrative Assistant$42,980$20.66
8Library Technician$41,653$20.03
9Data Entry Operator$41,184$19.80
10Student Internship$40,862$19.65
11Office Assistant$40,587$19.51
12Clerk$40,053$19.26
13Office Services Specialist$39,787$19.13
14Student Employee$30,769$14.79

Best paying United States Department of Justice non profit/government salaries

RankPositionAverage United States Department of Justice salaryHourly rate
1Program Director$88,819$42.70
2Program Manager$86,271$41.48
3Forensic Computer Examiner$79,939$38.43
4Assistant Chief Of Police$78,410$37.70
5Federal Agent$77,649$37.33
6Police Captain$77,075$37.06
7Senior Investigator$73,235$35.21
8Intelligence Analyst$69,160$33.25
9Appeals Examiner$68,996$33.17
10Investigators Assistant$68,065$32.72
11Programming Specialist$61,363$29.50
12Chaplain$57,549$27.67
13Treatment Specialist$56,449$27.14
14Criminal Investigator$55,591$26.73
15Senior Patrol Agent$51,205$24.62
16Correctional Supervisor$50,871$24.46
17Lieutenant$50,800$24.42
18Correction Officer$46,188$22.21
19Law Enforcement Officer$45,346$21.80
20Case Manager$45,015$21.64

United States Department of Justice competitors’ average salaries

Average salaries at United States Department of Justice competitors, like U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Trade Commission, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, vary. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $81,261. The average salary at Federal Trade Commission is $65,260 per year, and the average salary at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is $62,012 per year.

Highest paying United States Department of Justice competitors

What employees say about salary at United States Department of Justice

Employee reviews
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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2021
Pros of working at United States Department of Justice

Team environment and diversity in duty/role options. Non-routine work days.

United States Department of Justice benefits

Being afforded the opportunity to manage my own work within the parameters, federal drug laws, and DEA's policy and procedure. Working with a vast number of outside agencies (federal/state/local), including foreign counterparts.

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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2021
Pros of working at United States Department of Justice

Flexibility. My work hours have flexibility built in. Most days are 830-5, but there are some late morning starts, and evening work as well. All are case work related.

Cons of working at United States Department of Justice

Nothing

United States Department of Justice benefits

Pay. As a criminal investigator, the current pay far exceeds that of a local or state criminal investigator.

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Frequently asked questions about United States Department of Justice salaries

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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of United States Department of Justice, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about United States Department of Justice. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at United States Department of Justice. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by United States Department of Justice. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of United States Department of Justice and its employees or that of Zippia.

United States Department of Justice may also be known as or be related to The DEA Educational Foundation, U.s. Department Of Justice, United States Department of Justice and Usdoj.