23 Series · SOC 23-1012
Judicial Law Clerks Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $64,920
- Median / year
- $113,140
- Top 10% earn
- +2.5%
- Growth '23–'33
- 13,290
- US workers
Judicial Law Clerks earn a median of $64,920 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $64,920, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $46,180 (10th percentile) to $113,140 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 13,290 US workers. Massachusetts pays the most ($143,350), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Judicial Law Clerks earn a median of $64,920, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 56% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Legal, it ranks #6 of 8 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2.5% by 2033.
- $64,920
- Median annual wage
- Top 44%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #6 of 8
- in Legal
- 2.4×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Massachusetts at $143,350. Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
Judicial Law Clerks (SOC 23-1012) pays a national median of $64,920 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $46,180 at the 10th percentile to $113,140 at the 90th, with a mean of $72,950 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 13,290 Americans work in this occupation across 39 reporting states and 62 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,000 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Doctoral or professional degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.2 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Massachusetts pays the highest state median at $143,350, which is +121% above the national figure. The top metro is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $143,350 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$64,920
per year
Median Hourly
$31.21/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$72,950
average
Employment
13,290
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Judicial Law Clerks pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$64,920 Top 44% higher than 56% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 23-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Judicial Law Clerks; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 8 23-series occupations with growth data, Judicial Law Clerks sits on the slower-growing side at +2.5% growth and $64,920 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+2.5%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
1,000
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.2/100K
Injury Rate
0.2/100
Danger Index
0.9/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Judicial Law Clerks roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Prepare briefs, legal memoranda, or statements of issues involved in cases, including appropriate suggestions or recommendations.
- ▸ Research laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs, or other information related to cases before the court.
- ▸ Draft or proofread judicial opinions, decisions, or citations.
- ▸ Confer with judges concerning legal questions, construction of documents, or granting of orders.
- ▸ Review complaints, petitions, motions, or pleadings that have been filed to determine issues involved or basis for relief.
- ▸ Keep abreast of changes in the law and inform judges when cases are affected by such changes.
- ▸ Attend court sessions to hear oral arguments or record necessary case information.
- ▸ Enter information into computerized court calendar, filing, or case management systems.
- ▸ Verify that all files, complaints, or other papers are available and in the proper order.
- ▸ Review dockets of pending litigation to ensure adequate progress.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$46,180
25th Percentile
$52,870
Median
$64,920
75th Percentile
$80,420
90th Percentile
$113,140
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 39 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $143,350 | +121% above national |
| 2 | New York | $133,320 | +105% above national |
| 3 | Connecticut | $98,670 | +52% above national |
| 4 | Oregon | $86,870 | +34% above national |
| 5 | North Dakota | $85,530 | +32% above national |
| 6 | Washington | $80,240 | +24% above national |
| 7 | Arkansas | $80,150 | +23% above national |
| 8 | California | $79,030 | +22% above national |
| 9 | Idaho | $75,540 | +16% above national |
| 10 | Tennessee | $75,190 | +16% above national |
| 11 | Minnesota | $71,070 | +9% above national |
| 12 | Maryland | $70,110 | +8% above national |
| 13 | Nevada | $69,600 | +7% above national |
| 14 | Maine | $67,890 | +5% above national |
| 15 | Alaska | $67,580 | +4% above national |
| 16 | Colorado | $67,230 | +4% above national |
| 17 | Missouri | $66,060 | +2% above national |
| 18 | Virginia | $65,940 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Delaware | $64,720 | same as national |
| 20 | Iowa | $64,260 | 1% below national |
| 21 | Louisiana | $63,180 | 3% below national |
| 22 | Texas | $63,130 | 3% below national |
| 23 | Michigan | $62,260 | 4% below national |
| 24 | Arizona | $60,170 | 7% below national |
| 25 | New Jersey | $58,890 | 9% below national |
| 26 | Indiana | $57,140 | 12% below national |
| 27 | Florida | $55,180 | 15% below national |
| 28 | Georgia | $55,120 | 15% below national |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $54,250 | 16% below national |
| 30 | West Virginia | $52,120 | 20% below national |
| 31 | Utah | $51,900 | 20% below national |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $50,590 | 22% below national |
| 33 | South Carolina | $50,330 | 22% below national |
| 34 | Ohio | $49,840 | 23% below national |
| 35 | Nebraska | $49,570 | 24% below national |
| 36 | Montana | $47,320 | 27% below national |
| 37 | Hawaii | $47,010 | 28% below national |
| 38 | Kansas | $45,720 | 30% below national |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $44,990 | 31% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 62 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $143,350 | +121% above national |
| 2 | Springfield, MA | $143,350 | +121% above national |
| 3 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $136,950 | +111% above national |
| 4 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $101,890 | +57% above national |
| 5 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $97,840 | +51% above national |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $90,650 | +40% above national |
| 7 | Knoxville, TN | $87,820 | +35% above national |
| 8 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $84,010 | +29% above national |
| 9 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $80,420 | +24% above national |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $80,240 | +24% above national |
| 11 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $79,770 | +23% above national |
| 12 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $79,580 | +23% above national |
| 13 | Boise City, ID | $75,780 | +17% above national |
| 14 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $75,540 | +16% above national |
| 15 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $74,010 | +14% above national |
| 16 | Richmond, VA | $70,520 | +9% above national |
| 17 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $70,110 | +8% above national |
| 18 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $70,110 | +8% above national |
| 19 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $69,990 | +8% above national |
| 20 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $69,200 | +7% above national |
| 21 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $67,230 | +4% above national |
| 22 | Lincoln, NE | $67,180 | +3% above national |
| 23 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $66,640 | +3% above national |
| 24 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $66,170 | +2% above national |
| 25 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $65,260 | +1% above national |
| 26 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $64,920 | same as national |
| 27 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $63,140 | 3% below national |
| 28 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $62,560 | 4% below national |
| 29 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $62,260 | 4% below national |
| 30 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $61,840 | 5% below national |
| 31 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $61,720 | 5% below national |
| 32 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $60,170 | 7% below national |
| 33 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $59,770 | 8% below national |
| 34 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $58,890 | 9% below national |
| 35 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $58,890 | 9% below national |
| 36 | North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $58,860 | 9% below national |
| 37 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $57,060 | 12% below national |
| 38 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $56,880 | 12% below national |
| 39 | Jacksonville, FL | $56,620 | 13% below national |
| 40 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $56,080 | 14% below national |
| 41 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $55,620 | 14% below national |
| 42 | Wasatch Front Fringe Utah nonmetropolitan area | $55,470 | 15% below national |
| 43 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $55,000 | 15% below national |
| 44 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $54,480 | 16% below national |
| 45 | Charleston, WV | $52,120 | 20% below national |
| 46 | Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $52,120 | 20% below national |
| 47 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $52,120 | 20% below national |
| 48 | Tallahassee, FL | $51,980 | 20% below national |
| 49 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $51,170 | 21% below national |
| 50 | Ogden, UT | $50,960 | 22% below national |
| 51 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $50,790 | 22% below national |
| 52 | Pittsburgh, PA | $50,590 | 22% below national |
| 53 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $50,000 | 23% below national |
| 54 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $49,690 | 23% below national |
| 55 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $48,880 | 25% below national |
| 56 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $47,260 | 27% below national |
| 57 | Columbia, SC | $47,040 | 28% below national |
| 58 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $46,740 | 28% below national |
| 59 | Tucson, AZ | $46,580 | 28% below national |
| 60 | Omaha, NE-IA | $44,640 | 31% below national |
| 61 | Cleveland, OH | $44,630 | 31% below national |
| 62 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $28,660 | 56% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 23 (legal) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Judicial Law Clerks make? ▼
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How does Judicial Law Clerks pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Judicial Law Clerks pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $80,420/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Massachusetts leads at $143,350/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.