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
- +7.5%
- 2024→2025
- $113,140
- Top 10% earn
- +2.5%
- Growth '24–'34
- 13,290
- Estimated US jobs
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 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Massachusetts ($143,350).
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 2034.
- $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.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Judicial Law Clerks moved from $54,010 in May 2019 to $64,920 in May 2025 (+20.2%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Judicial Law Clerks sits -4.3 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Judicial Law Clerks (SOC 23-1012) has a national median of $64,920 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $46,180 to $113,140, and the published mean is $72,950. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 13,290 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 39 state or territory areas and 62 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $60,400 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $64,920 in May 2025, a rise of $4,520 (+7.5%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 1,000 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Doctoral or professional degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Legal Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
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 highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $143,350. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
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.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 (this entry) | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$64,920 · 56th percentile of 825 US occupations
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).
Read the chart as text
- Lawyers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $159670
- Paralegals and Legal…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.2%, Median annual wage $62890
- Title Examiners, Abs…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2%, Median annual wage $58650
- Legal Support Worker…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.2%, Median annual wage $72110
- Judges, Magistrate J…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $153990
- Administrative Law J…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.7%, Median annual wage $117860
- Judicial Law Clerks: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $64920
- Arbitrators, Mediato…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $75530
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+2.5%
About as fast as average
Annual Openings
1,000
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+400
14,500 (2024) → 14,900 (2034)
Typical Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Legal Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
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
Judicial Law Clerks pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $50,740 |
| 2016 | $51,760 |
| 2017 | $51,330 |
| 2018 | $53,540 |
| 2019 | $54,010 |
| 2020 | $57,510 |
| 2021 | $50,750 |
| 2022 | $57,490 |
| 2023 | $57,490 |
| 2024 | $60,400 |
| 2025 | $64,920 |
2015 median
$50,740
2025 median
$64,920
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$10,910 (+20.2%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+3.1%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $50,740 | First banked release | 12,660 |
| May 2016 | $51,760 | +2.0% | 13,410 |
| May 2017 | $51,330 | -0.8% | 15,260 |
| May 2018 | $53,540 | +4.3% | 16,350 |
| May 2019 | $54,010 | Classification break | 16,630 |
| May 2020 | $57,510 | +6.5% | 14,690 |
| May 2021 | $50,750 | -11.8% | 14,800 |
| May 2022 | $57,490 | +13.3% | 15,540 |
| May 2023 | $57,490 | +0.0% | 14,680 |
| May 2024 | $60,400 | +5.1% | 13,220 |
| May 2025 | $64,920 | +7.5% | 13,290 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $50,740 in May 2015 to $64,920 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.1% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 16,630 in May 2019 to 13,290 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
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 54 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 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $58,890 | 9% below national |
| 34 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $58,890 | 9% below national |
| 35 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $57,060 | 12% below national |
| 36 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $56,880 | 12% below national |
| 37 | Jacksonville, FL | $56,620 | 13% below national |
| 38 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $56,080 | 14% below national |
| 39 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $55,620 | 14% below national |
| 40 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $55,000 | 15% below national |
| 41 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $54,480 | 16% below national |
| 42 | Charleston, WV | $52,120 | 20% below national |
| 43 | Tallahassee, FL | $51,980 | 20% below national |
| 44 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $51,170 | 21% below national |
| 45 | Ogden, UT | $50,960 | 22% below national |
| 46 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $50,790 | 22% below national |
| 47 | Pittsburgh, PA | $50,590 | 22% below national |
| 48 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $48,880 | 25% below national |
| 49 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $47,260 | 27% below national |
| 50 | Columbia, SC | $47,040 | 28% below national |
| 51 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $46,740 | 28% below national |
| 52 | Tucson, AZ | $46,580 | 28% below national |
| 53 | Omaha, NE-IA | $44,640 | 31% below national |
| 54 | Cleveland, OH | $44,630 | 31% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 23 (Legal Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
SOC 23-1021
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators
SOC 23-1022
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
SOC 23-1023
Lawyers
SOC 23-1011
Legal Support Workers, All Other
SOC 23-2099
Showing 5 of 7 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Legal Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($64,920 here) and reported employment (13,290 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Judicial Law Clerks make? ▼
Where does Judicial Law Clerks pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Judicial Law Clerks the most? ▼
What education do Judicial Law Clerks need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Judicial Law Clerks? ▼
Is Judicial Law Clerks a good career? ▼
How does Judicial Law Clerks pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Judicial Law Clerks? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Judicial Law Clerks pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $80,420/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. 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.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
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.