Judicial Law Clerk salary in the U.S.
Judicial Law Clerks in the U.S. earn a median of $64,920 a year ($31.21 an hour), based on BLS data for 13,290 workers.
Pay ranges from $46,180 for the lowest-paid 10% to $113,140 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $72,950, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for judicial law clerks in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $46,180 | $22.20 |
| 25th percentile | $52,870 | $25.42 |
| Median | $64,920 | $31.21 |
| 75th percentile | $80,420 | $38.67 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $113,140 | $54.40 |
| Average (mean) | $72,950 | $35.07 |
Half of judicial law clerks earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,410 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,705 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,496.92 |
| Weekly | $1,248.46 |
| Hourly | $31.21 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Judicial Law Clerk salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $143,350 | 500 |
| New York | $133,320 | 850 |
| Connecticut | $98,670 | 270 |
| Oregon | $86,870 | 30 |
| North Dakota | $85,530 | 40 |
| Washington | $80,240 | 580 |
| Arkansas | $80,150 | 50 |
| California | $79,030 | 1,800 |
| Idaho | $75,540 | 60 |
| Tennessee | $75,190 | 400 |
| Minnesota | $71,070 | 410 |
| Maryland | $70,110 | 370 |
| Nevada | $69,600 | 70 |
| Maine | $67,890 | 30 |
| Alaska | $67,580 | 140 |
| Colorado | $67,230 | 140 |
| Missouri | $66,060 | 100 |
| Virginia | $65,940 | 380 |
| Delaware | $64,720 | 100 |
| Iowa | $64,260 | 90 |
| Louisiana | $63,180 | 90 |
| Texas | $63,130 | 220 |
| Michigan | $62,260 | 280 |
| Arizona | $60,170 | 250 |
| New Jersey | $58,890 | 530 |
| Indiana | $57,140 | 70 |
| Florida | $55,180 | 1,300 |
| Georgia | $55,120 | 560 |
| Wisconsin | $54,250 | 180 |
| West Virginia | $52,120 | 260 |
| Utah | $51,900 | 630 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,590 | 970 |
| South Carolina | $50,330 | 230 |
| Ohio | $49,840 | 240 |
| Nebraska | $49,570 | 110 |
| Montana | $47,320 | 40 |
| Hawaii | $47,010 | 330 |
| Kansas | $45,720 | 40 |
| Oklahoma | $44,990 | 130 |
Best-paying metro areas for judicial law clerks
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $143,350 | 380 |
| Springfield, MA | $143,350 | 40 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $136,950 | 80 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $101,890 | 120 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $97,840 | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $90,650 | 240 |
| Knoxville, TN | $87,820 | n/a |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $84,010 | 70 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $80,420 | 340 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $80,240 | 320 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $79,770 | 30 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $79,580 | 40 |
| Boise City, ID | $75,780 | 40 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $75,540 | 30 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $74,010 | 280 |
Metro areas with the most judicial law clerks
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 560 | $58,890 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 460 | $58,890 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 390 | $61,840 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 380 | $143,350 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 340 | $55,620 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 340 | $80,420 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 320 | $80,240 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 300 | $56,080 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 290 | $69,200 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 280 | $74,010 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 240 | $70,110 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 240 | $50,590 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 240 | $90,650 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 170 | $57,060 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 160 | $66,640 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $159,670 | $76.76 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $153,990 | $74.03 |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | $117,860 | $56.67 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $75,530 | $36.31 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $62,890 | $30.24 |
| Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | $58,650 | $28.20 |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $72,110 | $34.67 |
More: Legal Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 23-1012. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a judicial law clerk make in the U.S.?
The median salary for judicial law clerks in the U.S. is $64,920 a year, or $31.21 an hour. Pay ranges from $46,180 for the lowest-paid 10% to $113,140 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid judicial law clerks make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of judicial law clerks in the U.S. earn at least $113,140 a year. The top 25% earn $80,420 or more.
What is the starting pay for judicial law clerks in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $46,180 a year, and a quarter of judicial law clerks earn $52,870 or less.
How many judicial law clerks work in the U.S.?
About 13,290 judicial law clerks are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.