Judicial Law Clerks pay range in Washington
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $58,120 a year or less, while the top 10% make $82,400 or more. The middle half of judicial law clerks in Washington earn between $65,580 and $74,310.
- $58K10th
- $66K25th
- $70KMedian
- $74K75th
- $82K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $71,840 | $5,987 | $34.54 |
| Median | $70,110 | $5,842 | $33.71 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $65,580 | $5,465 | $31.53 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $74,310 | $6,192 | $35.73 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Judicial Law Clerks pay in Washington vs. Washington, D.C. and the U.S.
Judicial law clerks in Washington earn about the same as the U.S. average ($72,950). At the median the gap is +8% against the U.S. median of $64,920.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $71,840 | $70,110 | $58,120 | $82,400 | 160 |
| United States | $72,950 | $64,920 | $46,180 | $113,140 | 13,290 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Judicial Law Clerks salary after taxes in Washington
On the average salary of $71,840, a single filer in Washington takes home about $56,146 a year, or $4,679 a month and $2,159 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WV | $56,968 | $4,747 |
| Working in MD | $56,169 | $4,681 |
| Working in DC | $56,146 | $4,679 |
| Working in VA | $56,053 | $4,671 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Washington a good place for judicial law clerks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Washington area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.9), so the average $71,840 buys what about $65,978 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Washington ($71,060). A typical home costs $583,013, or 8.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Judicial Law Clerks salary in nearby metro areas
- Baltimore, MD$73,330
- Richmond, VA$74,860
- Philadelphia, PA$57,020
- Virginia Beach, VA$70,800
- Pittsburgh, PA$50,350
- Allentown, PA$49,660
Highest-paying cities for judicial law clerks
Springfield, MA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($139,650).
- Springfield, MA$139,650
- Albany, NY$129,970
- Boston, MA$129,530
- Hartford, CT$109,220
- Little Rock, AR$90,350
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Judicial Law Clerks salary in Washington: questions
How much do judicial law clerks make an hour in Washington?
$34.54 an hour on average, and $33.71 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level judicial law clerks salary in Washington?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $58,120 a year and the 25th percentile is $65,580, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the judicial law clerks take-home pay in Washington?
About $56,146 a year ($4,679 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $71,840.
Do judicial law clerks earn more in Washington than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($72,950).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 23-1012; area Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (47900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.61, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.61).
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