Also called: Clerk to a Judge
A recent law graduate who works one-on-one with a judge for 1-2 years, researching and drafting opinions.
Clerks read every brief before the judge does, write bench memos, and sit in on hearings. They get an inside look at how judges think. A clerkship, especially at the Supreme Court, is one of the most prestigious first jobs in law.
Federal clerks earn more; former Supreme Court clerks get $400k+ signing bonuses at firms.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 7 years after high school. JD; clerkships are usually 1-2 years right after law school.
Ways in: 4-year college, Professional school. Training cost: Over $150k.
Majors to look at: English, Political Science, Philosophy, History.
Growing about average (about 2% over 10 years). Approximate.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI speeds research and first drafts; judges still hire clerks for judgment and training, though tasks shift to checking AI work.
Classes: AP English Language, AP U.S. Government, Speech and debate, Latin or a world language.
Official data: O*NET occupation 23-1012.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.