Also called: Civil Liberties Lawyer, Impact Litigator
Fights discrimination and government abuse by bringing lawsuits that protect people's rights.
Civil rights lawyers might represent someone fired for their religion, sue a city over police misconduct, or challenge an unfair voting law. Big cases can take years and end at the Supreme Court. Many work for nonprofits like the ACLU or NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
Nonprofit salaries are lower; private plaintiff firms can earn more from fee awards.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 7 years after high school. Bachelor's in any subject, then a 3-year Juris Doctor (JD) and passing the state bar exam.
Ways in: 4-year college, Professional school. Training cost: Over $150k.
Majors to look at: Political Science, African American Studies, History, Sociology, Philosophy.
Growing about average (about 4% over 10 years). BLS projection for all lawyers (2024-34).
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps research case law and sort records; building cases against powerful institutions and earning client trust stay human.
Classes: AP U.S. Government, AP U.S. History, Speech and debate, Sociology.
Official data: O*NET occupation 23-1011.
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.