Public Service Salaries
12/16/2010
Printer-friendly versionPublic service is a calling for many, and a career that provides countless rewards. However, in recent years, research on employment trends has shown an alarming shortage of public sector and social justice jobs that provide a reasonable standard of living for those with educational debt.
The median entry-level salary for an attorney from the class of 2008 at a civil legal services organization was $40,000.
- The median entry-level salary for public defenders was about $47,400.
- State and local prosecuting attorneys started around $47,800.
- The median entry-level salary was $41,000 for attorneys in public interest organizations, such as those dealing with immigrant or civil rights issues.
Source: NALP Public Sector and Public Interest Attorney Salary Report, 2008
External Links & Resources:
- Table: Median Salaries for Attorneys by Type of Organization and Years of Experience from NALP’s 2008 Public Sector and Public Interest Attorney Salary Report
Tools:
- Student Debt Podcast Series stream, download or subscribe for tips and tools on coping with student debt.
- Student Debt Forum: a place to post questions, receive answers, and join discussions with others concerned about student debt.
- Financing the Future: Responses to the Rising Debt of Law Students a study detailing the characteristics of loan repayment assistance programs.
- The Equal Justice Works Guide to Law Schools a free interactive online resource of public service opportunities, curricula and financial programs at more than 150 law schools in the United States.