Salary of a Prosecution Lawyer
Prosecution lawyers, or prosecutors, work for federal, state, county and city government jurisdictions. They investigate felonies, misdemeanors and other cases to charge suspects with a crime. They are then responsible for presenting evidence and arguing cases so that suspects are convicted in court before a judge and/or jury. Salaries depend on years of experience and employer.
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Local
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Local prosecution lawyers are those that work for governments below the state level, which includes counties and cities. The National Association of Legal Professionals shows that salaries at this level depend on years of experience. New prosecutors earn a median salary of $50,000 per year, while those with five years earn $62,320 annually, at the time of publication. Prosecutors with 11 to 15 years experience receive $81,500 annually. These wages are more than what public defenders earn, which runs an average of $76,160 per year for 11 to 15 years experience. However, prosecutor salaries are far less than what private lawyers earn. For example, a fifth year attorney in a firm with 50 or fewer lawyers gets $95,600 per year.
Federal
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The 94 U.S. Attorneys and their assistants work within the Department of Justice to serve as the nation's prosecutors. Any lawyer who is an active member of the bar in a U.S. jurisdiction with at least one year of experience can apply for an experienced attorney position. Entry-level attorneys are also welcome through the Attorney General's Honors Program. Working at the Department of Justice generally requires a full FBI investigation going back 7 to 10 years, fingerprinting and credit checks.
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Federal Salaries
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Federal prosecutors are compensated according to General Schedule tables that divide salaries by grades, and then again by steps within grades. Base entry-level salaries for attorneys hired under the Honors Program start at Grade 11, Step 1 with an annual base pay of $50,287 per year. Those with one year of clerkship experience after law school enter at Grade 12, Step 1 and $60,274 per year. Those with three years of clerkship experience after law school enter at Grade 13, Step 1 and $71,674 annually. This can also be the starting salary for experienced attorneys.
Note that salaries can vary depending on the location of the job. For example, prosecutors who work in the Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland area receive a locality increase of 24.22 percent. This increases Grade 11, Step 1 salaries to $62,467 per year; Grade 12, Step 1 salaries to $74,872 annually; and Grade 13, Step 1 salaries to $86,927 yearly.
State
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The District Attorneys Association of Massachusetts shows examples of prosecuting attorney salaries at the state level. District attorneys act as prosecutors for the state government. The state House of Representative voted a 5 percent increase for D.A. starting salaries in 2012, changing them from $37,500 to $39,750 per year. This is still lower than annual salaries for the same position in neighboring states, such as $61,900 in Connecticut, $55,000 in Rhode Island and $47,000 in New Hampshire.
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References
- Champaign County, Illinois Government: Lead Prosecutor Job Description
- National Association of Legal Professionals: Salaries for Public Interest Attorneys
- U.S. Department of Justice: Entry-Level Attorneys
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: 2011 General Schedule Tables
- Massachusetts Government: House Votes FY2012 Budget Increase for the District Attorneys
- U.S. Attorneys: About
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