Judicial Law Clerks pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $70,130 a year or less, while the top 10% make $104,310 or more. The middle half of judicial law clerks in San Francisco earn between $79,010 and $90,690.
- $70K10th
- $79K25th
- $91KMedian
- $91K75th
- $104K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $87,810 | $7,318 | $42.22 |
| Median | $90,650 | $7,554 | $43.58 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $79,010 | $6,584 | $37.99 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $90,690 | $7,558 | $43.60 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Judicial Law Clerks pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Judicial law clerks in San Francisco earn 15% more than the California average ($76,070) and 20% more than the U.S. average ($72,950). At the median the gap is +40% against the U.S. median of $64,920.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $87,810 | $90,650 | $70,130 | $104,310 | 240 |
| California | $76,070 | $79,030 | $59,620 | $90,680 | 1,800 |
| 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 San Francisco
On the average salary of $87,810, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $66,530 a year, or $5,544 a month and $2,559 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for judicial law clerks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $87,810 buys what about $75,952 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 13.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Judicial Law Clerks salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 1st of 5 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- San Francisco$87,810
- Sacramento$84,930
- Santa Rosa$76,430
- Riverside$73,830
- Bakersfield$62,900
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 San Francisco: questions
How much do judicial law clerks make an hour in San Francisco?
$42.22 an hour on average, and $43.58 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level judicial law clerks salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $70,130 a year and the 25th percentile is $79,010, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the judicial law clerks take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $66,530 a year ($5,544 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $87,810. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do judicial law clerks earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% more than 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.5%.
- 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.21, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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