Judicial Law Clerk salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Judicial Law Clerks in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median of $66,640 a year ($32.04 an hour), based on BLS data for 160 workers.
Pay ranges from $39,770 for the lowest-paid 10% to $77,810 for the top 10%. That is 3% higher than the national median of $64,920. Pay here is 17% higher than the Indiana statewide median of $57,140. There are 0.04 judicial law clerks per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.42). The average (mean) salary is $61,340, close to the median.
Pay range for judicial law clerks in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $39,770 | $19.12 |
| 25th percentile | $50,980 | $24.51 |
| Median | $66,640 | $32.04 |
| 75th percentile | $66,640 | $32.04 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $77,810 | $37.41 |
| Average (mean) | $61,340 | $29.49 |
Half of judicial law clerks earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,553.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,776.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,563.08 |
| Weekly | $1,281.54 |
| Hourly | $32.04 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $66,640 salary, see how much house you can afford in Indiana at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Judicial Law Clerk salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $64,920 | 40 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $61,720 | 30 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $51,170 | 30 |
Highest-paying states for judicial law clerks
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $143,350 |
| New York | $133,320 |
| Connecticut | $98,670 |
| Oregon | $86,870 |
| North Dakota | $85,530 |
| Washington | $80,240 |
| Arkansas | $80,150 |
| California | $79,030 |
| Idaho | $75,540 |
| Tennessee | $75,190 |
See Judicial Law Clerk pay in every state or the Indiana statewide figures.
Related jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $165,660 | $79.64 |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | $121,720 | $58.52 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $146,400 | $70.38 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $98,760 | $47.48 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $70,550 | $33.92 |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $63,240 | $30.40 |
| Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | $56,710 | $27.26 |
More: Legal Occupations · all salaries in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 23-1012. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a judicial law clerk make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median salary for judicial law clerks in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $66,640 a year, or $32.04 an hour. Pay ranges from $39,770 for the lowest-paid 10% to $77,810 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid judicial law clerks make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The top 10% of judicial law clerks in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn at least $77,810 a year. The top 25% earn $66,640 or more.
What is the starting pay for judicial law clerks in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $39,770 a year, and a quarter of judicial law clerks earn $50,980 or less.
How many judicial law clerks work in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
About 160 judicial law clerks are employed in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, not counting the self-employed.