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Chief Public Defender Salary in the United States

How much does a Chief Public Defender make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Chief Public Defender in the United States is $74,309 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.

However, a Chief Public Defender's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $86,667
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $65,376 to $80,778
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $57,244
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Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $65,376 10% $57,244 90% $86,667 75% $80,778 $74,309 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Chief Public Defender Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $80,778 $6,731 $1,553 $39
Average $74,309 $6,192 $1,429 $36
25th Percentile $65,376 $5,448 $1,257 $31
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Key Factors That Influence Chief Public Defender Salaries

A Chief Public Defender's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Chief Public Defender Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Chief Public Defender's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $74,929
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $94,180
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $110,486
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $143,779
  • Expert (over 8 years): $160,507
Levels Salary
Chief Pub... Level Chief Public Defender$74,929
Physicist... Level Chief Public Defender$94,180
Physicist... Level Chief Public Defender$110,486
Physicist... Level Chief Public Defender$143,779
Physicist... Level Chief Public Defender$160,507
$74,929 0 yr
$94,180 < 2 yrs
$110,486 2-4 yrs
$143,779 5-8 yrs
$160,507 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Chief Public Defender Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Chief Public Defenders. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $82,274.
  • California: $81,962.
  • Massachusetts: $80,870.

Top Paying Cities for Chief Public Defenders

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $93,725
  • San Francisco: $92,699
  • Oakland: $90,746

What Skills Can Increase a Chief Public Defender's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 10.25% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Calibration (Mentioned in 6.54% Job Postings): In measurement technology and metrology, calibration is the comparison of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those of a calibration standard of known accuracy. Such a standard could be another measurement device of known accuracy, a device generating the quantity to be measured such as a voltage, a sound tone, or a physical artefact, such as a metre ruler. The outcome of the comparison can result in one of the following: no significant error being noted on the device under test a significant error being noted but no adjustment made an adjustment made to correct the error to an acceptable levelStrictly speaking, the term "calibration" means just the act of comparison, and does not include any subsequent adjustment. The calibration standard is normally traceable to a national standard held by a national metrological body.
  • Technical Skills (Mentioned in 1.6% Job Postings): Technical skills are the specialized knowledge and expertise required to perform specific tasks and use specific tools and programs in real world situations.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 10.25%
Calibration 6.54%
Technical Skills 1.6%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Chief Public Defender's salary.
  • Nuclear Medicine: Can increase your salary by up to 56%.
  • Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 51%.
  • MRI: Can increase your salary by up to 50%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Nuclear Medicine
 $115,921
56%
Consulting
 $112,206
51%
MRI
 $111,463
50%
Coordination
 $88,427
19%
Planning
 $86,198
16%
Insight
 $83,226
12%
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Chief Public Defender Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Chief Public Defender roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 150% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 60% above the average. In contrast, Chief Public Defender positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Chief Public Defender as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Chief Public Defender

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$118,894$57.060%
Pharmaceuticals$104,032$50.040%
Biotechnology$96,601$46.030%
Energy & Utilities$89,170$43.020%
Aerospace & Defense$81,739$39.010%

How Education impacts a Chief Public Defender's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Chief Public Defenders enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Chief Public Defender with a Bachelor's Degree is between $70,975 and $75,970).

Chief Public Defender Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Chief Public Defender
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 1.0%
Associates 19.0%
Bachelors 41.9%
Masters 19.0%
Doctorate 38.1%
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Chief Public Defender Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Chief Public Defender's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$65,376
Average $74,309/year
$80,778
$5,448
Average $6,192/month
$6,731
$1,257
Average $1,429/week
$1,553
$31
Average $36/hour
$39
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $80,778 $6,731 $1,553 $39
Average $74,309 $6,192 $1,429 $36
25th Percentile $65,376 $5,448 $1,257 $31

Salaries of jobs related to Chief Public Defender

Salary Trends for Chief Public Defender

Salaries for a Chief Public Defender can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $55,882 in 2023 to around $55,643 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Chief Public Defender salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Chief Public Defender Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$55,882
2024
$55,853
2025
$55,643
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $55,882
2024 $55,853
2025 $55,643
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Chief Public Defender

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Chief Public Defender

Here are companies hiring for Chief Public Defender and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Chief Public Defender Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Chief Public Defender job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States

  • MD Staff, LLC

    Columbus, OH

    Physician Neurology Ohio Locum Tenens Locums Physician

    MD Staff, LLC | Columbus, OH

    Neurologist Locum Tenens Opportunity Near Columbus, OH. We are excited to offer a rewarding locum tenens opportunity for a Board Certified or Board Eligibl... more

    2 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Associate Vice President Brand&External Communications

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Associate Vice President, Brand & External Communications. About the Company. National consulting & advisory services firm focused on the healthcare indust... more

    13 Days Ago

  • C.R. England

    Columbus, OH

    Local CDL

    C.R. England | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. C.R. England is Now Urgently Hiring Local Dedicated CDL-A Truck Drivers. \n. Dedicated Local Fleet - Home Daily - Competitive Pay* - Full ... more

    14 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Vice President Credit Risk Strategy&Data Science

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Credit Risk Strategy & Data Science. About the Company. High-growth SMB lender building the next generation of credit decisioning. Industry... more

    14 Days Ago

  • KreilKamp Trucking

    Columbus, OH

    Regional Truck Driver Company

    KreilKamp Trucking | Columbus, OH

    Regional CDL A Drivers | NEW Grads Welcome | Earn $70,000+ Annually. We're proud to be a 4th generation family truck line, started in 1935, but even proude... more

    14 Days Ago

  • Maxim Healthcare

    Columbus, OH

    RN Private Duty Nursing Opportunity

    Maxim Healthcare | Columbus, OH

    Private duty nursing (PDN) allows medically fragile patients to receive quality, skilled nursing care in the comfort of their home: a setting preferred by ... more

    16 Days Ago

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FAQ about Chief Public Defender

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Chief Public Defender?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Chief Public Defender roles, with salaries approximately 60% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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